New HomePod by Apple

On 18th January, Apple announced the HomePod which is a second-generation smart speaker that can provide next-level acoustics. While it comes with several innovative features & Siri intelligence, the speaker can allow you to enjoy an outstanding listening experience by providing advanced computational audio. In addition, the HomePod is compatible with Spatial Audio tracks.

This Homepad allows the users to create smart home automation using Siri, due to which they can manage regular tasks & control the smart home in several ways. Besides, it can notify the users when it detects the presence of smoke or carbon monoxide alarm in the home. You can check the humidity & temperature in a room using it. People can order this model online or from the Apple Store from February 3, Friday.

New HomePod Refined Design:

The eye-catching design of the HomePod includes a backlit touch surface. Whereas the transparent mesh fabric used for illumination from edge to edge. Besides, the speaker comes in two colors: white and midnight, which is a new color made of 100 % recycled mesh fabric. The speaker includes a woven power cable that can match the color of the model. New HomePod Acoustic Powerhouse:

Whereas this homepad comes with awesome audio quality, it can deliver high frequencies with deep bass. Moreover, it is equipped with a custom-engineered high-excursion woofer, powerful motor. On the other hand, the built-in bass-EQ mic allows the users to enjoy a powerful acoustic experience. In addition, the S7 chip comes with a combination of software and system-sensing technology, which are capable of providing more advanced computational audio. It can boost the potential of an acoustic system to deliver an incredible listening experience.

The room sensing technology enables you to detect sound reflections from nearby surfaces so that you can determine if it is freestanding or against a wall. This speaker can adapt sound in real-time using the technology. Whereas the beamforming array of five tweeters help to separate and beam ambient as well as direct audio.

It allows you to listen to more than a hundred million songs with Apple Music. Besides, it is possible to enjoy Spatial Audio using the speaker. You can use it as a stereo pair. In addition, the speaker can give you a home theatre experience when you use it with Apple TV 4K. While it is possible to access music with Siri using it, you can also search by artist, song, lyrics, decade, genre, mood, or activity.

Experience with several HomePod Speakers:

When you use two HomePod or HomePod mini speakers or more than that, you can get the benefits of some useful features. You only have to say "Hey Siri" using multi-room audio with AirPlay. Otherwise, it is possible to play the same music on many HomePod speakers by touching & holding the speaker's top position. Besides, you can play various music on several HomePod speakers. It is even possible to use it as an intercom allowing you to broadcast messages to another room.

Two speakers of this second generation enable you to make a stereo pair in the same area. With the help of this stereo pair, you can separate the left and right channels. This Stereo pair can play every channel in ideal harmony. Therefore, it can generate a better immersive soundstage than traditional ones and deliver a groundbreaking listening experience, making the model stand out from others.

Integration with Apple Ecosystem:

It is possible to hand off a podcast, phone call, song, whatever is playing on the iPhone to the speaker directly using the leveraging ultra-wideband technology. You need to bring your mobile near the speaker to control whatever you play or receive your favorite song & podcast recommendations. You can see suggestions automatically. The speaker detects up to six voices. Therefore, each home member can listen to their favorite playlists. It also allows you to set events in the calendar or ask for reminders.

If you have an Apple TV 4K, you can get a great home theatre experience as the speaker can pair with it easily. You can use eARC (Enhanced Audio Return Channel) with Apple TV 4K. As a result, you can use the speaker as an audio system for all devices which are attached to the TV.

You can find your Apple device easily using the Find My on HomePod feature. For instance, you can locate your iphone to play sound on the misplaced device. Moreover, siri allows you to ask for the location of friends who share a location via the app.

New HomePod- A Smart Home Essential:

It comes with a default temperature & humidity sensor used to measure indoor environments. Therefore, you can switch on the fan automatically once a particular temperature is reached. Activating Siri allows you to control a device and make scenes like "Good Morning."

Matter Support:

While it maintains the best protection level, it allows smart home products to work across ecosystems. Alliance maintains the Matter standard along with other industry leaders, and Apple is a member of it. With the help of a speaker, you can control accessories that are Matter-enabled. It can also work as an essential home hub letting you access it when you are away from home.

Secure Customer Data:

A great core value of the company is to secure customer privacy. Remember that smart home communications are end-to-end encrypted. Therefore, Apple is unable to read this with camera recordings and HomeKit Secure Video. The audio request isn't stored by default when you use Siri. As a result, you can ensure that your privacy is secured.

New HomePod Pricing and Availability:

The second generation of HomePod in the United States can be ordered now at $299 at apple.com/store. Besides, it can be ordered from the Apple Store app in many nations, including Australia, Canada, China, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Spain, the UK, the US, and eleven other nations. It will be available from February 3.

This speaker supports different models that are as follows:-

• Second generations of iPhone SE and its later versions 
• iPhone 8 and later versions which run iOS 16.3 or later 
• iPad Pro, iPad (5th generation), and later, 
• iPad Air (3rd generation) and later versions, or 
• iPad mini (5th generation) and later versions which are compatible with iPadOS 16.3.

Customers in the United States get 3% daily cashback if they use their Apple Cards to purchase directly from the company.

Conclusion:

You should know that the speaker can decrease the environmental impact. This product fulfills all the high standards of Apple for energy efficiency. And it is totally mercury-, BFR-, PVC-, and beryllium-free. To design the package the manufacturers didn't use plastic wrap. The best thing is that 96% of the packaging is fiber-based. Thus, Apple gets closer to the target which is removing plastic from packaging totally by 2025.

Motorola Edge 30 Ultra

Motorola has recently announced the release of its Edge 30 Ultra model to join the two from earlier this year. It joins with the earlier versions of vanilla and the Pro. Besides, this model packs some important hardware.

It has a 200 MP primary camera and a 50MP ultrawide shooter with AF. In addition, it comes with a 12MP 2x telephoto unit. Moreover, there exists a 60MP selfie unit that can complete the picture on the front.

The product comes with a 144Hz OLED panel. Its shape is curved. Besides, the modern Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 indicates that the performance department hasn't been ignored. In addition, its 125W charging capability is an outstanding specification. It is of 161.7 x 73.5 x 8.4 mm size and weighs 199 gm.

