Saturday 21 September 2013



Google announced Android 3.1 earlier today at I/O. More surprising than the OS itself (which was expected, really) was that it was rolling out to Verizon Xooms today. Google failed to announce when it was hitting other devices beside Google TV, which will get it this summer, and the Galaxy Tab 10.1, which will get it in the next few weeks.

As announced, the UI is much the same. You can’t tell 3.0 from 3.1 visually. One of the only noticeable differences is that the widgets can be resized. Previously, widgets such as email and bookmarks had a preset size — now they can be stretched and morphed to better fit a user’s preferences. The home button also returns you to the previously selected homescreen rather than the main center one.



It seems many of 3.1′s changes are under the hood. The Xoom I’m using is noticeably faster. The app screen loads nearly instantly, as do many apps. I’m no longer looking at a black screen while switching between apps, either. But the Quadrant benchmarking app disagrees. My 3.0.1 Xoom scored 1824 while the 3.1 scored 1580. The easy answer is perhaps that Quadrant needs to be recompiled for 3.1.

3.1 also addressed many issues with the browser. It now supports HTML5 video, enhanced CSS 3D, as well as now being able to save pages for offline viewing. But I don’t really care about those features. All I care about is that it’s quicker, and pinch-to-zoom is as smooth as the iPad’s. Really, the browser is a star performer now.

Previously, 3.0 supported USB keyboards; USB mice are now supported as well and work in single button mode. Scroll wheels are apparently supported as well but I have no way of testing that as the Xoom does not feature a USB host.



Google Videos was also one of the big announcements at I/O 2011, and comes preinstalled with 3.1 — it’s just called Videos, of course. The interface is sparse, with a two row interface. Up top are your rentals, with thumbnails occupying the bottom. You don’t actually rent anything directly from the app — it’s actually more of a management app. The thumbnails direct you to the Android Market app. It’s from there you click to rent with most titles costing $3.99.

There are other small, honestly trivial changes in 3.1. The buttons now look a bit different and there are a few new baked-in wallpapers. It’s a bunch of small things that add up to a more pleasing experience. It actually feels more like a 3.0.x update than a whole new platform, but I’ll dig into the system and see if there is anything else new. Oh, and yeah, 3.1 still doesn’t bring microSD support to the Xoom.

Hands-On With Android 3.1 On The Motorola Xoom

Friday 13 September 2013


WIMM smartwatch

Google has confirmed it acquired WIMM Labs last year, a company that previously made an Android-powered smartwatch before shuttering operations in 2012. At the time a message on its website said it had entered into an exclusive partnership without releasing further details, but it’s now clear that partner was Google, rather than Apple as some had initially speculated. Google’s WIMM Labs acquisition was reported earlier by Gigaom.

Google is rumoured to be developing a smartwatch of its own, with patents turning up earlier this year (filed in 2011), and a report by the FT that claimed Google’s Android team was in the process of developing such a device. Google has also hinted at Android powering a range of wearable devices in the past, when CEO Larry Page let slip during a quarterly earnings call this year that Glass runs on its smartphone and tablet OS, and that Android is “pretty transportable across devices”. Google has also long had bigger ambitions for Android than just pushing it onto phones and tablets, with TV set-top boxes, in-car tech, home automation and wearables all areas where it’s actively encouraging Android to spread.

WIMM Labs started out building Android-based platforms for wearable displays, akin to Google Glass, and then created the WIMM One in 2011: a smartwatch powered by Android 2.1 that was aimed at developers as a sort of concept flagship ahead of a broader consumer launch. The WIMM One used Bluetooth and Wi-Fi 802.11b/g for connectivity, had 256 MB of RAM plus a 667MHz processor, and used a screen design that refreshed once per minute to conserve battery life. It also supported apps via a “Micro App Store” — installed and managed by users via a web-based dashboard. Android developers were offered custom APIs for adapting their software to the WIMM One’s tiny, 16-bit colour screen.

Google is not commenting further on the acquisition at this point, beyond providing confirmation that it picked up WIMM Labs in 2012. If Mountain View is building its own smartwatch it’s unlikely to beat its Android OEM partner Samsung to a launch, as the Korean company’s Galaxy Gear device is probably going to be unboxed next week in Berlin at a September 4 event. Plenty of other Android-powered smartwatches are also entering the frame via crowdfunding sites like Kickstarter, and also cropping up on the roadmaps of other Android OEMs. Meanwhile Apple’s rumoured iWatch remains elusive.

If Google isn’t building its own smartwatch hardware, acquiring WIMM Labs could be a way to help it develop a custom version of Android designed for wrist-mounted wearables, which it could then provide to OEMs the same way it currently does with Android proper. Given the amount of interest in smartwatches from OEMs big and small, that could be the better strategy for long-term platform growth.

Google Confirms It Has Acquired Android Smartwatch Maker WIMM Labs.

Thursday 12 September 2013



Facebook didn’t stop when it hit 1 billion users. And it won’t stop even if it connects everyone with web access. ”To make the world more open and connected” really means the world — every human regardless of location or income. That’s why CEO Mark Zuckerberg says he’s “retooling the company to take on a lot of harder problems” — specifically spreading the Internet itself.

