Phones

The in-betweener syndrome is wildly misinterpreted. For one, it’s not about being lost in the middle between two devices that capture attention, one for having supreme features and for being a statement making phone, and the other for being a device that adds in good features while being well priced. So today we want to give you a little Nokia Lumia 720 review – The in-betweener phone is erroneously unapprised and is not understood in its true sense, which is a device that comprises of the best of both, a balanced phone if you will with an appropriate price tag. It is a Windows 8 device, for which reason itself it doesn’t lack on any score versus the more pricey devices of the Lumia series. This device was made official alongside the budget friendly Nokia Lumia 520 at the Mobile World Congress, 2013. The Lumia 720 shares its Lumia space with other devices in the series like the Nokia Lumia 620, 820 and 920. The Nokia Lumia 720 can be contrasted against the HTC One SV, the Motorola Razr I, the Samsung Galaxy S3 Mini, and also the Sony Xperia T, as all these phones possess more or less similar features, and are priced alike. The form factor of the Lumia 720 is more along the lines of the Lumia 920 having few curves around the edges, though not as rounded as the 820 and 620. The device has a unibody, which speaks for being durable and tough. The device comes with a plastic finish, which makes it lightweight weighing in at 128g, it is easy to grip and comfortable to handle for typing purposes, watching videos on the move or browsing the Internet. The squareness of the phone with barely a hint of curves reduces the comfort level in handling, but just by a bit. The colors of the Lumia 720 series are fun and bold, however many consumer complaints have surfaced, particularly regarding the red paneled device, complaining that it scars easily. Other colors that Lumia 720 comes in are blue, black, yellow, and white. The coloring is uniform without any contrasts giving it a holistic look. The screen is a glass 4.3-inch display having a pixel resolution of 800 x 480 pixels. This resolution is exact to the Lumia 620 save that the 620 has a smaller size screen of 3.8-inches, which increases the pixel density to 246ppi as against the Lumia 720 which has a pixel density of 217ppi. The result is on a comparative basis the screen of the 620 may be more immersive, however the 720 doesn’t lack clarity, legibility or finesse. The screen is highly responsive making it a phone conducive even when the fingers are clad with gloves, below the glass display is the usual Windows Phone keys, which are situate symmetrically within a black bracket bezel at the base. Above the screen is the secondary front facing 1.3-megapixel wide-angle camera, for video calling purposes. To the right side of the device is first the volume rocker, next the power/ lock button and then the dedicated camera button. This trio of hardware access buttons is practically standard in all Lumia series phones. At the top is the microSIM slot, which can be accessed via a small tool that works well. There is also the standard headphone jack. On the left of the top is a microSD port which too is safeguarded by dust and which needs prompting to slip out. The placements of these ports are a giveaway that the 2,000mAh battery has been secreted off, inaccessible. So, there is no option to replace the battery thus sort of posing a problem. The Windows Phone 8 experience is not just an iteration of its predecessor but affords endless possibilities and more fun features. Windows Phone is sure getting to the level of Android and iOS. The platform is appreciable for starters for giving uniform experience in every device, which isn’t necessarily the case with Android devices. So there are no guesses with this platform, no surprises and what you think you will get, is what you actually end up getting. Nokia has incorporated much of its own Nokia fireworks to assert its p

The Android Studio download is now available as an early preview, so with it comes the warning of possible problems and also the excitement of something new for developers that could make creating Android apps simpler. You might have downloaded the Phones Review Android app, which had been created using Eclipse with the ADT Plugin. Our readers that have developed apps using Eclipse know that adding the ADT Plugin makes workflow much faster, and allows you to save time in a number of ways. Google’s new Android Studio will code apps in a similar way that’s based on IntelliJ IDEA, so the Android developer can create an app with better tools and debugging. Those that know IntelliJ would understand the benefits and capabilities, but in addition to these you gain a lot more when using Android Studio to create apps. If you want to download the Mac version you will notice the software is currently at v0.1, and the software includes the latest system image for testing your app within an emulator (this is a vital tool for any developers not having Android hardware to hand). You will also find the latest version of Android OS, the SDK tools and of course the early access preview of Android Studio. You can download the latest version right now on developer.android.com, which also includes instructions for installing Android Studio on Windows and Mac OS X. We haven’t had time to get hands-on yet with Android Studio, but we do expect great things and it will be interesting to see how the software compares to the likes of Eclipse and Titanium, which we have used both for our app development. If you develop for Android, what software are you currently using? Would you move away from Eclipse with ADT Plugin to Android Studio? If you want to see a quick preview of Android Studio, then you should see the video hands-on below.

