Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 (2014 edition) review

Remember when people used personal computers - desktops and laptops - to check email, view video and keep tabs on Facebook? Back in that far-away era, I'd have several windows open for Web browsers, a word processor, a photo editor and sometimes a reader for PDF documents.

I miss that capability on mobile devices, particularly on full-size tablets with a decent amount of display space. With iPads and Android tablets, I'm typically limited to one window displayed at a time; other apps run in the background, out of sight. With Windows 8 tablets, I can run two windows side by side, but I'm constrained in what I can do with them. It gets better with the Windows 8.1 update due out next week, but it's still not the free-for-all I had with PCs.

So I marveled at a pair of multitasking features that come with Samsung's new tablet, formally called Galaxy Note 10.1 - 2014 Edition. Sporting a 10.1-inch display, measured diagonally, the Note tablet goes on sale in the U.S. on Thursday at a starting price of $550.

The first of the multitasking features, called Multi-Window, has been available in Samsung devices for about a year, but it works with many more apps now. You can run two apps side by side, such as Facebook on one side and YouTube video on the other.Like Windows 8 tablets, you're limited to just two apps. You can change how much of the screen each one takes, a capability coming with Windows 8.1, but you can't choose to have a window take up just the top left corner, the way you can on PCs. In addition, Multi-Window isn't a universal feature. Apps for Netflix and Hulu won't work, for instance. You currently have about 18 apps to choose from, including Facebook and a variety of Google and Samsung apps.

With that limitation, it's nice that Samsung Electronics Co. is supplementing Multi-Window with a feature called Pen Window.

With it, simply draw a box on the screen with the included stylus, and choose one of seven apps to open in a new window. Do it again and again until you open all seven apps, if you wish. That's nine in all, counting the two with Multi-Window. Each Pen Window app appears in a window that floats over your main app (or two apps if you use Multi-Window). You can move that window around on your screen and resize it, just as you can on PCs. Need a break from it? Just minimize it into a small dot and move it out of the way.

Like Multi-Window, you're restricted in what apps you can use with Pen Window, though I expect more to get added over time. For now, Pen Window on the tablet works with YouTube, the calculator, the alarm clock, your contacts list, the Web browser and two chat apps - Samsung's ChatOn and Google's Hangouts. I like the fact that you can open all of them and keep them out of the way in a minimized state. That way, it's just one click when you need the calculator and one click when you're done.

The iPad doesn't do that. Amazon's Kindle Fire doesn't do that. Other Android tablets don't do that. Windows 8.1 won't do that - at least not in the tablet-style viewing mode that Microsoft prefers you stick with. You'll have to go to the classic, desktop mode to resize windows, which defeats the purpose of having Windows 8 or 8.1. Windows 8.1 will go further than Multi-Window in letting you run up to four apps side by side, but that works only on larger screens, not portable tablets.

Beyond multitasking, the new Note tablet offers a My Magazine mode giving you personalized highlights, such as news topics of interest, content from your social media feeds and suggestions on things to do and see, based on your current location. It's a good concept, though Facebook isn't available through it yet.

The new tablet also gives you quick access to the tools you can accomplish with its stylus. Pen Window is one. Another feature lets you add notes to a screenshot of what you see. Another lets you clip a section of a Web page and store it with a Web link.

Unfortunately, not everything worked. Text recognition was poor. I'm supposed to be able to jot down an email address or a phone number with the stylus and have that handwriting converted into a contacts entry. But the device constantly confuses the letters "o" and "l" with the numerals "0" and "1."

Pen Window also is more difficult than necessary to set up. You need to take out the stylus for an Air Command tool to appear on the screen. You choose Pen Window, then draw a box on your screen with your stylus. Then you choose the app you want to open. Do all of that again to get additional apps, after figuring out how to get Air Command again with your stylus already out. It would have been simpler to have a button on the home screen that you can tap with your finger or stylus.

In addition, Samsung could have done more with the apps in minimized state. Google's chat app is reduced to a circular icon. It could have flashed or changed colors to notify me of a new chat message, rather than make me open and close it regularly to check.

The tablet's back is still made of plastic, but it feels like leather - an improvement over previous Samsung devices. The tablet does feel heavy, at 1.2 pounds, but that's still lighter than the 1.4 pounds for the full-size iPad. If you want light, wait until early November for the large-size version of Amazon's Kindle Fire HDX. It weighs just 0.83 pound.

Samsung's tablet is also pricey - the $550 starting price tops the iPad's $499 and the Fire's $379. Of course, neither the iPad nor the Fire includes a stylus.

One more complaint: Although the tablet uses the latest version of Android, 4.3, it doesn't offer that system's feature of letting multiple people share a device with separate profiles.

