Friday, October 12, 2012

Windows 8 prices revealed, you can pre-order it with or without a computer starting today

Today we finally get to see all price options for Microsoft’s next-generation computer OS – the Windows 8. The OS will launch on Oct 26, but you can pre-order it on a DVD right now, if you absolutely need to have a disc. For the rest of us, the update would be available online for download and purchase via the Windows 8 Upgrade Assistant for a cheaper price. The full Windows 8 Pro OS will be downloadable as well when you purchase the license separately.
 
Oh, yes, and the prices, of course. An online upgrade from Windows XP, Vista or 7 to Windows 8 Pro will cost you $40, as we’ve seen before. That’s a time-limited offer, valid only until January 31, 2013. But there are other options, too.

If you insist on getting the update on a DVD in one of their newly designed product boxes (one of which is pictured above), you will have to shell out $70 (already available for pre-order).
As previously detailed, if you buy a Windows 7 computer right now, come Oct 26 you will be eligible to upgrade your OS, for only $15 in the US, €15 in most of Europe and £15 in the UK. More information and detailed pricing for each country (over 140 worldwide) is available HERE.
If you are into buying a full license for Windows 8, and not just an upgrade, US online store Newegg reveals the prices will go like that:
  • Windows 8 Pro Pack – Product Key Card (no media) – $70
  • Windows 8 (Full Version) – OEM $100
  • Windows 8 Pro (Full Version) – OEM $140
Starting today, we should also be able to pre-order any of the Windows 8 PCs, made by Acer, ASUS, Dell, HP, Samsung and Sony. So far I only had luck with checking out dedicated pages with the offers by Asus, Dell, Sony. I guess your nearest electronics retailer will already have a deal for you. So far, there is no pre-order deals available for Microsoft’s own tablet – the Surface.

Thursday, October 11, 2012

Google+ app updated on iOS and Android

Google has pushed out a new update for their Google+ app on iOS and Android. One of the key new features in the iOS version is support for the iPhone 5 and iOS 6. Another new feature is Google+ page owners now being able to view, post and comment from the mobile app.
 
Lastly, you can also edit your posts, save photos to camera roll and search for people and posts on the iPad.

The Android version also gets the ability to let page owners view, post and comment and along with that there is also a new ‘Find People’ option to discover people and topics more easily. There’s also a new homescreen widget. For some reason the Android app stopped loading posts after updating and just says ‘No posts found’ on my device but your mileage may vary. Probably just some temporary bug and should be fixed soon. 

You can download the apps from the respective links below.
iOS | Android

Tuesday, October 9, 2012

GoPro releases iOS app, lets you remote control your HD HERO2

GoPro has released an app for the iPhone (3GS, 4, 4S and 5), iPad (1, 2 and 3) and iPod Touch that lets you “Connect. View. Control.” an HD HERO2 remotely.
 http://b.vimeocdn.com/ps/750/75032_300.jpg
The app is free but you’ll need to get a $99.99 Wi-Fi BacPac add-on accessory for your GoPro camera in order to use it and it isn’t compatible with the older HD HERO model.

You can remotely set up the settings, switch modes (video, photo, burst, timer, etc.), locate the camera and gain access to the viewfinder.

 You can get the app for free here. An Android app is listed as “Coming Soon” so stay tuned.

Opera Mobile 12.1 for Android is out, SPDY is in, new security and web standards features also on board

Hot on the heels of the desktop Opera 12.1 beta browser comes the Opera Mobile for Android 12.1 (and this one isn’t beta). Just like its PC counterpart, Opera Mobile 12.1 brings support for SPDY plus some extra features.
 http://www.androidguys.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/operaminifinal1.jpg
SPDY is a networking protocol proposed by Google that is similar to HTTP but faster (with special attention paid to mobile internet) and is already supported by Android’s native browser, Chrome and Firefox for Android, so you can expect to see increasing support on the server side.

Opera Mobile 12.1 for Android also aims to make browsing more secure by checking web sites and warning you if they’ve been involved in suspicious activities.

Support for web standards has been improved with new HTML5 features (drag&drop, clipboard API), CSS features (animations and flexbox) and WebSockets (which improves two-way communication between a web page and a server).