The product has the model number XT2241-2 on the BIS certification. It ensures that this new version will be available in India. Flipkart has started teasing this model. Therefore, people in India can have it soon.

Motorola Edge 30 Ultra price & availability:

The cost of the model is EUR 899 for only 12GB RAM + 256GB storage option. It was already available in Interstellar Black and Starlight White colour options in Argentina, Brazil, and Europe. This model will be available in a few markets in Latin America, the Middle East, and Asia very soon. The expected date to launch is 13th September 2022.

Motorola Edge 30 Ultra specifications:

Display: 

This dual-SIM (nano) model can run the Android 12-based My UX skin model. It has a 6.67-inch full-HD+ (1,080x2,400 pixels) pOLED curved display, which can provide a 144Hz refresh rate. In addition, it is compatible with HDR10+, DCI-P3 colour space, and a peak brightness of 1250 nits. Its operating system is Android v12. The display features 1080x2400 px (395 PPI) and 144 Hz Refresh Rate.

Performance:

 It comes in Corning Gorilla Glass 5 protection on both front and back. Besides, there is a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 SoC which you can pair with 12GB of LPDDR5 RAM. In addition, it comes with Snapdragon Elite Gaming features.

Camera: 

This device has a 1/1.22-inch 200-megapixel main sensor available in 0.64 µm pixel size for images & videos. It is paired with an f/1.9 aperture lens. In addition, the model's camera features Optical Image Stabilisation (OIS). Besides, it can combine 16 pixels into one 2.56μm Ultra Pixel to capture more light.

You can find a 50-megapixel sensor paired with an ultra-wide angle f/2.2 aperture lens. Besides, the camera adopts Quad Pixel Technology and provides a 114-degree field-of-view. Moreover, there exists a Macro Vision to capture macro shots. In addition, it features a third 12-megapixel sensor connected to an f/1.6 aperture telephoto lens providing 2x zoom and capturing portrait shots.

Regarding the rear camera, you can enjoy 4K/30fps videos. Different camera modes exist, including dual capture, Ultra-Res shooting mode, and Pro (w/ Long Exposure) mode. Besides, you can find a 60-megapixel sensor on the front side. It gets connected with an f/2.2 aperture lens. This sensor takes the help of Quad Pixel Technology.

Connectivity & sensors:

It has 256GB of internal storage. Regarding connectivity options, it comes with 5G, 4G LTE, Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth v5.2, GPS/AGPS, NFC, DisplayPort 1.4, and USB Type-C port. Furthermore, the product has several sensors onboard, for example, proximity, ambient light, accelerometer, gyroscope, and compass. In addition, it has an under-display fingerprint sensor, Face Unlock, and ThinkShield for mobile security purposes.

Battery:

This product is powered by a 4,610mAh battery with 125W TurboPower wired charging. In addition, it can provide up to 50W wireless charging and 10W wireless power sharing. Other features:

It includes an IP52 rating for dust and water resistance, dual stereo speakers tuned by Dolby Atmos, Linear x-axis vibration, and Edge Lights. These features allow the device to illuminate in different ways to inform about notifications and calls.

Pros:

• 125W TurboPower adapter 
• Pre-applied screen protector 
• Clear protective case 
• Plastic-free packaging 
• 6.67-inch full-HD+ curved display 
• IP52 rating water resistant 
• 50W wireless charging 
• Dual stereo speakers are available 
• 10W wireless power-sharing 
• Under display fingerprint sensor 
• Several connectivity options. 
• Adopts Quad Pixel Technology 
• 114 degrees field-of-view and optical image stabilization

Cons:

• No FM Radio

• No 3.5mm Headphone

Conclusion:

Motorola Edge 30 Ultra is available in its newly adopted packaging. The unique thing about the packaging is that it is entirely plastic-free. Besides, it has a sturdy two-piece recycled cardboard box that works as a fancier enclosure. But it contains a lower carbon footprint.

However, the model comes with a 125W TurboPower adapter, a USB-C cable, and a clear protective case. Moreover, it contains a pre-applied screen protector. You can find both available in chosen countries. However, a few countries can get a USB-C headset also.

Mono-Live Gadget Review: Mobvoi TicWatch S2

Here’s a budget friendly smart watch up for review. The Mobvoi TicWtach S2 was launched recently with the TicWatch E2. Both are similar except for a few minor differences. The Mobvoi TicWatch S2 has a more sportier feel to it than its predecessor. Overall the Mobvoi TicWatch S2 is good value for money making it an excellent gift to give a loved one this Valentine’s day. Its better than expected battery life, sturdy quality and big enough display make it a worthwhile buy. But enough chit chat. Let’s get more to the specifics of the watch.

Design of the Mobvoi TicWatch S2: 

Just like its predecessor, the Mobvoi TicWatch S2 tends more towards the bulky side of things. The watch is just shy of 13mm in thickness but pulls off that extra bulk well. This is important when it comes to working out in such watches. You don’t want it to be too clunky and get in your way. Its light weight feel, although it does not look anywhere near light weight, is courtesy of the polycarbonate material it is made of.

The Mobvoi TicWatch S2 is definitely a step up from its predecessor when it comes to build. The TicWatch S was more plasticky and felt cheap. Coming to the S2 and E2, the S2 feels a lot more sturdy and well- built as compared to its launch partner. The Mobvoi TicWatch S2 has also got a MIL- STD- 810G rating. This is a mark of durability and ruggedness as defined by the US military. So you know you’re getting the real deal with this watch.

Coming to the Screen Of the Mobvoi TicWatch S2: 

The mobvoi TicWatch S2 comes with a 1.39 inch circular screen. It has a 400 by 400 resolution AMOLED display. This gives you a pretty sharp picture quality for a watch coming in at the price that it does. Ok, if you peer up close to the screen you may notice pixels, but on a day to day basis you won’t see any of them.

The screen is pretty bright and can be seen even while outdoors on a bright sunny day. However the Mobvoi TicWatch S2 does not come with ambient light sensors so you’ll have to adjust the brightness on your own.