A new Apple TV concept video takes a guess at how the next Apple TV or the much rumored full-blown Apple Television might look like. It takes the existing UI and adds a number of additional features to it, including Siri, Live TV and use iOS devices like iPad mini as a remote. Continue reading →

If like a friend of mine, who got an iPhone 3GS from the US and is stuck with the 05.12.01 baseband, there is good news for you. As per a tweet by MuscleNerd, from the iPhone Dev Team,  Unlock for 05.12.01 Baseband on iPhone 3.1.3 will be released in June when Apple releases the next version of the iPhone OS (which is supposed to release on June 7th during the WWDC).Source: technofriends.in

In 2012, Samsung began its familiarity strategy. It’s hard to miss a newer Samsung phone on the streets because they all have that definitive look. Plastic rounded body, usually in white, the devices were basically mini or maxi Galaxy S3 versions. This design philosophy was then transferred to Samsung’s tablets, like the Samsung Galaxy Note 8.0. Samsung is able to churn out a lot of devices aimed at a lot of niche markets and then observes to see which can become hits. This is of course how the Galaxy Note range came to fruition, but now Samsung is taking its familiarity strategy one step further. Galaxy S4 – the strategy continues The Galaxy S4 already incorporates many similarities with its sibling, the Galaxy S3, both in physical design and software. This means that there was already a familiarity from the S3, or any Samsung smartphone from 2012 for that matter, and people would be more inclined to buy something they were already familiar with. This was extremely successful for Apple’s iPhone as the device became almost synonymous with the word smartphone. Of course now the market is much more different. However Android still has a brand recognition problem. Surveys have shown that the Galaxy brand is becoming more recognised than Android, and this could develop into a problem for Google. Are people buying Samsung smartphones for the Google services, or the Samsung Galaxy brand? Galaxy S4 Mini – mini phone big plans Samsung gets it, there are some people who are simply not inclined to learn hand gymnastics, or prefer a smaller phone for other reasons. So with the Galaxy S3 Mini, Samsung attempted to accommodate those people, with a smaller version of the extremely popular Galaxy S3. Of course those in the know would remember that the Galaxy S3 Mini was merely a shadow of its big brother. But thanks to the familiarity and brand recognition it was a good seller. A good enough seller, it seems, that Samsung is interested in making a successor in the form of the Galaxy S4 Mini, or at least that’s what plenty of reports claim. What the Galaxy S4 Mini means is that Samsung sees a smaller form factor a big enough reason for people to choose a particular smartphone model, even if they have to skip out on the latest and greatest specs. That allows Samsung to leverage the S4 brand and enables it to sell a lot more smartphones than it normally could have, had it blessed the S4 Mini with a name like Galaxy Pop, for example. This leaves Samsung prone to its strategy backfiring, if Samsung is serious about the smaller form factor, why doesn’t it invest enough money to make the S4 Mini a legitimate competitor to the iPhone 5? That way Samsung could control all three points of the smartphone market in a three pronged attack. The Galaxy S4 Mini for the smaller form factor, the Galaxy S4 for the middlers, and the Galaxy Note 3 towering above the rest. Unfortunately if the rumored specs are anything to go by, the Galaxy S4 Mini will be nothing but a mid-range phone with a famous name. A smartphone with a great camera, there’s an S4 for that The S4 is no longer a single smartphone it seems, it’s a legion of handsets to cover your every need. So if you want to dump your DSLR, but simply aren’t satisfied with the pictures that smartphones produce, you should know that Samsung reportedly plans on introducing a variant of the S4 to please those who take pride in the pictures they take. Not a lot is known about the Galaxy S4 Zoom, but it is rumored to include a 16-megapixel camera with optical zoom. Whether or not the camera will be good enough to make people get rid of their DSLRs, is a question that is yet to be answered. Although, a purported photograph taken with the Galaxy S4 Zoom has made its way to the Internet and is down below for you to behold. A tweaker not a tweeter, there’s an S4 for that The Galaxy S4 Google Edition certainly raised eyebrows, and in some circles clouded the definition of a Nexus device. Sams