Opera Mobile 12.1 supports Turbo mode, which is the server-side compression technology that Opera pioneered (and is now used by Amazon’s Silk browser for their Kindle tablets and Nokia’s Xpress Browser for S40 and Windows Phone). 
 To get Opera Mobile 12.1 for Android, just head over to the Play Store. It supports ARM v6, v7, MIPS and x86 so chances are your droid phone is supported, no matter what it is.

Monday, October 8, 2012

Angry Birds Star Wars coming on November 8 to your nearby devices

The last few days Rovio released a couple of teasers about a Star Wars-themed Angry Birds title. There was even an event in New York and, long story short – a new Angry Birds is coming, along with board games and dedicated merchandise (plush toys, etc.).

The center of all those things, of course, is the Angry Birds Star Wars game coming one month from now, on November 8.

The compatible platforms at launch are going to be Android, iOS, Mac OS X and PC. I’m sure the console version will follow shortly after.

There is no info on the pricing just yet, but I guess it will cost the same as any other Angry Birds game.

Samsung releases Galaxy Note II kernel source code

Samsung has just released the source code of the Jelly Bean kernel of its Galaxy Note II phablet. This will presumably open the floodgates and custom ROMs and kernels for the device will now start appearing at a rapid rate.
All the open-source bits of the Samsung Galaxy Note II code are now available for download from the company’s website and if you happen to be a developer interested in the device you might get them right now. Just follow the source link below.
And if you happen to be just a regular owner of a Galaxy Note II, you might want to keep an eye on the XDA-Developers forums, where helpful hackers will start working their magic on the Samsung code and will probably have a host of interesting new ROMs for you to try out soon.
Source

Friday, October 5, 2012

Firefox Metro for Windows 8 breaks cover, old-school Desktop version here to stay

The launch of Windows 8 is fast approaching and Mozilla has been working hard on releasing the Metro version of Firefox.
 http://www.geeky-gadgets.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/Mozilla-Firefox-Metro.jpg
Currently available for download in a preview release form, Firefox Metro, as Mozilla is calling it, packs the essential features of its desktop counterpart.

There are Windows 8-specific features as well, such as full support for touch and swipe gestures, on which Windows 8 bets big. Firefox Metro supports file sharing between Metro apps, and can even do a fast switch between Metro and the usual desktop mode due to the “view current page on desktop” feature.

Sadly, there isn’t Flash support in Firefox Metro just yet, although Mozilla is saying it’s been worked on. Also notable is the lack of plugin and add-on support, which probably won’t make it to the first stable release of the browser.

If, however, you are running Windows 8, feel free to download Firefox Metro and experience it yourself.

Jolla will showcase MeeGo-based Sailfish demo on November 21

Jolla, the Finnish startup composed of former Nokia employees working on the MeeGo mobile platform, will showcase its Sailfish OS in the third week of November.
 http://mobilephoneblog.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/MeeGo-Jolla.jpg
Jolla CEO Jussi Hurmola also announced that we will know what the first Sailfish-running device will be – and when to expect it – by Christmas of this year.

It seems that the until now ill-fated MeeGo open source mobile platform will be getting another jolt of life in the form of Sailfish, as Jolla has confirmed the formation of a Sailfish Alliance in Hong Kong. The Alliance will contribute some €200 million to the growth of the project in several installments.

I can’t wait to see what the MeeGo-based UI will look like. Hopefully, Jolla will be able to get a few devices out, as a more competitive mobile market can only lead to good things for everyone!

Microsoft event on October 25 will launch Windows 8 and Surface tablet

Microsoft will be holding a special event in New York on October 25, where it’ll officially introduce Windows 8 and the Windows Surface tablets.
After the event, which starts at 10:00AM, the guys from Redmond will announce the launch of the highly anticipated Surface tablet. The actual availability is said to start right at midnight on October 26 through the company’s special pop-up stores.

Undoubtedly, we’ll find out many details about the latest computer OS and the accompanying Slate, including its pricing, which, as we all know is key in the tablet world.