The watch also has an always on kinda display mode going on, which displays the time as well as other things when not in use too. This is a step up over what you get in smart watches like the Apple watch that does not display anything when not in use. However you may have to charge this thing often because of this little feature.

Getting to the Software in the Mobvoi TicWatch S2: 

The Mobvoi TicWatch S2 comes with a Qualcomm Snapdragon Wear 2100 chip along with 512MB RAM and 4GB storage. This is similar to what’s in the Mobvoi TicWatch E2. With this kind of chip in the watch, apps fire up quickly without any delay. However Google Assistant may be a little slow to bring up on the watch.

Lynq is a Dead-Simple Gadget for Finding Your Friends Outdoors

Finding Your Friends Easily with Lynq

Ever found yourself in a large crowd and for the life of you couldn’t locate where your friends or family were? Well no more. There’s a new gadget in town by the name of Lynq, this dandy device helps you locate you friends easily without any distress. It is simple to use and highly effective. All lynq needs is for you to enter your friends or families names and you won’t ever have to worry about going and looking for them if they or you are lost.

Lynq becomes a handy little tool that you simply clip onto your bag or jeans to locate friends in a fair or concert or while camping. You never have to say I’m by so-and-so thing again and what’s even more interesting is that this cool device does not require an internet connection to work. It is simple and neat.

All about Lynq:

A few features here and there and that’s all what Lynq does. It gets you to your friends when you’re lost and that is great in and of itself. Using a combination of GPS and kinetic positioning, it tells you your position in relation to your friends.

There are no pins on a map or directions or coordinates to tell you where your friends are, just simply a vector that works anywhere outdoors. All you see is a blob that moves around lynq’s screen to tell you where your friends are. The closer they are the larger the blob in the direction they can be found and vice versa.

With lynq, up to 12 persons can get connected and this device works for up to 3 miles or longer depending on the outdoors.

A few Features with Lynq: 

Besides adding your friends into the its system, the device also allows you to navigate to a home location or base point where all connected lynq devices can point toward and a safe zone that warns you when a person leaves the safe radius.

You could even send basic messages which are already preset into the system like “help” or “meet up”.

Other uses of Lynq: 

Other than taking lynq on camping trips, this gadget is useful for keeping track of the elderly, pets, kids or it can be really useful for rescue workers too.

While it is really helpful for civilians, the military too found it very useful. In a joint testing program with the Thai ministry of defense, the U.S. Pacific Command found this gadget extremely useful in finding soldiers in the absence of any radio signal. It also helped them to get into formation faster for conducting a search mission.

This gadget has not only captured the interest of the US government but is also easy to understand and use.

When not in use lynq switches off but continually receives data behind the scenes. This helps in saving battery and plus when you open back the screen there is no lag in data. This gadget can be got for $154 for a pair and the price is likely to go up soon, so you might want to grab a pair before it does.

HTC U12 with Dual Rear Cameras Expected in April

Leaks suggest HTC U12 will be powered by the latest Snapdragon 845 chipset

Finally the time of the year has come for HTC to launch the next iteration of its flagship U series. As the trend suggests the new HTC U12 will be powered by the latest Snapdragon chipset 845 and it will become the second new flagship of this year after Samsung’s S9 to feature this chipset. There is no doubt that HTC will stick to its exiting nomenclature for the flagship as HTC U12 as last year’s version was HTC U11. This device was shown just a month ago in a 5G industry event. The leaks regarding the HTC U12 has come from a reliable leakster and ROM developer called LlabTooFeR.

Features to be seen in HTC U12

HTC U12 will feature a Quad HD+ display screen with 5.9 inches in the popular 18:9 aspect ratio. 18:9 aspect ratio has become the stand feature of all the flagship which are likely to be launched in 2018 thereby leading to the sad demise of 16:9 in the flagship market. It will sport the Snapdragon 845 processor along with the 6 GB RAM and an astonishing massive storage of 256 GB. It is likely that HTC will be launching some other variants of this HTC U12 with low RAM and storage as well as screen in upcoming days.

Building the perfect flagship

 

It will certainly boast of the dual camera setup at the back which had become a norm. Herein it has a 12 MP sensor along with a 16MP Sony IMX3xx sensor at the back while for selfie it has an 8MP shooter. To be a complete flagship it has to offer a reliable battery life therefore HTC 12 boasts of a commendable 3420 mAh and it does also possess IP68 rating. HTC12 users will not have to worry about the accidental drops in water as this device now comes with dust and waster resistance capability.

HTC 12 comes with Android Oreo along with the company’s very own Android skin called Sense UI 10. HTC iconic Edge sense 2.0 is also present here which allows users to perform various simple tasks based on the pressure given while gripping the phone. Following the Footsteps of Apple and varied other Android manufacturers HTC 12 will also be boasting its very Face Unlock capability. HTC is expected to launch this device in both single and dual sim versions globally.

Launching soon in April 2018

This leakster has revealed the complete specsheet on the twitter and had confirmed the launch of the device in April. Having a look at the specsheet it can be easily seen that HTC is playing safe with HTC U12 by offering the all the requisite features which has become staple in the last year. The presence of dual camera setup along with 18:9 aspect ratio is a welcome addition. The massive internal storage of 256 GB is simply too much for any user. If HTC wishes to remain competitive and get better sales traction then it has to be place the HTC U12 more competitively than past years.

Philips SmartSleep: Philips personal health solutions at CES

Throw those Sleeping Pills Away: there’s a New Sleep Partner in Town: The Philips SmartSleep

 

For those who don’t sleep easy or who only manage to get a few hours of sleep, sleeping pills and the rest seem to be a commonplace phenomenon in their medicine cabinets. Only those who don’t get a goodnight’s sleep are aware of the actual importance of it. That’s not to say that others out there don’t know of the same but when you have something you don’t really comprehend the value of it till it’s gone. Well, all that’s going to change with Philips SmartSleep

Philips SmartSleep was recently launched at the CES held in Las Vegas, the company claims to give you a better night’s sleep without needing to put in any extra hours of dosing. You will reportedly get up feeling more alert, refreshed and rejuvenated.