Last month, Zuckerberg launched Internet.org with a 10-page whitepaper he wrote himself. It’s a web access initiative and partnership with six telecommunications and mobile companies. Together, they’ll build new data-compression technologies, network infrastructure, and business models that make it possible to not only get everyone a smartphone, but make the data that powers them affordable. This is critical because most of the cost of owning a smartphone is the data, not the hardware.




Some will say it’s simply Facebook’s plot to get more users, but at its core, the mission is truly altruistic. Internet access leads to education, empowerment, and economic mobility. Everywhere it’s come it’s increased GDP and helped people stay in closer touch with those they love. Could it earn money for Facebook? Sure. But that doesn’t make it the driving motive.

Though Zuckerberg is championing the cause, it won’t just be some hobby of his. It’s Facebook’s new mandate. But really, it’s an extension of what the social network been doing since 2004.
“The tactics change all the time”,  but not the mission, Mark Zuckerberg said on stage. You can watch the full interview below.

The still-young CEO discussed how businesses break down into two categories. “There are companies that define themselves by the way they do things, and companies that define themselves by a concrete way they change the world.” The latter is preferable to him. It’s why Zuckerberg grew up idolizing Bill Gates and his mission to put “a computer on every desk and in every home.”

Creating a mission that matters requires doing something audacious, and the values that get you there aren’t always universally popular. “I’m of the belief that values are only useful if they’re controversial,” said Zuckerberg. He chided companies for posting hollow lists of values like “be honest,” saying of course you have to be honest.

Facebook’s controversial value has been “Move Fast And Break Things.” Employees are encouraged to build, experiment, and iterate rather than sit on new products until they’re perfect. Zuckerberg laughed. “It gets us into tons of trouble,” and he admits it’s still important to “slow down and fix your shit.” But the philosophy has helped Facebook evolve quickly and avoid being disrupted
.
Zuckerberg Connect The World

It’s also led Facebook to 1 billion active users. But Zuckerberg says “A billion isn’t a magical number. No one wakes up and says ‘I want to get one-seventh of the world to do something.’”

Yet in a moment of humility, when Michael Arrington asked if Zuckerberg wants everyone on Facebook, he said “Of course we do, but I don’t think that’s realistic.” There will always be people who don’t like a particular tool. You don’t have to look far on the Internet for people who hate Facebook, yet we’re wired to share. Whether its via SMS, email, Twitter, or its own social network, Internet.org and Facebook’s task is to give people access and let them choose how to communicate.

All humans want to be connected, Zuckerberg concluded. And with a glint in his eye about his own purpose on this planet and that of his company, Zuckerberg exclaimed, “That’s why we’re here.”
 ( Orignally posted at +TechCrunch )

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Zuckerberg’s Manifest Destiny: Connecting The 5 Billion People Without Internet

Tuesday 10 September 2013



Startups Apparently Do Not Care That Android Is Better

htc-one-review08

In a must-read post for the tech industry, Twitter experience designer and serial startup founder Paul Stamatiou writes: “Android is Better.” His op-ed serves as something of a wake-up call for the industry, where developers building the next generation of mobile applications still heavily prefer the iPhone, not only as their personal smartphone of choice, but also as the launch platform for their latest creations.

Many who have already heeded Android’s siren song found themselves nodding along to nearly every point Stamatiou made, ranging from the minor details, like how Android handles notifications, to broader statements about Android’s “magical user experience,” which involves the use of a global back button, Google Now integration and Android intents for app-to-app interoperability and communication. While obviously an opinion piece, Stamatiou’s thoughts came across as reasoned and well-argued, and didn’t at all resemble the fanboy-ish op-eds often published to incite religious wars between the iPhone and Android zealots for website traffic’s sake.

Most Tech Companies Are Still iOS-First

Having recently made the switch from the iPhone 5 to the Nexus 4 and then back to the iPhone 5 myself, the pro-Android argument struck a personal chord. It’s at least the third time I’ve attempted to leave the iPhone. For all the same reasons, I too had found myself again falling in love with the Android operating system. But there’s one thing that keeps pulling me back to iPhone: the apps.

As an early adopter, and technology enthusiast in general — a mindset TechCrunch readers probably share — being solely on Android can be a frustrating experience. Today’s tech companies are still launching their mobile applications on iOS first. This includes apps from the smallest of startups to some of the largest, like Twitter, which launched its video-sharing app Vine as well as Twitter Music on iPhone first (the latter of which is not yet on Android, four months after its debut).

facebook-here-come-the-androids-1

The iOS-first mentality is so ingrained in the culture of the tech and startup scene, in fact, that Facebook had once plastered large signs around its offices begging employees to switch to Android. Later, the company released its own take on what Android users supposedly want with “Facebook Home,” an Android launcher that quickly tanked. Had Facebookers understood the true ethos of Android, they would have perhaps realized that Android users favor the customization and personalization aspects of the platform. Meanwhile, Facebook Home was a full-on takeover of the entire Android interface and experience, with little wiggle room to change much of anything about its behavior.