Google Drive for Android gets a massive update, bug fixes for Wallet and Play Music

Google has released updates for three of its Android apps today – Drive, Wallet and Play Music. And while Wallet and Music got nothing but bug fixes, Google Drive was treated to a really big update with tons of new features.
Google Drive
Drive for Andoird now sports some folder management tools, allowing you to filter folder contents by file type, create folders as well as upload and move files around them.

The Document Editor now supports basic tables as well as richer Google Presentations viewing experience. The editor also got pinch to zoom, which many users will find handy. It allows you to change fonts as well as create, reply and resolve comments.

Pinned content in Google Drive is important, so it now can be auto-synced over 3G network. There’s also a newly added option to resume interrupted uploads. The app enables file printing using the Google Cloud Print service, too.

To get the updated Google Drive app, Click Here

Facebook hits 1 billion active monthly users, celebrates with a video ad

Facebook celebrates 1 billion active monthly users today. The announcement came from the social network’s CEO Mark Zuckerberg on Facebook’s company blog. He also used the occasion to post some more impressive stats.
https://lh5.ggpht.com/qTjFRAkS4P-5Tfrr_ovb9CbpDcM2DQopnSMqZ_lzsWVLnK-2x649xbULVXma6ulLZido=w705
Since the launch of the Likes feature on Facebook in 2009, there have been more than 1.13 trillion likes. Over 140.3 billion friend connections in total were made and 219 billion photos uploaded.

The mind-blowing numbers continue with 17 billion location-tagged posts and 62.6 million songs played about 22 billion times. Wow.

The average user age is around 22 with top five countries being Brazil, India, Indonesia, Mexico and The U.S.

Mark Zuckerbeg also posted a personal note, where he expresses his gratitude to Facebook users.

This morning, there are more than one billion people using Facebook actively each month. If you’re reading this: thank you for giving me and my little team the honor of serving you. Helping a billion people connect is amazing, humbling and by far the thing I am most proud of in my life. I am committed to working every day to make Facebook better for you, and hopefully together one day we will be able to connect the rest of the world too.

Today’s achievement was celebrated with Facebook’s first ever advertisement. Check it out below.

Thursday, October 4, 2012

More iPhones are sold through carriers than in Apple’s own stores

In the U.S., Apple stores have achieved a type of mythical status by being able to generate more revenue per square foot than any other retail outlet, particularly because there are only 250 locations nationwide.
However, it seems that carriers, namely AT&T and Verizon, are shouldering the heavy load when it comes to iPhone sales.

For the six month period ending in August 2012, a combined 54% of iPhones were sold in either Verizon or AT&T store locations, as opposed to 21% in Apple stores.
As far as iPad and Mac computers are concerned, Apple still holds the lion’s share of the pie, with 40% of iPads and 47% of Macs being sold in retail stores or through online sales.

Where did you buy your iPhone from?

TomTom launches navigation app for Android, forgets HD resolution support

TomTom has launched its popular offline navigation app for Android today. Packing most of the features of its iOS counterparts, the TomTom Android app features spoken turn-by-turn directions in multiple languages as well as speed camera alerts and Traffic info.
 http://cdn.androidcommunity.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/tomtom-logo.jpg
On top of that, TomTom promises it’ll provide lifetime map updates, with at least four releases per year. It all sounds great, but there’s a catch – the app doesn’t have the greatest device compatibility.

TomTom has confirmed to TheVerge that in its current version, its navigation app will only run on devices with Android 2.2 or higher and a resolution of either 800 x 480 or 854 x 480 pixels. However, the company says it is “committed to supporting higher resolutions on an ongoing basis.”

Currently, the US & Canada and Western Europe editions of the app cost $49.99 each, which is $10 less than the TomTom apps for iOS. Keep in mind that the app is quite storage hungry with the maps for US & Canada requiring 2.3GB of storage space.

Anyhow, TomTom launched a promo video to celebrate the launch of their Android app. Check it out.