With the Note, it's clear some of the functionality we've long associated with PCs is coming to devices we're just getting to know. There's more to be done, including support for multiple users, but I'm glad Samsung is leading us in that direction.

For more Information or any help,Kindly Reach
1.)Facebook.com/lumia1020pureview
2.)Windowsappmania.blogspot.in

Huawei Launches "Worlds's Slimmest Smartphone" in India

Huawei Ascend P6 with 4.7-inch HD display launched at Rs. 29,999

Huawei's new smartphone, the Ascend P6, has been launched for the Indian market, at Rs. 29,999. The device was listed online in the fourth week of October on an ecommerce website for a discounted price of Rs. 25,750. Huawei first unveiled the Ascend P6 back in June this year.

The Huawei Ascend P6 is called the slimmest smartphone in the world by the company, and measures in at 6.2mm, while weighing 120 grams. The smartphone comes in Black, Pink and White colours. It features a 4.7-inch LCD display that has a resolution of 720x1280 pixels. It's powered by the company's in-house chipset, the Huawei K3V2 quad-core processor, clocked at 1.5GHz and coupled with 2GB of RAM.

The Ascend P6 includes an 8-megapixel rear camera with a BSI sensor, capable of recording 1080p HD video, apart from a 5-megapixel front-facing camera. It runs Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean and features Huawei's Emotion UI 1.6 OS layer on top. It offers 8GB of inbuilt storage expandable up to 32GB via microSD card and has a 2000 mAh battery.

On Wednesday, two of Huawei's recently launched Android phablets, the Ascend G610 and Ascend G700, also made it to the Indian market via an online retailer. The Huawei Ascend G610 and Huawei Ascend G700 have been listed at Infibeam for Rs. 12,499 and Rs. 16,500 respectively. The Chinese major had unveiled both the devices back in September this year, at an event in Taiwan.

Huawei Ascend P6 key specifications

• 4.7-inch HD in-cell LCD screen with a resolution of 720x1280 pixels
• 1.5GHz quad-core Processor
• 2GB RAM
• 8GB Internal storage expandable via microSD card
• Dual-SIM with dual-standby support
• 8-megapixel rear camera
• 5-megapixel front facing camera
• 2000mAh battery
• Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean with Emotion UI
  
  For more Information or any help,Kindly Reach
  1.)Facebook.com/lumia1020pureview
  2.)Windowsappmania.blogspot.in

iPhone 5s and iPhone 5c review: Fingerprint sensor

Passcodes are such a pain that I've relaxed the security settings on my Android phone. I'm willing to forgo the extra safety, just so I'm asked to punch in the code less often. When I got my hands on Apple's new iPhone 5s, one of the first things I tried was a feature that allows you to bypass the passcode using a fingerprint.

I had a lot of fun unlocking the phone over and over again. Who knew biometric authentication could be such a blast?

The fingerprint sensor alone is worth the extra $100 you'll pay for the iPhone 5s over an iPhone 5c. Both phones will come out Friday. In the week I've had with both, I've also been impressed with the better camera and slow-motion video in the 5s.

The 5c, meanwhile, is largely last year's iPhone 5 with a plastic casing instead of aluminum and glass. This isn't cheap plastic, but a type offering the slippery feel of a shiny ceramic tile. It comes in five colors.

Both phones come with iOS 7, the most radical change to Apple's operating system software for mobile devices since its 2007 debut. Many of the changes are cosmetic, but there are functional improvements such as easier access to frequently used settings and apps.

I will review iOS 7 separately. Many existing iPhone users won't need more than the free update, which is available starting Wednesday. Neither the 5c nor the 5s offers improvements on the screen size, which remains at 4 inches (10 centimeters) diagonally. But new features and new colors may draw you to one of these new iPhones.

iPhone 5s (available in silver, gold or gray; starts at $199 with two-year service contract, or $649 without a contract)
When you set up the 5s, you're asked to tap the home button with a finger several times so the phone can create a mathematical representation of your print. To unlock the phone, you simply tap the home button, and the phone will compare the two taps. You can tap from any angle, even sideways or upside down. This fingerprint ID also works as a way to authenticate the purchase of apps and content within apps.

For security reasons, there are still times you'll need your four-digit passcode, including after 48 hours of inactivity and before adding a new fingerprint. If the phone fails to recognize your print, you can always use the passcode. I had trouble only when my fingers were wet or greasy. One evening, I ordered pizza with an oily pepperoni topping and ate it without a napkin. The fingerprint sensor worked after one slice, but not two. Indian naan bread also threw off the sensor.

Apple says it stores the print data on your phone, in a place that's inaccessible to other apps or to Apple's remote servers. The company also says it's not possible to convert a fingerprint from a police file into something the phone will recognize, as the sensor reads a sub-epidermal layer of the finger. And the finger needs to be live - cutting off a thumb won't work.