What is Philips SmartSleep about? 

Philips SmartSleep is a foam-like headband that is supposed to give you a relaxing night’s sleep. This gadget plays soft soothing sounds to help you get that good night’s sleep. It is said that while playing these relaxing tones from the Philips SmartSleep you can get more energy from your sleep.

Besides recording the quality of your sleep on to an app that connect to the Philips SmartSleep, that you can check in the morning, the Philips SmartSleep kicks into motion once you enter a “slow wave sleep”, which is basically a sleep stage where your breathing slows as well as your heart rate with relaxed muscles. For those who don’t get sleep easy, reaching this stage itself might be difficult and in that case how much good this product will do is anyone’s guess.

How does the Philips SmartSleep really know when you’ve reached that stage of sleep? The answer is simple there is a lot of complex algorithms involved in the Philips SmartSleep. These algorithms were made in close partnership with various neurologists and doctors.

The Philips SmartSleep has sensors in it that helps detect when a person is in the said stage of sleep. The customized tones are then played when a person is in this stage of sleep, with the tones playing through an integrated speaker, the tones are played at a volume and their timing is all customized to make this stage of sleep more relaxing and lasting while using the Philips SmartSleep.

Testing conducted on the Philips SmartSleep: 

Philips says that they have tested this product on people who don’t really get enough sleep because of their hectic lifestyles and they go on to say that about 70% of this test population found that they got a feeling of being less tired when using the Philips SmartSleep. The target market is seemingly those who don’t get enough sleep, not those who have a difficulty in sleeping in the first place. The test subjects were shown to be more alert, having a higher level of energy and who had a better quality of sleep overall.
As to how many were exactly tested, there is no clear indication. Philips also goes on to say that the Philips SmartSleep is clinically proven and is the first sleeping wearable that is come out.

LG ThinQ: The Latest Smart Speaker Gadget to Hit the Market

In the last few years we have seen a number of smart speakers hitting the market with Amazon’s Alexa being one of the best that was out there. Now the LG ThinQ gadget is LG’s response to the smart speaker market due to be released at the Consumer electronics trade fair coming up soon.

Other than the norm that is having an assistant attached to the gadget that answers to your every need and fancy LG’s ThinQ boasts of doing much more. As of now there is not much by way of price or specifications. The company plans on making a full reveal of the gadget at the Consumer Electronics Trade show.

What does the LG ThinQ Gadget do? 

Besides the obvious voice control feature that is there in all smart speakers, this gadget also seems to work as a premium speaker as well with a premium audio experience and support for lossless high resolution audio courtesy of Meridian audio technology.

With Meridian audio technology this LG gadget promises to put out more natural and warm music.
The gadget has the Google assistant on it and can be used to control all of LG’s smart gadgets under the ThinQ banner like their smart dishwashers, dryers, refrigerators, vaccumcleaners lineup. The smart devices can also be controlled through a voice app from LG.

The LG gadget also supports a number of voices so that all of the house hold members can use the LG ThinQ.

With all the smart speakers out there like the Amazon Echo, Google’s home lineup or to be released Apple’s HomePod and without much info on the specs and pricing of the LG gadget, it is unclear as to how this gadget is going to fair in the market place.

The LG gadget comes as part of a number of AI gadgets that LG plans on releasing in the current year. Future LG devices may also be supported for Voice control.

Other gadget releases with the LG ThinQ: 

LG also teased about a new fun and portable PK speaker that can be carried anywhere and give high res audio due to the Apt-X HD bluetooth standard. The PK speaker can stream 24 bit music with original sounding audio.

LG also plans on releasing a party speaker that has karaoke, DJ capabilities and 1800 max output along with releasing a soundbar at the CES expo.

The SK10Y soundbar is a 5.1.2 channel support gadget with Chromecast support, lossless audio, Dolby Atmos processing and meridian high elevation standard to put the sound at the level of the TV.
More about these gadgets will be known at the consumer electronics expo to be held in Las Vegas on Jan 9th of this year.

A New Set of Eyes in Your Home: Cherry Home

There are a range of high security cameras out there, this one is a little different in monitoring your house. Cherry home made by Cherry labs, a startup company is the latest in AI technology. Besides this gadget being the eyes in your house it also senses your every movement and the layout of the room that it is in.

The cherry home cam can even identify you wherever you are in your home. The Cherry home sensors are able to detect your eye color, proportions of your body and even hair color. This gadget can do all this and more with its processor and sensors.

This gadget can also sense your laugh, scream and squeals and analyses them to see whether there is any danger. The info is then passed onto to an app that can be installed on any smartphone. The cherry home cam can also dial 911 in case of an emergency.

With the latest in AI technology, this gadget is able to triangulate the room it is in and give real time data to an app on your smartphone. So an individual can see all that is happening in the room that they are monitoring.

The gadget also notifies you in case there is an incident such as a person falling down. It is able to discern an individual’s laughter and scream when they are in danger.

Right now the Cherry home cam can do all these things but the startup company has also promised more in the future. According to the company, the Cherry cam will be able to sync in with your smart home and turn on lights when you need them. Another feature of cherry cam that is in the pipeline could be a breakthrough in what a security cam can do. The Cherry labs is reportedly in talks with pharmaceutical companies in trying to get the Cherry cam to identify when a person is in the process of getting a stroke and then to dial 911 or emergency services.

The gadget is packed with a binocular camera, infrared sensor for night time monitoring, an altimeter, a compass and an accelerometer. So how does this thing actually work? The cam sends data to a central processor with a high end PC to analyze all the data. It connects to other cameras in the house through a mesh WiFi network. It only connects to the cloud when it needs to transfer data to an app on your smartphone.

This Gadget also comes with a coin sized battery that is recharged by the processor cherry cam houses. There are also two batteries that are spares in the camera.

Now for the most important question at what price can a consumer get the incredible Cherry cam? The prices of the Cherry cam are not so conducive to buying them. A starter pack is available for 900$, a camera in this range would include 2 sensors and a processor while a pack of 4 sensors would cost you 1200$.