Sony PlayStation Mobile store now available on PS Vita and PlayStation Certified devices

Sony has launched the new PlayStation Mobile store for the PlayStation Vita and PlayStation Certified devices, which will let you purchase a game once and play across multiple supported devices.
http://www.geeky-gadgets.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/Sony-PlayStation-Mobile-Store3.jpg
The list of PlayStation Certified devices currently includes Xperia PLAY, Xperia arc, Xperia S, Xperia SL, Xperia SX, Xperia T, Xperia TX, Xperia V, Xperia ion, Xperia acro, Xperia acro S, Xperia acro HD, Sony Tablet S, Sony Tablet P, Xperia Tablet S, HTC One X, One X+, One S and One V. You currently have a choice of 20 games available and once purchased, you can play on up to three different devices with the same ID.
On PlayStation Certified devices, you will get virtual DUALSHOCK controls on the screen and the Vita can of course use its physical buttons.
PlayStation Mobile is currently available in the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, Spain and Australia. Click here to download the PlayStation Mobile store app on your PlayStation Certified Android device.

Nokia releases Xpress for Lumia browser, compresses data by up to 90 percent

Nokia has released the beta version of a new browser called Xpress for Lumia that is based on the same principle as the browser on their Asha phones, which itself was based on the Opera Mini.
The Nokia Xpress for Lumia browser is designed exclusively for Nokia Lumia phones and claims to compress data by up to 90 percent, saving your data, time and money.

Some of the other important features of this browser include:
  • Detailed report on the amount of data that you consumed on the browser. Can be saved as a live tile for quick view.
  • Save sites with RSS feeds in the browser and then view the articles in a magazine style layout.
  • Save pages for offline viewing
  • Save a video on SkyDrive and watch it later
  • Tap on a word on a page and do a quick search on Wikipedia, Bing and YouTube
  • Translate a page to one of the 10 language options available
The browser is currently available for download only from Nokia Beta Labs.

Digital Photography Review sheds light on the iPhone 5 purple haze issue

Ever since the launch of the iPhone 5, the phone has been a victim of abject criticism for various reasons that, thanks to the popularity of the phone, are usually blown way out of proportion than the situation demands.
 http://cdn.itproportal.com/photos/iphone5_camera_original.jpg
One of the things that people liked to complain about was the purple haze seen in some of the iPhone 5 camera photos with a bright light source just entering the frame. In their review of the iPhone 5 camera, Digital Photography Review talked about this phenomenon, what could be causing it and how big a deal it really is. 

One of the purported reasons for this issue was the presence of sapphire crystal as lens cover on the iPhone 5, which people believed would give the images that purple tint. Digital Photography Review believes that is not the case and indeed, when you compare it to the iPhone 4S images in their review you will see the same effect, even though the 4S has a simpler glass lens cover.
Digital Photography Review also dismissed blooming, chromatic aberrations and IR sensitivity as possible reasons, as the actual results don’t match the kind of results you’d get if either of these issues were at play. Eventually they zeroed in internal reflections and/or lens flare to be the possible culprit.
So what’s their solution to this problem? Well, as any photographer or camera manual would tell you, don’t point the camera at a bright light while taking a picture and you should be fine. With a bright light source in a corner, your photos would be pretty much ruined anyway, with or without the haze. Also, lens flare is pretty common problem with cameras and not something exclusive to the iPhone. In other words, it’s no big deal.
You can read more about the test and the rest of the review in the link below.
Source

Wednesday, October 3, 2012

iOS 6 now active on over 60% of iPhones

Apple’s latest operating system version, iOS 6, has already made its way to over 60% of iPhones.
http://i.zdnet.com/blogs/ios6.jpg
The new update has also made its way to roughly 45% of iPads and just below 40% of iPods since its release on September 19th.
The statistics, tracked by Chitika data analytics, reflects data gathered on September 30, so the totals are surely even higher today. Chitika claims that the reasons for the higher version fragmentation on the iPad and iPod as opposed to the iPhone is that certain versions of the iPod touch can’t go past iOS 4, and the lack of incentives offered by carriers to encourage upgrades.
 
Overall, having to concentrate on only a handful of devices allows Apple to ensure quick rollout of its OS versions, and is far and away better than what Google can offer on Android.

Samsung is now among the Top 10 most valuable brands for 2012, Apple takes second place

The investment Samsung makes in the marketing of its two latest Android flagships, the Galaxy S III and Galaxy Note II has paid off not only in massive sales, but also in boosting the brand’s worth, shooting it among the top 10 most valuable in the world.