I'm convinced Apple has given a lot of thought to security. If you're still uneasy about the fingerprint scan, you can stick with the passcode. The feature is optional.

Meanwhile, the 5S's camera takes better night and indoor shots. Although the main camera remains at 8 megapixels, individual pixels are larger and thus better at sensing light. The camera's shutter also opens wider to let in more light. For flash shots, the camera fires two bursts of light at once, each slightly different in color. The iPhone adjusts the combination of the two colors automatically to match ambient lighting.

I typically avoid using the flash in any camera because its strong burst of whitish light overpowers whatever's in the room. In a hallway with strong yellow light, for instance, the flashes on my high-end camera and the iPhone 5 made the walls white. The 5s, on the other hand, managed to preserve the yellow. I also got better skin tones on some flash shots taken with the 5s. Using the 5c, faces and arms looked more pale.

Night shots without the flash are also sharper. Sometimes, cameras overcompensate for low light by making the few points of light too bright. The 5s typically has those scenes properly balanced.

Of course, these improvements won't make all photos better. Many shots appear the same whether taken with the 5, the 5c or the 5s. In other shots, differences are subtle.

The 5s can also shoot slow motion video. You can choose the parts you want in slow motion and regular speed, and you can change your mind later. A burst mode lets you snap 100 shots in 10 seconds, compared with 40 seconds on the 5c. The phone picks out the best moments and filters out duplicates. The front-facing camera is better than the one on previous iPhones. It has larger pixels for low-light videoconferencing.

Many of these features are possible because of Apple's faster A7 processor. A companion chip, the M7, handles motion-related data without draining as much of the battery, something useful for fitness trackers. All this power is so new, apps taking advantage of them weren't available for me to test

iPhone5c (available in green, blue, yellow, pink or white; starts at $99 with two-year service contract, or $549 without a contract)
Plastic colors aside, the 5c is mostly the same as the iPhone 5 it replaces, with the older A6 chip and a main camera that's not as good in low light. Because the chip is slower, it couldn't do slow-motion video or take as many shots per second. But it does have the 5s's improved front-facing camera.

The 5c is for those who really want the bright color. If you can afford the additional $100 and can do with silver, gold or gray, get the 5s instead. The fingerprint sensor will make security less annoying, and the better camera will be more useful in documenting life. A hundred dollars isn't that much when you compare it with the full price of the phone.

Jolla Phone Full Specification and Sailfish OS Demo

Jolla, the company behind the Linux-based Sailfish OS, has finally released the official specs of its first smartphone, and this time around it's a bit more specific. Based in Finland, Jolla's ambitious have received a serious bump ever since local Nokia's handset business changed hands, leaving a vacuum of local fans behind.

The Jolla smartphone is definitely one those 'alternative' projects that we're secretly rooting for, and we can't wait to see if the Sailfish OS will manage to cause ripples in the established state of affairs. If it does, however, it certainly won't be because of impressive hardware or a low price point. Rather, the company has decided to narrow it down to a great experience, and really stylish hardware -- while the internals themselves are the Jolla smartphone is a looker.

Nokia's First Ever Tablet

 Nokia Lumia 2520 - Nokia's First Ever Tablet

Over at its Abu Dhabi Keynote , Nokia released its first slate dubbed Lumia 2520. The tablet runs on the Windows RT, has a 10.1″ Full HD display , a Snapdragon 800 chipset and comes with a variety of color options – black, blue, white and red. The price before subsidies will be $499.

You can get the Lumia 2520 slate with an add-on keyboard, dubbed Power Keyboard, with additional USB ports, battery and integrated kick-stand.

Nokia is very proud of the Gorilla Glass 2-covered display on the Lumia 2520 tablet, which has reflects just 6% of the external light and has a peak brightness of around 650 nits. There’s also a polarizer on board for better outdoor usability.

Thanks to the Snapdragon 800 chipset, the Lumia 2520 also features global LTE connectivity. The body has thinned edges in favor of better handling and weighs 615 g. The cameras are 2 MP on the front for video calling and a 6.7 MP with F/1.9 ZEISS optics on the back. Inside Nokia managed to squeeze in an 8,000 mAh battery and 32 GB of storage, which is sadly non-expandable.

There are microUSB 3.0 and HDMI ports on the tablet body with NFC and GPS coming on board too. There won’t be a Wi-Fi only variant of the slate, which seems logical as the Snapdragon 800 SoC has integrated LTE on all of its variants.

The Power Keyboard, which will cost and additional $150, folds over the display of the Lumia 2520 tablet and attaches to it via magnetic flap. It weighs 150 g, has two USB ports and a 15 Whr battery inside, which promises to add 5 hours of battery life.