17 iPhone Tricks to Make Your Life Easier

There are several cool iPhone features which seem to be hidden beneath the surface which many seem to be unaware of them. They are some of the paramount iPhone hacks the user does not know and how one could locate them.

1. Charge your phone quicker with a single button press

There is a technique of speeding up the re-juicing procedure which is quite simple. This can be done by just going to Airplane mode and by knocking out all your Wi-Fi searching, data draining communication skills of the phone which takes the strain off your battery when it is being powered up. But if one is facing time constraint and looking to eke out every bit of juice then the extra 4% you would be adding in 30 minutes linked to the mains would be much of a difference.

2. Save seconds off with searches 

At times, getting where one requires to go on the internet is connected to speed and accuracy, a thing which tends to be missing when one is compelled to knock out type-heavy web addresses. In order to save on time, one could hold down the period icon while editing out an address to bring up a short-cut series of URL suffixes and there are several quick hits shortcuts which can be utilised.

3. Learn precisely what your phone knows about you 

Though it is disturbing, one iPhone tends to gather data on the user in the background, whether it is the app being used the most, how much data one may be churning through or where one may be. To get some insight, you could go to Settings > Privacy > Location Services > System Services > Frequent Locations. Here you will find where you have been as well as how long you have spent at each place.

4. Replace toolbox essential 

One may have filed away the Compass app together with the Stocks and Find Friends app in a folder - `Crap I can’t delete. You need to put it back since it has a secret second function which could be helpful with your DIY duties. On swiping left in the Compass app provides a very useful level, a digital bubble gauge which can check if the shelf is really in level.

5. Lock the focal point of your camera

It is a known fact that tapping the screen while taking a photo would be setting the point of focus of the camera and each time one moves the camera on picking a focal point, it tends to disappear. But not anymore, since instead of only tapping the screen you could press for a second or two till an `AF Locked’ box tends to pop up. You could now twist, turn and swing it around without losing the focus.

6. Creating custom vibrations

In customs one could select a contact of your choice and hit on `Edit’ where one will see a `vibration’ option. On selection of this, it would provide you with various options inclusive of the Create New Vibration tool. Making your custom-made buzz is now as easy as tapping the screen to the beat of one’s choice.

7. Correct Siri’s pronunciation 

Sometimes Siri may get the wrong pronunciation of people’s name. If Siri tends to get some words wrong you could tell it the correct pronunciation. It lets you check if it has got the right pronunciation

8. Close three apps simultaneously 

If one needs to close multiple applications in haste you could drag three fingers up on the multitasking menu to discard the clutter faster which means that the phone needs to be functioning faster in less time.

9. Set your music on timer 

If one enjoys listening to soothing background music while drifting off to sleep, you may possibly wake up at 3 am to some unwanted tunes and hence you could set your music to turn off on a timer. Going to the Clock app, you could slide along to the Timer option and under the `when time ends’ tag you could switch out the alarm opt for a `stop playing’ tag. When the time touches zero, this would turn off the tunes whether it is through Apple Music or Spotify.

10. Take a photo without touching your phone 

An old though a good iPhone hack could be using your volume control buttons in order to capture an image which would end in saving your meaty paw obstructing the screen while attempting to hit the touchscreen controls. However if one intends to be removed further from the photo capturing shutter controls you could hit the volume button on a pair of well-matched, connected headphones which would provide the same effect.

11. Save data allowance by limiting app access

If your 2GB data allowance tends to be getting low you don’t have to go back on your on-the-go Netflix viewing. On the contrary you could select which apps tends to get demoted to the Wi-Fi-only B list. You could go to Settings > Mobile Data wherein you could make the decision of one app a time.

12. Improve battery life 

Apple’s connected quick access for key data and services; Spotlight has been offering instant access to the latest breaking news, social updates and sports scores. However all this could be eating on your battery life, unless you turn off Spotlight features for some app for more life per charge. You could go to Settings > General > Spotlight Search and limit what could be pulling in data without your knowledge.

13. Improve your signal; know where to look for it

You could type #3001#12345#* in your iPhone’s dialler and hit call to launch the hidden Field Mode tool wherein the sub-surface menu tends to turn your bar chart-based signal indication into a more direct numerical based indication signifier

14. Use phone like an Etch-a-Sketch to erase

The latest iPhone actions could be erased by giving it a good shake. You could skip the unending backspace knocking with a firm handset shake though a pop-up will ensure that you want to delete before your typing is erased.

15. Find our precisely how long you have been waiting for a reply 

If one has been endlessly checking the phone for a text reply and wondering how long it has been since the message has been sent, there is an easy option of knowing details. You could swipe in from the right hand side of the screen in a messaging thread which indicates the exact delivery time for each message send and received.

16 Share your family tree with Siri

If referring parents by given name tends to make one feel awkward, you could teach Siri on what you could be chatting about. You could ask Siri to call your dad and the digital PA would ask who the father could be. When a contact has been assigned to the parental name, each time when asked for pops, you would be supported up by modest fuss-free calling.

17. Swipe right to retreat

Living without a dedicated back button for iPhone owning Android converts could be a complex adjustment to make. While the iPhone may not have a pervasive command, for putting things back, there seems to be easy way of heading in the wrong direction. Among the various apps from Safari to Mail, through Messages, swiping on the screen from left to right would send you back to the earlier page.

OnePlus 3 Review

OnePlus 3 Termed – Apple Killer

OnePlus has gradually grown to become a most wanted in spite of it being considered a loser to Samsung and Apple. The introduction of its OnePlus 3 would bestrengthening this reputation. OnePlus has been termed as an Apple killer and though it is doubtful of toppling the Californian behemoth, its new handset could take away a huge fraction of its loyal supporters. The OnePlus 3not only looks to be a good device but feels much more expensive than the price tag of £309. Similar like the HTC One Series together with several other modern smartphones, the OnePlus 3 is designed from a single piece of aluminium with attractive anodised finish having its back somewhat curved.