According to Interbrand’s 13th annual Best Global Brands report, Samsung, for the first time in its history, finds its place in the Top 10 of the prestigious ranking. In fact, it’s now considered the 9th most valuable brand on the planet and is estimated to be worth $32.8 billion.
Samsung’s value has increased by 40% since the company became the world’s largest smartphone and mobile phone manufacturer. Moreover, the aggressive marketing campaign and the buzz the Koreans have generated around the Galaxy S III and Galaxy Note II has also helped them boost their value.
At the other end of the list is Apple cozily taking second place right below Coca-Cola. Valued at $76.5 billion, the Apple brand has made an incredible 129% jump in value compared to last year.

Steam starts selling software through its online store

Back in August, Steam announced its plan to expand its online store. The plan was to move beyond selling just games and also offer useful software for your computer. Sticking to that plan, Steam has now added a software section with a handful of apps now available for purchase.
The list of software currently includes GameMaker: Studio, 3D-Coat, ArtRage Studio Pro, 3DMark Vantage, 3DMark 11, CameraBag 2 and Source FilmMaker. Other than the first and the last, all other are paid applications and Steam is offering a 10% off discount for the first week.

These applications are currently only available for Windows and use Steam’s Steamworks features that facilitates easy installation, auto updating and online storage of settings to make it easy to move between computers.

Currently only these handful of applications are available but more are said to be coming soon. You will find them within the Steam client on your Windows PC.

Duo Games and Gameloft announce Duo Gamer wireless controller for iOS devices

Duo Games, in collaboration with Gameloft, has announced a new wireless controller for your iPhone, iPad and iPod touch. Called the Duo Gamer, the set comes with a wireless controller as well as a dock for your iOS device.
http://multiplayerblog.mtv.com//wp-content/uploads/multi/2012/10/duo_gamer2.jpg
The controller has six buttons on it (four on the front and two on the shoulder), two joysticks and a D-Pad. The dock uses a 30-pin connector and has an HDMI-out for connecting to a larger screen, if required.

Since the dock has been made in collaboration with Gameloft, it naturally works well with Gameloft titles, including Asphalt 7: Heat, Modern Combat 3: Fallen Nation, N.O.V.A. 3, Order & Chaos Online and Brothers in Arms 2: Global Front. Unfortunately, it seems these are all the games that are supported at the moment and hopefully more will in the future.

The controller will be sold through Apple Stores, Amazon, Best Buy and Target. In fact, Amazon already seems to have it up for pre-order for $79.99. If you play a lot of “console quality” games, and by that I mean Gameloft titles only, then this seems like a good thing to have. Gameloft does seem to come up with new games on a regular basis, so you’d have a steady supply of games to play with. Wish it worked with more games, though.

Next generation Acer touchscreen ultrabooks coming on October 26

The Acer Aspire S7 series ultrabooks are set to hit shelves on October 26.
 http://www.electronicpulp.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/Acer-Aspire-S7-open.jpg
All members of the new series contain Intel Ivy Bridge processors, and start at $1,200 for the 11 inch model.

The most notable feature, however, is the touchscreen capability, which takes advantage of the new touch interface on Microsoft’s Windows 8 operating system.

The 11 inch model also has the ability to fold over to a completely flat display, and comes with an aluminum lid rather than one covered with Gorilla Glass like its 13 inch siblings.

All models come with 4GB of RAM, SSD drives configured in RAID 0 arrays for ultrafast read/write speeds, and integrated Intel HD 4000 graphics.

The full specs lists for the new ultrabooks are as follows:

Aspire S7-191-6640 ($1,200)

11.6-inch, 1080p IPS display
Intel Core i5-3317UB CPU
128GB SSD
4GB of DDR3 RAM
2.29 pounds
11.17 x 7.7 x 0.48 inches

Aspire S7-391-6810 ($1,400)

13.3-inch, 1080p IPS display
Intel Core i5-3317UB CPU
128GB SSD
4GB of DDR3 RAM
2.86 pounds
12.73 x 8.79 x 0.47 inches

Aspire S7-391-9886 ($1,650)