If you look at Android’s top charts, you’ll find they’re continually filled with apps that let users tweak, customize, and better control their Android devices. For instance, in July of this year, the top five paid Android apps included a keyboard replacement (Swiftkey) in the No. 1 position, a fairly geeky utility for users who had rooted their phones (Titanium Backup) in the No. 2 position, and an alternative launcher (Nova) as No. 4, according to analytics firm Distimo.


The constant tweaking and customizing is fun, but at some point, it becomes just another way to pass the time while waiting for the latest and greatest new application to make its way to Android. You know – eventually.

This is not the story you’ll hear from headstrong Android devotees who point to the sheer number of Android apps available today. Of course, it’s true that the Apple and Android app stores are roughly close in terms of the numbers of applications offered, and have been for some time. There are over 900,000 iOS applications, while analysts estimated as of May there are over 800,000 Android apps available. It’s not that there aren’t enough Android apps out there. There just aren’t the brand-new ones early adopters might want — those from startups you may read about here on TechCrunch, for example. Those almost invariably go iOS-first.

screenshot-1
It’s hard to even think of tech companies that launched on Android first in recent months, but there are a few. Any.DO, a mobile task list app was on Android before iPhone; mobile messenger Invi bet on Android, too. Imgur launched on Android before iPhone, but only because it had to clean itself up a bit, in order to be approved for distribution through iTunes. And Zillow, with what feels like an awkward nod to the demographics of Android users, launched its Rentals app on Android first last fall. (These are off the top of my head. I asked on Twitter, and a few responses trickled in, including Smoopa and … um, does Google Now count?)
To be clear, there are certainly many, many Android applications that aren’t on iOS, but this is mainly the result of developers taking advantage of the Android platform in ways that Apple would not allow. This includes the tweakers and customizers, but also the suite of Google apps that are better baked into Android, such as Google Now. (On iPhone, “Now” is more like a feature within the Google app — a standalone experience.)

 

iOS Apps Still Missing An Android Counterpart

Ignoring games or children’s apps, which are also too often iOS-only, I took a look at my iPhone to see what apps I would have to give up to make the switch to Android today. As it turns out, there are still quite a few. Here’s a short list of iOS-only apps broken down by category:

Top 5 Paid Apps-July 2013-Google Play-Distimo

I can live without most of them, sure, but a couple are painful to give up. A caveat here is that the list includes companies that have already promised Android is in their future. It also includes some well-known iOS-only publishers who will likely never come to Android. But a good chunk of it includes the tech companies who, with limited resources, just decided to pick iOS first.


Why Apple? Revenue. Development. (And Everyone Else Is Doing It.)

There are a number of reasons for that choice, of course. Tech companies are often lacking in in-house Android expertise, or are influenced by the fact that they and everyone they know uses an iPhone. Plus, according to Vision Mobile’s most recent report, 44 percent of more experienced developers (3-5 years experience) choose iOS, while 31 percent pick Android. These are the folks building startups.

Companies also like to say that most of their users prefer iOS devices, citing mobile web statistics. This seems to be true – iPhone users spend more minutes on their devices than Android users.

But most importantly, there’s the revenue situation. Apple’s App Store still earns roughly double that of Google Play. (Depending on who you ask, it could be two times or as high as 2.6 times.).

Android’s Time Is Coming?

That being said, Google Play’s revenue capabilities are growing, having climbed by 67 percent in the past six months, per Distimo’s estimates. At some point, as Android market share grows (Android now leads by a wide margin, outside of the U.S.), the revenue possibilities may begin to shift in favor of Android. The large install base will start to matter. And it’s easier to reach the top 250 on Android than on iOS.

android_series01

The startups that “make it” to Android will have acquired developers with the chops to code for the platform, and perhaps one day, they’ll take those skills to a startup of their own. Today, 40 percent of new developers choose Android, and only 21 percent pick iOS. In other words, there’s still the potential for the market to change.
And there is some indication that Android users are hungry for great apps. A year after Instagram arrived on Android, for example, half of its users came from that platform.

In late 2011, Google Chairman Eric Schmidt once proclaimed that a wave of Android-first apps was on the near horizon. Over a year and a half later, that hasn’t happened yet. That’s not to say it never will !!

( This was orrignally posted at +TechCrunch )
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Startups Apparently Do Not Care That Android Is Better

Monday 9 September 2013





Android Is The New Windows


Android Is The New Windows
A flexible, customizable operating system that’s farmed out to third-party hardware makers and dominates market share but not profits? You’re not the only one experiencing déjà vu. The parallels of Android and Windows are striking. But can that which is unique about Android save it from the fate befalling Microsoft’s stumbling OS?