The metal edges are slightly rounded with slim diamond-cut chamfers which tend to catch the light just suitable giving our a reflective glimmer now and then. Due to its heavy aluminium alloy body, it tends to feel sturdy from the plastic casing of similar valued Android phones like the LG G4. The OnePlus 3 will be delivered with a pre-installed screen protector for additional shield. With a thickness of 7.3mm it is significantly thinner than the 9.9mm OnePlus 2 and its 5.5-inch 1080p Optic Amoled display tends to have `one of the thinnest bezels in the world’.

Bezel – Fine/Slim

This exceptionally thin bezel means that the phone does not feel big than the iPhone 6S and does not tend to feel as large as the 6S Plus, in spite of the nearly similar measurements. However, on the shortcoming, the thin bezel means that holding the phone could be problematic. The user would frequently select menus as well as app on the edges of the screen by mistake and having to hold it as it is delicate weakens away from the sturdy first impression.

While indoors, with the brightness set at around 50%, the screen tends to look quite bright. Its bezel seems fine and slim and hence the content on the screen seems to control the front panel. The screen is covered by Corning Gorilla Glass 4 which is so thoroughly laminated that the contents seem to practically float on the surface of the glass. The OnePlus 3 tends to run OxygenOS which is this years’ version 3, built above Android Marshmallow.

Dash Charge Technology

A noticeable thing regarding OnePlus’ software is that it tends to look and feel just like the regular stock Android though with some few twists. Within the OnePlus 3 is a top-of-the-line Snapdragon 820 process and it is quad-core. It has been paired with a huge 6GB RAM to make sure that one may never feel that the phone is lethargic. As the 6GB RAM tends to be yet new in the Android section, OnePlus has merely improved some of its built-in module to make use of it, in order that most of the time the complete memory will not be utilised.

Like several other Marshmallow phones, Google’s Doze mode means one could leave the OnePlus 3, overnight in standby mode and would only lose around a few percent from the battery level. Moreover, if the OnePlus 3 tends to run out of juice, it has the Dash Charge technology which seems to work the way VOOC flash charging does, which is used by the OPPO F1 Plus.

You could get around 60% charge from a 30 minute of charging on plugged in the wall while using the phone simultaneously. Charging from zero to full, in some cases, takes about 75 minutes and can be done without the phone heating too much, which is due to the thick USB cable that dispels heat as it tends to pump 20W of power to the phone.

Asus’s GX700: First Ever Water Cooled Laptop

Asus’s GX700 – World’s First Water-Cooled Laptop

In the PC gaming world, liquid cooling is considered to be a luxury something one would not consider in investing especially for a laptop unless it’s an Asus. Cooling a high power gaming laptop has been limited to fan cooling but Asus has now introduce liquid cooling to it. Gaming seems to be a big theme of IFA 2015 in Berlinand at the event the GX700 was unveiled.

Acer’s releasing of a whole new line of Predators and Lenovo has taken on the challenge with a new range of gaming PC of its own. However none have gone as far as Asus which was introduced as the world’s first water-cooled laptop. A 17-inch laptop furnished with a 4K display and to-be-named Nvidia GPU, has an unlocked Intel Skylake processor.

The GX700 links to a huge boxy base station which comprises of all the essential hardware in achieving efficient water cooling, a reservoir and pump together with a radiator. When the connections on the rear of the notebook are secured the liquid cooling system tends to work its heat moving system, giving the laptop the additional thermal headroom needed for overclocking and standard tests.

An Immense Pixel Pushing Machine

It is however, not clear how the system handles issues like air bubbles which could be an issue in PC cooling loop such as this or what type of maintenance is essential for the water cooling station. Liquid cooling system on a gaming PC should be cleaned approximately every six months or so where the process involves soaking, inspecting and at times, replacing sections of the loop.

Water cooling has been usually an interesting addition which the gamers would join in order to improve the cooling setup. It has become quite easy to integrate it into modern PC since the size of the other components have been reduced and the developers have started designing self-contained water-cooling kits which could reduce the task of installation.

At this point of time the Asus GX700 seems to be a mystery and Asus has been refraining in divulging in any of the machine’s specifications other than revealing that it is the first 17-inch laptop with a 4K display.

Nvidia GeForce Graphic Card

It is known that there will be an Nvidia GeForce graphic card inside and it is presumed that it will be ready to overclock once the water cooling rig is linked with the GX700 to amp up the performance. This laptop is an immense pixel pushing machine and once docked, it turns everything up to that extra bit further in the absurd sphere.

The enclosed case of GX700 does not seem like it has been made with maintenance in mind and it is to be seen what Asus has in mind, With the combination of a top of the line mobile GPU with all new Intel CPU, 4K display together with the proprietary water cooling base station the price could be up and over $3,000 mark.

 If the final price tend to be above that it would probably be impossible for all users to purchase it, with the exception of the most well-to-do PC gamers.

Znaps – A Simple Designed Solution in Charging Phone

If one has ever had the opportunity of using the MacBook’s MagSafe connector or the Apple Watch’s magnetic charging cable, they would get to know how convenient a magnetic power connector could be when compared to the iPhone’s charging system.

A Toronto based company known as Znaps has come up with a way out that brings about convenience to both the iPhone as well as Android phones with a Kickstarter campaign that is in progress of turning the smartphone’s charging port as well as cable into a magnetic charger. It seems similar to Apple’s MagSafe power connector that enables the user to plug and unplug easily, the power connector to a laptop with satisfying magnetic snap.

Moreover, it can also detach if and when someone tends to trips on the power cord. Znaps is a simple designed solution which tends to transform a charging cable utilising a pair of easy adapters which plugs into the Lightning or microUSB port towards the bottom of the mobile device and to the end of the cable. As the two adapter are in place, one can `snap and charge’ or snap or sync, without even looking.Znaps seems to bring about an enhancement to the iPhone and Android devices though consumers would need to wait for some time before it is made available to the customers.

Znaps Connector Compatible with Lightning/MicroSD Ports

Founders of Znaps had turned to Kickstarter in order to raise funds for the purpose of support in putting the adapter into production. The campaign being barely a quarter of the way through with only 24 days remaining where Znaps has already collected $437,295 out of its $94,221 goal which is 464% of Znaps’ goal.