13.3-inch, 1080p IPS display
Intel Core i7-3517UB CPU
256GB SSD
4GB of DDR3 RAM
2.86 pounds
12.73 x 8.79 x 0.47 inches

Opera releases developer-focused Opera 12.10 beta

The latest beta build of Opera’s browser is now available for download.
 http://techblog.weblineindia.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/opera_11-60-beta-available.jpg
Version 12.10 brings a improved API support, SPDY support, touch optimization for the upcoming Windows 8 and Retina, Notification Center and sharing to social networks in Mac OS X Mountain Lion.
SDPY is a network standard, which coupled with the HTTP protocol will help load pages faster. Chrome has had support for SDPY since last year, while Firefox is using it since June.
The Opera 12.10 is available for download now – here’s the link.

New Nokia Lumia 920 ad mocks the monochromatic iPhone 5

Nokia Germany has released a new ad for the Lumia 920 that follows in the footsteps of the recent Samsung ads and chooses to mock the iPhone as a way of advertising their own phone.
 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.engadget.com/media/2012/09/nokia920-1346855563.jpg
In this particular ad, Nokia chooses to highlight the lack of color options you get on the iPhone 5, compared to the Lumia 920. The video is nicely animated and doesn’t have much in the way of dialogues but still manages to get the message across. It basically shows a man in line with several other people (who all look the same) outside what is presumably the Apple Store. Once he goes inside he asks for a different color option, which makes everybody freak out. Disappointed, he steps out and looks around and sees people using phones in various colors. You then see the 920 with the new ‘This is Lumia’ tagline.

This ad is definitely more classy and subtle than Samsung’s knee-jerk, ad-hominem affair and does a good job of highlighting one of the key features of the new Lumia 920, the multi-color option, which is missing in a lot of phones these days and for no good reason. Still, even though the ad is nice, one can’t help but ask the question: where is the phone, Nokia? 

Monday, October 1, 2012

Sharp starts mass production of 5-inch 1080p mobile displays

Japanese manufacturer Sharp has submitted a press release announcing it has started mass production of the first 5 inch Full HD display for mobiles.
 
The new displays will achieve an unprecedented pixel density of 443 ppi, which is over 100 ppi higher than highest currently available.

Chinese manufacturer Oppo has confirmed that it will be putting that 5-inch display in its upcoming Find 5 smartphone. Although an exact release date for the Find 5 is yet unknown, it’s likely that it will be among the first smartphones with a 1080p display – although at 5 inches, you’re getting dangerously close to phablet territory.

Another device which could sport the new Sharp displays is the rumored Google Nexus 5 created by HTC, although the existence of that device is yet to be confirmed by either party.

What do you think – is a 1080p display on a mobile device overkill, or the more pixels the better?

CyanogenMod 10 gets OTA support, allows you to install the latest nightlies for you

Great news for Android enthusiasts and fans of CyanogenMod 10, as its developers have added a neat feature allowing you to install the latest nightlies over the air in the latest build of the ROM.
 http://www.xda-developers.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/cm10.jpg?f39ce1
This means flashoholics won’t have to go through the usual procedure of flashing CM10, but rather have the CM Updater take over the hassle. The OTA update feature is called CM Updater and is available only for stock CyanogendMod 10 releases. Sorry, custom ROMs.

You can also specify whether you want the updater to create a backup of your ROM in case things go south. After all, these are nightlies and everything could happen, so you better be safe than sorry.

Kindle Paperwhite starts shipping today, the first reviews are in

Shopping for an e-book reader this holiday season is certainly an exciting task, from a geek’s point of view at least. There are interesting offers on all price points and manufacturers and bookstores are vying for your attention. Whatever your price range though, you can’t miss on checking out the Amazon Kindle Paperwhite, which just launched today. Priced at $119 with Special Offers (which means lockscreen ads), this is probably the most sophisticated e-book reader your money can buy right now.

As the first reviews of the Kindle Paperwhite are now rolling in, we get to learn more about this, still US-only, gadget. Here’s a rundown of what’s hot and what not about this new e-reader.