Facebook - Facing Boo's

Something is rotten in the state of Facebook – posting a new status, writing on someone’s wall or using Facebook’s payment system have been out of order since earlier today. And what are people to do about it other than complain on Twitter?

Users are reporting that they are unable to Like, comment or post new content to Facebook, sending people in to a panic as the world’s most popular social network has become, for the most part, unusable. It has spawned a #FacebookDown hashtag on Twitter, which appears to become the primary way that users are communicating about the problem, which is amusing in many ways as another social network has had to step in to fill the void.

Facebook’s developers page confirms that the payment system is down since 4:50AM PDT. And it’s not the first time this month either, the same thing happened on October 5 and again on October 12.
The API health monitors are reporting a spike in error count starting the same time the payment system went down and the site’s response time has gone up as well.

No word from Mark Zuckerberg in crew as of yet about when we can expect Facebook to return

Windows 8.1 is on

Windows 8.1 is now available for download

Microsoft is back with new bang.Yes,Windows 8.1 is now available for download with improvements and added features like official facebook app and much more exciting.

download now   http://msft.it/6185bdLV

Beats Music Streaming Service coming to Windows Phone

TheSpacelab.tv reports that Beats’s new streaming music service, Beats Music, will soon be launching on the web, iOS, Android and Windows Phone, with tablet apps to follow.

The service is based on MOG, which Beats purchased for $14 million last year, and which will convert to Beats Music.  It will concentrate on professional curation of music playlists for various situations such as exercise, relaxation or parties.

“We’re talking about real depth of personalization and knowing who I am, who you are, what we’re listening to, what we like, what we’ve listened to before and then offering up music that is highly relevant to our taste profile,” said Luke Wood, president and COO of the service.

The apps should become available by the end of the year or early next year.

Is i-Phone To Raise The Screen Size?

Analyst Report-

iPhone 6 will raise screen size close to 5 inches

Apple's iPhone 6 will jump in screen size to almost 5 inches from the current 4 inches. At least, that's the claim from Cantor Fitzgerald analyst Brian White.

After meeting recently with an Apple supplier, White expressed confidence that a new big-screen iPhone will emerge next year, as reported by Boy Genius Report.


"Our meeting with a tech supply chain vendor highlighted a bigger iPhone is in the works, and our contact expects a launch in the 2Q:14/3Q:14 time frame," White said in an investors note released on Thursday.


"Nearly a year ago, our research in Asia uncovered early stage work on a larger iPhone, and we indicated in our Apple initiation report dated 9/4/13 that 'a larger screen size on the iPhone is possible in 2014 that could approach 5 inches.' Given today's meeting, we are confident that a larger iPhone (approximately five inches) will become a reality in 2014."


White's prediction follows a similar claim from Jefferies analyst Peter Misek that the iPhone 6 will sport a 4.8-inch screen. Misek's forecast followed a meeting between him and Apple suppliers in Asia. DisplaySearch analyst David Hsieh also is eyeing a larger screen for next year's iPhone, specifically one that's 4.7 inches.

Nokians,The Wait Is Over and the "PUREVIEW" is here

Nokia Lumia 1020 now available in India for 49,999 rupees

    

The Lumia 1020 continues its global march towards availability. It first launched in the United States as an exclusive on AT&T in July. Fast forward nearly three months and we’re seeing it in more and more of Nokia’s markets. We’ve reported on the device selling out pre-orders in India, but now you’re going to be able to grab it there. Details below.


Over in India, Nokia just launched the Lumia 1020. The device first appear on Indian sites for pre-order a few weeks ago and just recently sold out. The device retails for 49,999 rupees (about $818), but remember this is a fairly niche device with advanced camera technology and the price reflects that.


If you get the Lumia 1020 you’ll be getting a camera with 41 million pixels, optical image stabilization, and killer low-light performance. The 4.5 inch display is AMOLED based and beautiful. Inside you’re getting 2GB of RAM and 32GB of storage all powered by a Snapdragon dual-core processor.

So are u ready tu buy?

                                                                                                                                                                                 

Delta Airlines chooses Windows powered Surface 2 tablets for Pilots

In the battleground for Enterprise, Windows and WP further solidifies their fight with Delta Airlines. Previously arming flight attendants with WP8 powered Nokia Lumia 820s, now their pilots are to get Surface 2 tablets for Pilots

Delta believes they’ll save 13M in fuel and other costs by not bringing 38lbs flight bag containing manuals and maps.

The reason for choosing MS? The surface 2 is apparently easier to give pilots separate sections for company and personal use. Furthermore, Delta’s training software also runs on Windows. Delta has already done tests with iPads but has gone with Surface 2.