The Znaps connector is said to be compatible with Lightning and microSD ports and is also reversible. This means that one will not have the need to fiddle with it in order to fit it in the right position since the Znaps, which is a tiny magnetic adapter adapts into the device’s charging port – Lightning for iOS devices, MicroUSB for Android, together with a separate magnetic adapter that fits over the cable connector.

Thus the user could just place the phone’s charging port close to the charging cable and it snaps in with the power of the magnet. It can get disconnected without much damage if it is pulled on the phone while it is still being charged.

Water Resistant – Power to Protect Sensitive Area – Power Socket

Besides this the Znaps is water resistant having the power of protecting the most sensitive areas on the phone which is the power socket wherein the adapter tends to lower the risk of any water damage to the phone. The Znaps magnetic adapter comes at a cost of $9 and wheninserted in the iPhone 6 or any other iOS or an Android device, it helps in charging the device instantly.

Due to the magnets in the adapter and cable, one can charge the mobile device by bringing it near the cable that tends to snap into the right position. The shipping of Znaps would probably begin somewhere in November and those interested in MagSafe type of charging technology for their iPhone or Android phone could pre-order the Znaps adapter or they could fund the Kickstarter campaign, opt for a custom pledge and get hold of their Znaps adapter by the end of November of in December.

Dyson AM06 Fan

Dyson’s Elegant Solutions – AM06

It is a known fact that Britain, is a rainy, windy island, having little reason for parasols, gazebos or other protective essentials to shield from the rays of the sun with heatwave and the issue of being forced to handle the consequences. With the development of the AM06, which is just one of Dyson’s elegant solutions, it could now be helpful in keeping cool in the heat.

It is a fan and not an air conditioning unit and does not produce cold air itself but draws air in through its base, speeding it up through a small directed opening for the purpose of creating a cooling effect. Unlike the old bladed fans, this is done in a smooth unbuffeted manner with steady flow of continuous air helping in regulating the temperature of the body as well as the room. The Dyson Cool AM06 is a replacement to the first venture into the desktop fan space, the AMO1.

The AM06 has been created to be 75% quieter than the earlier AM01 owing to streamlining the airflow path and utilises 40% less power than the AMO1 or the Dyson AM02 tower fan.It is easy to assemble which need to slot the large circular fan which is known as the air loop amplifier in the cylindrical base and on plugging it in, is ready to use.

Controlled by Small Magnetic Remote

The AMO6 is said to be controlled by a small magnetic remote by which the intensity of the cool air can be adjusted and if one would prefer it to remain static or turnaround from side to side.

A timer could also be set for the duration of the fan to run between 15 minutes and 9 hours which could be helpful if one would want to ensure that it will turn off while asleep. If the remote tends to get lost or misplaced, it can be turned on or off by using the standby button at the base and on pressing holding it can control the airflow.

To save the remote from being lost or misplaced, you could take the benefit of its magnetism by placing it on top of the amplifier for safety storage. The AMO6 is quite expensive priced at £259.99and if one intends to need its services for more than a few days or weeks a year, it is quite a price to pay for a really great looking fan and a cooler way to remain cool in summer.

Best Looking Air Multiplier

A larger, diameter of 30 cm airflow amp highlights the air multiplier’s sophisticated bladeless design while removing all of the base mounted physical controls of the fan, bar a power switch which gives it a smooth, organized finish. The AMO6 is an iterative latest rather than a main refresh and even though only small adjustments are being made to the still innovative looking bladeless fan, it is one of Dyson’s best looking air multiplier.

The AM06 is amazing and once the fan’s inbuilt timer hits the preferred cut-off point, it tends to shut down with just a gradual decline in the airflow till the machine gets completely silent. It is also a very useful way in ensuring that one does not wake up all hot and sweaty and that the fan is already operating to keep you cool as you sleep away. The prices start from £220 for an Iron/Blue and White/Silver choice, the Dyson Cool AMO6 is far from being cheap.

Polaroid Mobile Zip Printer

Polaroid Zip – A Small Box – Photo Printer


Polaroid Zip, a small box which is a little bigger than a deck of cards, is around an inch thick and can be utilised as a photo printer. It is a compact little pocket printer producing high quality photos straight from the smartphone. Polaroid has been in business for instant printing for more than 65 years and there is something amazing about being able to get photos and a physical copy within a matter of few minutes.

The procedure has undergone a tremendous change since the original Polaroid instant camera went on sale in late 1948. Way back then, the film packs were used in the cameras which comprises of sheets of plastic negatives that were covered in reactive chemicals which could develop when they were exposed to light. Currently, Polaroid, digital instant cameras tends to use Zink paper containing dye crystals and when an image is printer, the film is hit with 200m pulses of heat that tends to melt the crystals creating a wallet sized colour photograph.

Its technology is built into some of Polaroid’s products which compriseof the Z2300 instant camera though presently the company has launched a stand-alone portable printer that enables to print off wallet-sized photos from their phone.


Printer Size of a Smartphone


Size of the printer is around the size of a smartphone that measure 2.9 x 4.7 x 0.9 inches with approx. weight of 186 gm. which can be carried around in one’s handbag or else in a pocket. It can connect to phones with the use of Bluetooth or NFC where an app could be used in selecting and editing an image, to apply filters, enhance the brightness, saturation and contract as well as to create collages.

A 2 x 3 inch photo image is obtained within a minute and the Polaroid Zip has the potential of printing around 25 photos with a single charge where the Zink paper is backed with adhesive and once printed, the photos could also be used as stickers.

Bluetooth can be used if one has an iOS or a non NFC phone. For NFC, the same can be turned in `on’ position, on an Android phone and touch it to the top of the printer. This enables the Polaroid Zip app to launch on the phone and thereafter you could take a picture or select a photo from the gallery of the phone. An option to edit the photos or adjust the position, adding text and emojis or embed a hidden message in the form of a QR code is also available.