Let’s look at the similarities between the Android of today and the Windows 95 of … ’95:
  • Android is a growing platform with endless form-factor diversity (or fragmentation, depending on how you look at it) and strong OEM support, just like Windows has had and still enjoys.
  • Android’s flexibility for users and developers created an explosion in app variety, but also an unruly app store with a growing issue with malware. The same was true of Windows during the early days of the Internet.
  • Android, like Windows before it, followed Apple into its market by leaning on third-party hardware firms. The plan helped both to surpass Apple’s hardware shipments. Android tablets currently outsell the iPad globally more than two to one.
  • OEMs looking to boost per-device profit tweak the Android operating system and often cut at its daily functionality by over-skinning the platform among other similar issues. Windows PCs still suffer from the same issue, as OEMs pump them full of crappy bloatware before delivering them to consumers.
  • Android devices are often cheaper than iOS units, but at the same time can compete at the higher price and quality tiers. Just as it has long been simple to pick up a cheap laptop that runs Windows, you can also spend untold sums on a gaming or media machine that can handle anything you throw at it if you want. That wasn’t true with Mac, and it isn’t true now with iOS. But if you want to buy a massive-screened Android you can.
Perhaps the most important point of the Android and Windows comparison is that of longevity. Windows has been around since 1985. Hardware-based operating systems last.
Just as computers have changed since 1985, so has Windows. And smartphones and tablets will change, too. But we still have PCs, and we’ll still have smartphones and tablets in a decade. Android is currently using a similar strategy to Microsoft’s Windows play to take over the hottest two segments in hardware and software.

People now say that, while Android has huge market share, it’s iOS that is beloved and profitable. But if history repeats itself, the smartphone wars will be decided less by short-term profits and app figures, and more by who will control the smartphone world in five, 10 and 15 years. That’s increasingly looking like Android
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And it’s firmly ironic that Microsoft is currently working to build tablet and smartphone market share against Android, which is using its old playbook against it. If only Microsoft had taken its own advice sooner.

 ( This was orrignally posted at +TechCrunch )
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Android the new Windows

Sunday 8 September 2013



Pinterest And Path To Battle Over Letter “P” Logo Trademark


path-pinterest

Are the Path and Pinterest logos too similar? Path apparently thinks so. The mobile messaging startup is currently working to prevent Pinterest from acquiring the trademark to the letter “P” as a stylized design (like the one shown here, and below). The U.S. trademark office allowed Pinterest’s trademark registration on this proposed design mark, but recently Path asked for an extension in order to file an opposition.

It’s a bit too early in the process to see where this fight goes, but if Pinterest was granted the trademark to the “P,” it could then potentially prevent Path, and other apps, from using similar designs, explains patent attorney Lenny Kravets, who serves as Patent Counsel at InterDigital Communications.
P, 85685180 (Trademark) via Docket Alarm
This is the kind of battle that happens all the time in the trademark world, as companies struggle to come up with logos that are unique and differentiated from their competitors and industry peers. However, this particular case is interesting because of the increasing similarities between the design styles of both the Pinterest and Path applications, which could contribute to so-called “consumer confusion” and make the trademark issue more significant.

As you may recall, in July, Pinterest’s mobile application received a significant update to its design, which introduced a new interface and animations. The animations are very similar to those Path popularized – little, round circle icons that pop up when a user taps the screen directing the user to other actions that can then be taken.

In Path, users tap the plus “+” button at the bottom of the screen to pop up a series of post types they can make, like “photo,” “music,” “location,” and more. But in Pinterest, the animations only appear when a user presses and holds on a shared pin. Then, you would have to slide your finger over to the action you want to take, like “favorite,” email, or re-pin, for example.  (Pinterest, we should note, isn’t the only one to adopt this design style in recent months –  Tumblr too introduced a similarly inspired interface earlier this year.)

But the fact that Pinterest adopted a design style that Path had already introduced can help to make the case against Pinterest gaining rights to this trademark. Before the Trademark Office registers a mark, they first examine the mark against prior registrations, and check for a number of factors, including whether the mark could confuse the public, or is deceptive, among many other things.

Explains Matthew Mitchell, patent attorney at Mitchell Law PLLC, the trademark office publishes the registration, allowing the public – individuals or companies – to file an opposition. Objectors can also request an extension up to 30 days – which is what the document (see below) references. Path is asking for an extension, which typically allows an attorney the time to draft the objection, laying out the merits of why a mark should or should not be registered.
path-pinterest 2

If Path is able to successfully make its case, that wouldn’t mean it could stop Pinterest from continuing to use its logo, however. “If Path wanted to stop Pinterest from using the logo, they’d have to basically make the case that Path has a trademark to the “P,” and that Pinterest is infringing on it,” says Kravets.
Instead, Path is looking here to only stop Pinterest from gaining the design trademark, which it could then use against Path and others if it chose.
 ( This was originally posted at TECHCRUCH )

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Pinterest And Path To Battle Over Letter P Logo Trademark

Saturday 7 September 2013


Getting paid apps for free (ANDROID)


Enable Your Device To Install From Unknown Sources :-

allow installation from unknown sources Android
If you have not enabled installation of applications from unknown sources on your Android device before, then read on. Otherwise skip this..
Or else Just follow these steps below.
  1. Click the “Menu” button on your home screen.
  2. Go to “Settings”.
  3. Now go to “applications” tab.
  4. Now tick the “Unknown sources” option.
That’s it. Now you can install any application from outside the Google Market also.

How to Download Android Apps for Free :

  1. Download Blackmart Alpha Application
  2. Install it in your Android Phone.
  3. Open Google Play Store and search any paid application.
  4. Pick Name of any paid application which you want to download.
  5. Now Open Blackmart Alpha Application.
  6. Search the name of application (paid in google play store).
  7. After find any application (paid in google play store) and click to download.
  8. Install in your phone.
Done ! In this way you download paid android applications for free.