Today we have something pretty interesting for all you tablet lovers. A new slate that’s aiming to take on Google’s Nexus 7 has leaked, and you’re going to like the price. It’s called the Hisense Sero 7 Pro, from the popular Chinese manufacturer, and has everything and more the Nexus offers but for just $99. Read on for full details on this impressive and well-rounded budget slate. If the name sounds familiar, it’s because the Hisense Sero 7 lite was recently spotted at the FCC. The Chinese manufacturers first slate officially going up for sale in US markets. However, the Hisense Sero 7 Pro we have the exclusive on today is a much better device, offers more than the Nexus 7, is only $99, and was found available as we speak inside Walmart. According to our tipster the Sero 7 Pro rocks a 1.3 GHz Tegra 3 quad-core processor with 1GB of RAM, 8GB of internal storage, and a 7-inch 1280×800 HD IPS display, just like the Nexus 7. Then what makes it even better is the micro-SD slot for expanding storage, mini-HDMI for video out, and dual camera. The Sero 7 Pro sports a 5 megapixel rear with LED flash, and 2 MP front, respectively. Running Android 4.2.1 Jelly Bean and full Google Play Store certification, this tablet is as well rounded as it gets for $99. That’s for sure. As you can see from the images provided, the build quality is decent, and our tipster claims it feels quite premium given the price. The Hisense Sero 7 Pro also comes with the usual array of senors and radios. WiFi, Bluetooth 3.0, GPS, NFC, and a 4,000 mAh battery. Hisense offers TV’s here in the US, but this marks their first tablet aimed at the US market. Our tipster reports their USA website link on the box isn’t even active yet, which leads us to believe some Walmart locations are selling this device early. You can head to www.hisense-usa.com/tablets, but as stated, the page isn’t yet active. For now we’re looking for additional details, but you might want to run down to your nearest Walmart and grab this deal of a tablet. Who’s interested? Quad-core Tegra 3, 8GB storage, micro-SD and HDMI-out, not counting Android 4.2 Jelly Bean all for just $99. Let us know below! – Thanks Selim for the tip!

Now that the Samsung Galaxy S4 is in a growing number of hands, those smartphone owners will be looking to protect their new prized asset, so we thought we would take a look at some of the latest Samsung Galaxy S4 cases with a diverse price range. Towards the end of last month we published a few details on the official Galaxy S4 cases and other accessories, but today we will feature a number of hands-on reviews with some of the latest cases on offer for the Galaxy S4. XDoria Engage Form VR – the first Samsung Galaxy S4 case we want to feature is one of the most stylish cases we’ve seen, which shimmers in different light and will be loved or hated by Galaxy S4 users. The case doesn’t leave fingerprints easy and has a very thin profile, so take a closer look at this $30 XDoria case below our article in the first video. Cygnett Form, Feel and FlipFiber Galaxy S4 cases – in the next three videos you will see a short hands-on review with different Cygnett cases. The Cygnett Feel is an ideal case for the Samsung Galaxy S4 if you like simple hard-cases without much bulk. The Feel comes in 5 different colors and retails at $20. The Cygnett Form is very similar to the Feel, which is also offered in 5 colors at $20 with a minimalist look and soft rubber finish. Finally, the last Cygnett case is the FlipFiber that doubles as a wallet and flip case. In our opinion, this $35 option is the best Cygnett Galaxy S4 case but it’s a shame they didn’t include magnets for smoother closing. The last two videos feature the $30 rugged iSkin Exo and Spigen Neo Hybrid Galaxy S4 cases, which the latter includes a comparison of the Galaxy S3 vs. S4 with similar Spigen Neo Hybrid cases for each model. Take a look at each hands-on and share your thoughts. What type of Samsung Galaxy S4 cases have you been looking for? If you want to see something a little more themed, especially if you love movies, then you should read about the Iron Man 3 beam case for Samsung’s flagship handset.