Appropriate for Events – Weddings/Graduation


Obtaining a print of a photo takes around 40 minutes, once the blue smart sheet passes through the deviceThe prints tend to be a little bit pixelated from the normal print from PhotoBox or Snappy Snaps while the colours seems to be a bit faded, nevertheless the size of the print does not seem to damage the whole effect. The Polaroid Mobile Zip Printer could be appropriate for events such as graduations and wedding which would make it possible to get instant memento prints for any given occasion.

It is recommended that Polaroid could be utilised in creating business cards and the app offers several template as well as the option to add in images together with personal information. It could be a good idea, though a laboured way in the making of business cards. It could also make a nice choice in adding pictures to scrapbook at the time of travelling since the size of the printer enables the user in carrying it along with the ability to print images whenever needed with the sense of spontaneous functions in creating images.


Can Be Connected to iOS/Android Devices 


The Polaroid Zip is priced at £110 and being provided with instant images whenever needed could give the recipient, especially when most of the images in the present age tend to remain only in the digital format. The Zip mobile printer when compared to the Fujifilm Instax Share SP-1 is priced at $129.99 and can be connected to an iOS or Android device through Bluetooth. With the use of free app, one can change the photos on the phone or tablet into small 2 x 3 inch border less prints.

The firm `Ammunition, which designed Polaroid’s Cube camera, also worked on the Zip and its results can be seen. The Zip seems to be an attractive simple device similar to the Cube, which looks somewhat like a portable hard drive than a printer. Besides, the glossy plastic cover, it picks up quickly hairline scratches and fingerprints but one would want to check down a microfiber pouch to make it more attractive since it is not included.

The only port is Micro-USB for charging and the only button is for power while the battery is built-in which tends to last for around 25 prints, meaning that for a long event, it may have to be plugged in to keep the prints going. The top area tends to slide off easily and reveals a compartment which holds 10 sheets of paper.

Xiaomi Mi 4i First Look

The Xiaomi Mi 4i is the latest smartphone that has been launched by Xiaomi in Delhi. This launch was carried out in the presence of founders Lei Jun and Bin Lin. The keynote master was played by Hugo Barra. Even though the price of the smartphone has taken everyone by surprise as being quoted at 12,999, a lot of details of the Mi 4i were already leaked out in the market much before its launch. These details included information about display, resolution, chipset, camera specs, and many more. Even though the smartphone does have many features similar to that of Mi 4, the phone comes with lots of improvements in terms of Android 5.0 Lollipop, light body and large battery and so on.

• Build and Design: 
The smartphone has a polycarbonate rear cover, which is completely non-removable as it wraps around the phone giving a completely cornered and smooth edges. This cover has a non grease coating giving it a fully soft touch matte finish. According the company the smart phone users will also be able to remove the stains that have been made with a permanent marker. Both the power or the standby button and the volume rocker have been made of steel and mounted on the right side of the phone. The left side of the phone has the dual Sim tray. The phone is about 130gm in weight and around 7.8mm in width. This makes the phone very comfortable to hold despite its 5-inch display. The company has used the One Glass Solution to enhance the slim factor.


• The Display:
The phone comes with a 441ppi pixel density with the feature of HD display however; the Sunlight viewing technology will help to balance the light in the sunlight.


• Storage and Connectivity:
The phone has 16GB of internal storage out of which a user is allowed to use 10.92GB. At present, the company has not provided an option of adding microSD.


• Chipset, OS and RAM:
The smartphone comes with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 615 SoC powered by an Octa core processor. Customers will get a quad core Cortex A53 that has been clocked in at 1.7GHz and 1.1GHz. The phone comes with Adreno 405 GPU paired with 2GB LPDDR3 RAM. The company promises that there will not be any lag observed during switching between different apps. The look is not very much different from the preceding phones. With the dual Sim facility, the phone can manage even 4G SIM cards in the slots.


• Battery:
According to the company, the phone has been powered with 3,120mAh battery, which is known as the highest capacity battery from the company to work in a 5-inch device. The company also claims that a single usage can go up to one and half day. The phones can get charged to 40 percent within an hour.


• Camera Quality:
The camera has been kept similar to that of Mi 4. It relies on 13MP Sony sensor and has a 5-element f/2.0. The front camera is about 5MP camera, making subtle changes to enhance the quality of the front camera.

Nokia 1020: Awesome features

Everyone dream of having a phone with best camera option; for those people here it is Nokia 1020. It has a best camera quality with a 41 megapixel. Its display is of 130.4x71.4x10.4mm in size with a weight of 158g. It has an amoled capacitive touch screen with a protection of corning gorilla screen 3.

And the best part of the phone is that it has an inbuilt of 32 GB memories with a 2 GB ram with no memory card slot just as in IPhone. Next is the major feature that is it works on Microsoft windows phone 8 OS, It is upgradable to windows phone 8 amber and the camera 41 MP (38 MP effective, 7152 x 5368 pixels), Carl Zeiss optics, optical image stabilization, auto/manual focus, Xenon & LED flash. And the video features are 1080p@30fps, 4x lossless digital zoom, video light.

This is not like other phones it has a full HD display we can even watch videos like watching it lively. The windows 8 operating system on the 1020 is simple and amazingly easy on our eyes. It lets your fingers flit around on it.

With more Live Tiles, tethering support, custom ringtones for different notifications, rotation lock and more nifty features, the OS takes the streamlined Windows experience to the next level. Powered by a 1.5 Ghz Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Dual Core processor, the Lumia 1020 allows you multitasking without any lag when you switch apps.

Sony: The Playstation hack that allows the PS Vita removed

Sony has just withdrawn a PSP game from Sony Entertainment Network (formerly NSP) because it allowed those who were downloading could circumvent its protections to hack the PS Vita.

Super Collapse was nothing very special in appearance, and was sold as a download, like many other PSP games on the PlayStation Store destination for PSP, PS3 and PS Vita. But this week was the last of this game on the platform, since Sony decided to remove it to prevent some crafty to operate a flaw discovered in the title.

Apple filed a patent for window glass in Shanghai

The patent war is raging between manufacturers of high-hech requiring every player in the sector to avoid any risk of future attacks. This sometimes gives patents uncommon, as Apple has done. The Cupertino Company has indeed removed the design of its shop in Shanghai, with glass cases.