Don't forget to give your feedback in the comments. Thanks !

How to get paid apps for free on Android


Samsung Galaxy Gear

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I’m sold. One picture did it. The one above by Josh Miller at CNET. I want the Samsung Galaxy Gear smartwatch. It doesn’t matter if the UI is sluggish. I don’t care if it requires charging once a day. I don’t even care if Samsung overloaded it with applications, which seems to be the case. I’m not going to buy it. But my inner nerd really wants it. The Galaxy Gear watch is hot, even if it has a critical flaw.

Samsung just beat Apple to the punch by a large margin. But that should be expected.

Samsung is a different company than Apple. Samsung iterates where Apple innovates. Samsung releases a first generation product that’s far from perfect. The first Galaxy Note was large enough to kill a man and was too slow for general use. The original Galaxy S was one of the worst Android options when it was released. Remember the Samsung Galaxy Tab? Yeah, twice as thick as the Nook Color and seemingly half as fast.
But this works for Samsung.

Apple on the other hand waits until they can release a product that’s nearly perfect. The original iPad was in development since at least 2002, eight years before the original hit the market in 2010. And even since then the product has simply seen updates. The first big overhaul is rumored to hit just this year.
And this works for Apple.

Yet, the consumer electronic scene is a different world than it was when Apple and Samsung first became the two superpowers. Samsung has a massive following now. Samsung has sold tens of millions of Galaxy S III and IV smartphones. It’s the leader in Android and general tech enthusiasts look to Samsung for innovation the same way they used to look to Apple.

Apple will likely follow its tradition of waiting until its smartwatch is ready. And now they have a good look at their main competition’s high and low points.
galaxy-gear
The Galaxy Gear watch seems to hit most checkboxes. The watch’s design is fashion-forward without being completely nerdy. It’s available in a wide range of colors. And it packs a good amount of tech including a camera into a modest-sized frame. The screen is attractive. It’s open to applications and there’s even a camera in the wrist band, because why not. And you can actually take calls on the thing by holding it up to your ear.

Engadget reports from some hands-on time with it that the UI is a bit sluggish and occasionally unresponsive. The S-Voice is not entirely hands free and the battery will only last a day. But this is Samsung. Those items will get better in the second generation.

By far the biggest drawback is the Galaxy Gear, at least at launch, is only compatible with the Note 3 and the new Note 10.1. It will likely work with the GS4 somewhere down the line, but it will require an update. Samsung has yet to say if it will work with any ol’ Android device. It’s very unlikely that it will ever work an iPhone in the same way Apple’s smartwatch will likely not work with an Android device.

As clever as the Galaxy Gear might be, there is still a lot of room in the market for other players. Pebble, for instance, already has a large following and will likely be viewed in the marketplace as a lower cost alternative to the Galaxy Gear. The Galaxy Gear is $299. The Pebble is $150.

There are also several smartwatch upstarts attending Disrupt next week and will be exhibiting in Hardware Alley. Samsung’s entrance into smartwatches will help move the market from niche to mainstream. As long as hardware startups can differentiate themselves from Samsung and eventually Apple, there is still plenty of money to be made in this growing market.

Should you buy the Galaxy Gear? Nah, wait for the next one. Or Apple’s smartwatch. That’s what I’m going to do. A Pebble is good enough for me until then. But I still want this one. Well done, Samsung.

We would love to hear your feedback !

Samsung beats apple by Samsung galaxy gear

Sunday 18 August 2013

 

Wolverine The Great


Director James Mangold brings a furrowed-brow solemnity to the comic-book world of Marvel’s blade-fisted antihero, The Wolverine. One that scratches and claws against the law of diminishing returns always destined to beset the splintering X-Men franchise.

Inspired by the 1982 Chris Claremont & Frank Miller Wolverine miniseries, “The Wolverine” takes enough liberties to better adapt it to the Marvel X-Universe that Fox has been building towards.

Haunted by the death of Jean Grey, former X-Man Logan (Hugh Jackman) is now a loner, foraging in the woods. But he’s tracked down and brought to Japan by a billionaire who’s keen to repay a life debt by stripping the Wolverine of his immortality.

Yukio (Rila Fukushima), a katana-wielding assassin with an intriguing back-story of her own, accompanies Logan to Tokyo, where he meets his would-be benefactor, Lord Yashida (Hal Yamanouchi), now an elderly mega-rich industrialist who wishes to repay his debt to Wolverine. Not willing to embrace death, he offers Logan a chance to relieve him of his eternal suffering in an exchange for his healing abilities. Logan refuses to do so – believing it to be a curse rather than a gift – only to be drawn into a web of intriguing mystery that needs unraveling.



Mark Bomback and Scott Frank’s screenplay follows Chris Claremont and Frank Miller’s popular Japan-set comic-book arc from 1982, but Mangold of “3:10 to Yuma” fame seeks to distance his film from those pulpy beginnings by embedding his protagonist in a conventional, near bromidic drama of familial squabbling, corruption and corporate greed.

Until a third act that collapses in a harebrained heap, the director largely succeeds in keeping the more fatuous aspects at bay, roughing up the surface with organically staged fight scenes and, raising the stakes by stripping his hitherto indestructible hero of his self-healing and regeneration powers.