Very Light Car from Edison2 Breaks Cover is a post by Chad Kirchner from Gotta Be Mobile.The Very Light Car is a product from Edison2, the company that won the Progressive Insurance Automotive X-Prize for mainstream vehicles back in 2010. It has decided to show off the next-generation prototype made from the $5 million it obtained from winning the X-Prize. The Very Light Car is a prototype that combines space-aged production techniques, light-weight materials and a small gasoline engine that functions as a range extender. The predominant thought when designing this vehicle was overall price, and based on the components used in the prototype, the vehicle should come in at approximately $20,000. The vehicle earns its lightweight name from having a chassis that weighs 67 pounds made entirely out of aluminum. Carbon fiber was ruled out due to the still expensive production costs. To aid in fuel economy, the vehicle’s drag coefficient is an incredibly slippery 0.160. The vehicle also utilizes a unique suspension setup that locates all of the suspension geometry inside the wheel itself. This setup allows for the air to flow as smoothly as possible through the vehicle and out the rear. The current wire-frame structure of the prototype is not road-legal, due to the lack of the crash structure in place, but Edison2 claims that the vehicle will not gain much weight or wind resistance after adding the structure. That means, combined with the 10.5 kWh lithium-ion battery and the 90 hp electric motor, the Very Light Car should be good for a range of 114 miles. Under current testing standards, that equates to 350 mpg-e. The Very Light Car is interesting in that it utilizes a lot of engineering design changes to make the vehicle more aerodynamic. Even if the Very Light Car does not become successful, licensing the technology is definitely a possibility for them, especially with the unique suspension design. Though the engineering is proprietary, all of the parts to build the vehicle are available for catalog order today. Off-the-shelf parts will help keep the vehicle price down, and if the total cost of the Very Light Car falls into the $20,000 estimate when it comes to market then Edison2 will likely have a hit on their hands.Very Light Car from Edison2 Breaks Cover is a post by Chad Kirchner from Gotta Be Mobile.

Android UX and interaction design leads Helena Roeber and Rachel Garb gave a talk at Google I/O this year about the Android Design Principles (ADP) they helped create and introduced back in 2012 with the launch of Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich. The ADP foll three simple principles, essentially “enchat, simplify and amaze,” but there’s much more to those principles that that relatively slippery and non-scientific language might lead you to believe. In fact, Garb and Roeber have based the ADP on compelling recent research that suggests eliciting negative emotional responses have an outsized effect on user experience, and require lots more counterbalance in terms of positive experiences to achieve a net positive, or even net zero lasting impression. The Math Of Joy They cited a John Gottman study that found successful marriages maintain around a 5:1 ration of pleasant feelings to bad, whereas those with more like a 1:1 ration have a far greater chance of ending in divorce. Another study they cited offers insight into team productivity, which suggests that positive-to-negative interactions in a work group setting operating in at least a 3:1 ratio result in much more productive teams than those with more negative experiences. Finally, they suggested that humans need three positive experiences to compensate for every bad one. A lot of that may sound obvious when simplified; it doesn’t take a genius to figure out that designers and app builders should strive to please their audiences. But the execution of enacting that pleasure is where things get interesting, and where Roeber and Garb’s insight really shone through. It’s one thing to say “okay, we won’t anger a user here, and we’ll make them happy instead,” and quite another to actually do it. Putting Theory Into Action Hearing them describe it, the ADP almost came about under a sort of moral obligation. Roeber described how the teams in charge of Android UX and interaction found that tech now has “a profound impact” on all of our lives, and as such, when things go wrong, we have a tendency to blame ourselves, and that can have a subtle but ultimately strong impact on people’s wellbeing. “All those non-ideal implementations eroded people’s confidence in their own abilities and caused frustration,” she said, describing how even small things that you might not think that much about ultimately leave you with a tick in the negative column if left unresolved. So if you can’t figure out what you’ve done wrong in setting up Gmail on your phone, for instance, that’s something you’ll carry, and something that requires that much more to negate in terms of the overall karmic balancing act. The example offered by the presenters of how exactly this works in action in Android right now is the visual signal given for when you’ve hit the last of your home screens. Android users will know that you’re greated with a blue glow animation and a visual representation of a page turning up to suggested nothing underneath. It’s clear in what it indicates, but it’s less accusatory or finger-pointing than a text alert, Roeber explained, which can still make users feel admonished and leave them internalizing some blame. Another example meant to explain how interface elements can not only minimize or eliminate bad feelings, but actually generate good ones was the Google Now art which occupies the search box when you call up Android’s digital personal assistant. It changes based on both location and time of day, and Roeber and Garb explained that in testing, the produced a reaction of wonder and enjoyment not just the first time it was encountered by users in testing, but every time after that as well, thanks to its dynamic nature. Experiences like this rack up positive emotions on the part of the user. The Interface As The Ultimate Customer Service Rep Essentiall

Far too often I hear Cascades and C++ in the same sentence and not enough about Cascades and JavaScript. On that same token another common statement I hear about Cascades is QML is for UI and C++ is for logic. Though that is true, what is also true is QML can be used for UI and logic. The way logic is handled in QML is through the use of JavaScript. At this point you may be asking yourself (or yelling at me through your screen) is I thought JavaScript was only for WebWorks applications!?!? Well I am about to show you that is not true and give you three examples of how you can implement JavaScript into your Cascades project. Read More »