The HOTs

Design-wise, the new Amazon Kindle Paperwhite e-reader is a lot different than the previous gen and that’s good. Gone is the shiny plastic, and the matte, soft touch black material is more than welcome. The Kindle Paperwhite is faster than the Kindle Touch and now about as responsive as the Nook with Glowlight.
The 6-inch screen is of higher resolution. This has led to a higher pixel density, making fonts more legible even at lower sizes. The new capacitive touch technology certainly makes life easier when you are going through the interface and settings. The screen surface has an added texture to make swiping and touching it feel even more tactile. The display certainly lives up to its name and at full brightness of the frontlight, it really looks as white as paper.
To add to the novelty, this year’s Kindle comes with built-in magnet switch, so when you are using it with the original case, the e-book reader would actually wake up as soon as you flip open the cover case.
And, of course, the pièce de résistance – the new system for front lighting is without a doubt the Paperwhite’s key selling feature. You are free to guess how many times I mistakenly called it Paperlight, while drafting this article. It just rolls off the tongue so much easier.
All reviewers agree that the light looks amazingly even and it feels almost as if the light comes from all sides. The new front light is reportedly useful for much more than late night reading. There are some 24 levels of brightness so you will always be able to fine tune it to match the ambient lighting (or the lack of it thereof). And having it on, has a benefit almost everywhere, except perhaps on a bright-lit beach, I guess.


Software-wise, the Kindle Paperwhite features novel perks such as an estimate of the time needed to finish the current chapter or the whole book. X-Ray, another feature, will show you all the major characters or terms throughout the book, though its usefulness is somewhat questionable.


Twitter and Facebook integration allow you to share the name and link to the book you are reading directly to the social networks.

The NOTs

Modern day gadgets rarely escape reviewers’ scrutiny without warranting a scorning word or two. In this case, tech reviewers found that the relatively thin bezel on the Kindle Paperwhite makes it harder to hold than say, the Nook Simple Touch.
The Paperwhite also could have used some page turn buttons or at least, a single menu button. The storage is also not expandable, unlike the Nook Simple Touch, but honestly, I’ve never had to use a memory card inside my Nook, e-books take up so little space.
The Kindle case prices still seem like a rip-off and I can’t help the feeling that the maker is actually trying to offset the cheap introductory price of the e-book reader with overpriced accessories.

Making your mind

Summing it all up, all reviewers agree the Kindle Paperwhite is a must buy if you are after a new e-book reader. Perhaps, it may not be enough to make you upgrade if you already own the last year’s Kindle Touch or the Nook Simple Touch, but it’s definitely a top pick this holiday season. You just can’t beat the new front-lighting system and Amazon has some of the best prices on e-books these days.
All Kindle Paperwhite e-readers are already available, starting at $119 for the Wi-Fi only version with Special Offers. Unfortunately, there is still no word on when this thing is coming to our side of the ocean.
So what about you, are you getting one?

Samsung details new Galaxy Note II features in a lengthy video

Samsung has released a new, almosty eight minute long video to demonstrate all the new features on the Galaxy Note II. The video showcases the large display, the new multitasking options and the built-in applications that you can use with the stylus.
 http://cdn0.soyacincau.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/120830-GalaxyNote-II-Official-main.jpg
First of all, we see the new Gallery features Samsung has added to the Note II to take advantage of the bigger display. You have two new Gallery views and can now create folders and drag and drop images between them.

Next you see all the cool things you can do with the stylus. You can go through all the images in a folder inside the Gallery and preview videos, simply by hovering the stylus over them. You can also hover the stylus over the progress bar in a video and get a quick preview. Similarly, you can hover over the calendar entries to see more details without opening them and hover over emails to see their contents.

Samsung has also added new multitasking options, with a multitasking tray that you can dock in any side of the screen. You can then bring up applications and have up to two of them on the screen at once and copy paste content between them. The ability to play video over other apps has been carried over from the Galaxy S III.

Lastly, the Galaxy Note II comes with a bunch of applications that let you do stuff like drawing and taking notes on the screen with the stylus. The phone helps you out by offering templates and recognizing your handwriting, as well as shapes and equations.

One last new feature is the ability to bring up a window on the screen where you can scribble a symbol and write your text, and depending upon the application that has been assigned to the symbol, the phone will then open the respective app and enter your handwritten text.

You can catch all the features in action in the video below.