Figuratively declawed, the Wolverine stumbles and bleeds, that intricately sculpted body which is hurting in tune with his inner torment.

That said,  ’The Wolverine’ is that rare superhero film that is mindful of the cannon but works excellently as a rousing standalone action picture with a lot of heart and soul to it. Hugh Jackman like many before him – such as Robert Downey Jr. (Iron Man), Christian Bale (Batman) and Sean Connery (James Bond) – has made Wolverine his own. With the right mix of vulnerability, steel and extremely buffed body, he creates an emotionally wounded superhero we can look up to and identify with.



The action set pieces from the dropping of the atomic bomb in the beginning, to the fight on the bullet train and the slightly silly climax are suitably gob-smacking. Unlike its predecessor the action in this movie is nicely balanced with the quieter moments and meditations of mortality.

Despite being an improvement on the last outing for Jackman’s not-so-merry mutant the movie leaves you with a sense of unfulfilled desire.

Regardless, the X-Men film series that started promisingly and then spun into a dive and was successfully rebooted thanks to the prequel “X-Men: First Class” is now at a point where the franchise has been snicked into strands so twisted from each other that its getting tough to trace the genealogy. Inconsistency is inevitable in a world that’s constantly being dug up with new characters and done over, leaving us no time to fall in love with anything being flung at us.

Heroes wander in, heroes wander out. Wolverine – the indestructible centerpiece of the buffet’s spread – isn’t waning, but Box Office results show otherwise. Here a superhero strives to be ordinary. As Marvel continues to claw the character’s mystique away, he’s starting to get his wish.

Wolverine the Indestructable Masterpiece

Saturday 10 August 2013


Google Glass Price Will Be $299, Claims Researcher


Google Glass is definitely one of the most anticipated gadgets of the year, with reports claiming that the wearable computer will become available for purchase by the end of the year. You probably are aware that the Google Glass has a price of $1,500 now, but how expensive will it be after it enters mass production? A Taiwanese researcher claims to have the answer to the question.
According to Jason Tsai from Topology Research Institute in Taiwan, the Google Glass will be priced $299 on launch. How did Jason Tsai estimated the Google Glass Price? Well, he tried to find out what it will be the costs of producing the device, then added a bit more to the final sum to make it a profitable device. For example, the little thingy in front of your eye, which is basically the display of the Google Glass has a price of around $30 to $35. The Google Glass display is supplied by Himax Display, Inc. and the Mountain View-based giant has recently purchase a 6.3% share in the company.



A Google Glass priced $299 is the wet dream of any geek or enthusiast, given that the developers who got into the Explorer program had to pay $1,500 for the wearable device. If Tsai got his estimations right and the Google Glass will indeed be priced only $299, then the device has the likes to become one of the most popular products on the market.
The Google Glass units that were sold through the Explorer program comes with adjustable nosepads and a durable frame that fits any face, which accommodates the HD display that is the equivalent of a 25 inch screen from eight feet away.
The audio is handled by a Bone Conduction Transducer, while the camera mounted on the Google Glass frame has a 5 megapixel sensor capable of recording 720p videos. You will be able to connect the Google Glass to your Android-powered smartphone using the Wifi – 802.11b/g or Bluetooth modules, while its battery is capable of getting it through a whole day of typical usage, then recharge it using a microUSB cable and charger.
Even though Google Glass comes with a total of 16 GB of flash storage you will only  have access to 12 GB, but, fortunately, you will be able to access your files and media stored in your Google Drive.
Will you purchase the Google Glass if Tsai’s estimations are accurate and it will have a price tag of $299?

Google Glass expected price

Friday 9 August 2013

Authorizing new PC with iTunes



Learn how to authorize or deauthorize your computer with your Apple ID.

Authorizing and deauthorizing a computer allows you to manage which computers can sync or use apps, audiobooks, books, music, movies, or other content you've purchased from the iTunes Store.
You can use or sync your purchases from the iTunes Store on up to five different computers (these can be any mix of Macintosh or Windows-compatible computers). When you sync or play an item you've purchased, your computer is "authorized" for purchase using your Apple ID.
Notes:

Additional Information

  • iTunes DRM-protected music includes audio with a bit rate of 128 kbps and allows users to transfer songs and videos to up to five computers, burn seven copies of the same playlist to CD, and sync to an unlimited number of iPods.
  • iTunes Plus music refers to songs and music videos available in 256 kbps AAC encoding (twice the current bit rate of 128 kbps), and without digital rights management (DRM). There are no burn limits and iTunes Plus music will play on all iPods, Mac or Windows computers, Apple TVs, and many other digital music players.
  • You may need to enter your Apple ID information again after initializing or formatting your hard disk. Initializing or formatting the hard disk does not remove the computer from the list of authorized computers. If you plan to initialize or format your hard disk prior to selling or donating your computer, deauthorize the computer first, then initialize or format the hard disk.
  • Under some circumstances you may be required to enter your Apple ID information again, but this should not use up multiple authorizations. If you think that you may have used up multiple authorizations on just one computer, see One computer using multiple iTunes Store authorizations.
  • The iTunes Store is governed by its Terms of Service, which permits Apple to change the authorization policy.
  • An Apple ID based on an expired MobileMe account can still be used to purchase items and to authorize or deauthorize computers to play purchased music.

How to authorize new PC with iTunes

Tuesday 6 August 2013


10 Simple Tips To Increase Facebook Fans!!

  1. Create your Facebook fan page with a catchy image because a good image always helps you to get more likes from people. You can also use your company logo there instead of an image.
  2. Send a request to your friends which are in your profile to like your fan page.
  3. Keep your fan page always up to date because it always gives your readers to read some fresh contents.
  4. Promote your Facebook fan page on your official website or blog because it helps you to get likes from your new visitors on your site.
  5. Create a Custom URL for your fan page & it always helps your visitors to find your fan page easily.
  6. Interact with your fans by replying to their comments on your posts.
  7. Promote your fan page within your friend circle and if you are a SMO (Social Media Optimizer) then it always helps you to get more likes from your friends.
  8. Whenever you run any type of contest on your blog or website ask your visitors to like your fan page.
  9. If you are running a serious business then you should promote your fan page by using ads in the Facebook.
  10. Synchronize your fan page with your other profiles on social networks like Twitter, Digg, Stumble.
Don't Forget to give your feedback. Thanks !

How to increase likes on Facebook Page

Monday 5 August 2013

How to play a windows xp game on windows 7

Sunday 4 August 2013


iPhone 6 release date, news & rumours


When Apple unveiled the iPhone 5, the reaction was a bit muted: where previous phones were massive leaps forward, the iPhone 5 was a bit longer and a lot easier to scratch.
So what can we expect from the next iPhone; will it be the iPhone 6 or 5S? Let's see what we can glean from the varying sources of the internet - some reliable, some not so much. But when might the iPhone 6 release date even be?
One thing is for sure, with the release of such super handsets as the Samsung Galaxy S4Sony Xperia Z andHTC One, the next iPhone will have to seriously up its game.
iPhone 5S

iPhone 6 and the iPhone 5S are two different phones

The rumour mill doesn't seem too sure whether the next iPhone is going to be the iPhone 5S or the iPhone 6. Given the iPhone's history - from the 3G onwards, there's always been a half-step S model before the next numbered iPhone - we'd bet on an iPhone 5S first and an iPhone 6 a while later.
However, in May 2013 Stuff reported it received a photo of the till system at a Vodafone UK store (which it has since removed along with the reference to Vodafone), with '4G iPhone 6' listed. Interesting.
It's been suggested that there could even be three size variants of the new iPhone - check out these mocked up images by artist Peter Zigich. He calls the handsets iPhone 6 Mini, iPhone 6 & iPhone 6 XL. However, asZDNet rightly points out, different size variants aren't exactly easy to just magic out of thin air.
Could we see both an iPhone 5S and iPhone 6 this year? Some reportssuggest a new 5S in the middle part of the year before a revamped iPhone 6 towards the end of the year or very early in 2014.

iPhone 6 release date

Many pundits predict a summer iPhone 6 release date. It's quite likely that Apple is moving to a two-phones-per-year upgrade cycle, but we'd bet on a springtime 5S model and a bigger, iPhone 6, update in the Autumn, probably September.
Digitimes predicts a summertime reveal for Apple's next generation phones, which again fits with a WWDC unveiling. In May it became clear that US carrier Verizon introduced an iPhone 5 price cut of as much as $100 USD.
Reports in April also suggested that Foxconn has added as many as 10,000 assembly line workers per week to its Zhengzhou plant as it readies itself for the iPhone 6 release date.
But Jefferies analyst Peter Misek reckons we'll see an iPhone 5S first, with aJune 2014 release for the iPhone 6. Citi's Glen Yeung also believes that we won't see an iPhone 6 or cheap iPhone until 2014.

iPhone 6 casing

Multiple rumours say Apple's working on plastic cases for its next iPhone, mixing plastic and metal in such a way that "the internal metal parts [are] able to be seen from outside through special design." Could these images from Apple.pro be a new iPhone 6 complete with plastic casing? The cynic inside us says no, but you never know...
It's unclear whether such cases would be for the iPhone 5S or iPhone 6, or if Apple is simply considering making cheaper iPhone 4s to sell when the iPhone 3GS reaches the end of its life.
Speaking in March 2013, a KGI analyst said it believed Apple would turn to manufacturer Pegatron to make up to 75 per cent of low cost iPhone products. Indeed, rumours in early June 2013 pointed at a $399 price point for the cheap iPhone 6. We've also seen further supposedly leaked images of an all-white, plastic handset, but we're really not sure of the provenance.







iPhone 5S
Pretty, yes, but also horrifically scratch-prone. Will your next iPhone have a plastic back?

The iPhone 6 will finally do NFC

That's what iDownloadblog reckons, quoting Jefferies analyst Peter Misek: it'll have a better battery too, he says. Many Android phones now boast NFC.
PayPal's chief information security officer, Michael Barrett said this during arecent keynote speech: "There is going to be a fingerprint enabled phone on the market later this year," he said. "Not just one, multiple."
Could this be inside the iPhone 6?
See our video below on what Apple needs to do to slay Samsung's Galaxy S4

The iPhone 6 will run iOS 7

iOS 7 has been announced at WWDC 2013. It's a radical overhaul of the OS, especially in terms of the design which has fundamentally changed and is far flatter and more Android-like. There are rounded icons, striking colours and a stark font. There are new features, of course, such as Control Center, AirDrop and iTunes Radio.
We're expecting a September or October release date for iOS 7 in line with previous releases.







IOS 7
iOS 7: what do you think?

iPhone 6 storage

We've already seen a 128GB iPad, so why not a 128GB iPhone 6? Yes, it'll cost a fortune, but high-spending early adopters love this stuff.

iPhone 6 home button

According to Business Insider, of the many iPhone 6 prototypes Apple has made, one has a giant Retina+ IGZO display and a "new form factor with no home button. Gesture control is also possibly included" - more on that shortly. Mind you, it was mooted that Apple would dump the home button in time for iPhone 5, but it never happened.

iPhone 6 screen

The Retina+ Sharp IGZO display, would have a 1080p Full HD resolution. It's also been widely reported that Apple could introduce two handset sizes as it seeks to compete with the plethora of Android devices now on the market.
Take this one with a pinch of salt, because China Times isn't always right: it reckons the codename iPhone Math, which may be a mistranslation of iPhone+, will have a 4.8-inch display. The same report suggests that Apple will release multiple handsets throughout the year over and above the iPhone 5S and 6, which seems a bit far-fetched to us.
Patents show that Apple has been thinking about magical morphing technology that can hide sensors and even cameras. Will it make it into the iPhone 6? Probably not.
Could the touch screen even be transparent? Emirates 24/7 sin't the first source we'd turn to for bone fide rumours about a new smartphone, but it claims that an ultra-sensitive transparent touchscreen will make it into iPhone 6. The site also believes the display will be made by Sharp, which wouldn't be so surprising. One thing's for sure - a potential wraparound screen is probably a pipedream.
Jefferies analyst Peter Misek also says he believes the new iPhone will have a bigger screen. Different sizes also seem rather likely to us - theword on the street after WWDC 2013 was that there would be 4.7 and 5.7-inch versions.







iPhone 6 camera
You'll probably still be able to see the camera lens in the iPhone 6

iPhone 6 processor

Not a huge surprise, this one: the current processor is a dual-core A6, and the next one will be a quad-core A7. The big sell here is more power with better efficiency, which should help battery life.
Expect to see it in the 2013 iPad first, and expect to see an improved A6 processor, the A6X, in the iPhone 5S.

iPhone 6 camera

Apple's bought camera sensors from Sony before, and this year we're going to see a new, 13-megapixel sensor that takes up less room without compromising image quality.
An Apple patent, uncovered by Apple Insider in May 2013, shows a system where an iPhone can remotely control other illuminating devices - extra flashes. It would work in a similar manner to that seen in professional photography studios. Interesting stuff.







Say Cheese to the iPhone 6
Will the iPhone 6 be handy for pro photographers? [Image credit: Apple Insider]

iPhone 6 eye tracking

One thing seems certain - Apple can't ignore the massive movement towards eye-tracking tech from other vendors, especially Samsung. It seems a shoe-in that Apple will deliver some kind of motion tech within the next iPhone, probably from uMoove.

iPhone 6 fingerprint sensor

Could the iPhone 6 also have a fingerprint scanner. It's been rumoured for a while now. As BGR reports, this could be embedded in the display. It cites a patent filed by Apple in mid July 2013. A new version of the iOS 7 beta was released in late July and it included a new folder named"BiometricKitUI." Could this be the link to the new sensor in the OS?

The new iPhone will have better 4G LTE

On its UK launch, just one UK network had 4G LTE: Everything Everywhere, which currently offers 4G on the 1800MHz band. In 2013, all the other big names will be coming on board, offering 4G in other frequency bands. International iPhones already work across different 4G bands to the UK, so you can expect the UK iPhone 6 (and possibly the iPhone 5S) to be more promiscuous than the iPhone 5.
By the time the iPhone 6 emerges, iOS devices should also have "nonclassified communication approval" status from the US FCC, which means they won't need to go through a lengthy approval process.

iPhone 6 Wi-Fi may be 802.11ac

Apple likes to lead Wi-Fi standards adoption - its Airport really helped make Wi-Fi mainstream - and there's a good chance we'll see ultra-fast 802.11ac Wi-Fi in Apple kit this year. It's faster than Lighting, and not very frightening.

iPhone 6 wireless charging

Wireless charging still isn't mainstream. Could Apple help give it a push? CP Tech reports that Apple has filed a patent for efficient wireless charging, but then again Apple has filed patents for pretty much anything imaginable.
The tasty bit of this particular patent is that Apple's tech wouldn't just charge one device, but multiple ones. Here are more details on the iPhone 6 wireless charging patent.
Meanwhile, a further Apple patent seems to imply that future iPhones will be able to adjust volume as you move them away from your ear.
And could the iPhone 6 really have 3D? It's unlikely, but the rumours keep on coming.

iPhone 6 Release date rumours and news