Monday, January 30, 2017

iOS 10: The Best Hidden Features

iOS 10
Apple has unveiled new software known as the iOS10 that comprises of so many hidden features that will enable you to cherish comfortable living from all angels without any complications. Now, your world will be in your grip with the innovative features of this software. Just make this your smart choice and enjoy several benefits. There are 10 most imperative features hidden in this software.

  1.  Easiest Way Of Searching Tabs – This version of software allows you to open endless number of tabs simultaneously that too while browsing without leading to any haphazard situation such as keeping track while browsing. You can also rotate your phone the way you want. You can also search new tabs by just going through the search items and Safari filters. 
  2.  iPhone A Kind Of A Magnifier – Here is an added benefit of iOS 10 where you can use your phone to view pictures just like magnifiers. You can also opt for Auto-Brightness setting that will enable you to get a magnificent image of the pictures. 
  3.  A New Kind Of Stopwatch – Along with the Clock app you can also switch to Stopwatch, where you can also find a new face with much magnificent look consisting of several information. 
  4.  Fast Downloading Apps – You can prioritize your apps, as in which one you want to download first. In this way you can organize both uploading and downloading Apps according to your preference. 
  5.  Simplest Way To Find Contacts – Apple has launched a feature in iOS 10 where you can easily get in touch with your contacts. You just need to set the default method of communication by just holding on to the blue icon. 
  6.  Manage The Storage Music Automatically – Now, saving space on your iOS device won’t be hard as you can automatically manage your music storage that gets downloaded to your device. 
  7.  View Mails In One Go – You can view your mailbox by quickly filtering the messages by just a single press on the filter icon that appears on the left side corner of the screen. 
  8.  Want To Unsubscribe? No Problem – iOS 10 gives you the opportunity to free yourself from the newsletters that you get very often. By just sending a mail in iOS 10, you can immediately restrict these disturbing emails by just tapping on the Unsubscribe button that appears on the top of the email. 
  9.  3D Touch – The 3D Touch in Control Center that appears on the lowest section of app icons helps in invoking different icons. This is one of the best features as for selecting an option you no longer have to go though several options, just one smooth touch will allow you multitasking. 
  10.  Take Photo While Listening Music – You must have faced this problem where you had to stop your music player before taking a photo. But, iOS 10 will solve this problem by allowing you to click pictures without turning off your favorite song.

Friday, January 27, 2017

So You Dropped Your iPhone in the Toilet, Now What to Do?

iPhone
Apart from few selected phones if your latest Smartphone goes in a pool of water or drops in the toilet then it will bring a panic attack. Sony Z lineup is waterproof and so do Samsung’s elite flagship devices but not every one of those devices. Sadly Apple’s premier Smartphone of iPhone series isn’t even waterproof so problem lies at core is how you could recover the data or get your phone functional again after dropping it in the water accidently. Here are some of the smart ways which can set you in the right direction.

Steps to perform right after the incident

If you had accidently dropped your phone in water then quickly get into action in order to minimize the water damage. Turn off your device and dry it off using towel then pop out the SIM card, memory card and remove the battery. One should not put their Smartphone either in the microwave or under the hairdryer as it will end up in damaging the phone further.

If your phone appears faulty

In case your phone misbehaves or tend to work in an unusual way then you follow these steps. Silica gel is undoubtedly the best drying agent available in the market which can wonders for your Smartphone. Buy or get hold of some packets of silica gel and put it together with your Smartphone in a ziplock bag. Now forget about your device for a day or two in which time all the water in your Smartphone will be sucked up by the silica gel.

If this solution fails to work for you then opt for one of the simplest DIY cleaning or simply take it to your local repair shop to assess the amount of damage and root cause of malfunctioning.

Precautions for Future

One has to be cautious with their phone while using it near water body or resource in future. The best way to secure your device against water is to get a waterproof case which might be a costly affair but it will help you in saving hundreds of dollars in the long run. Online stores are filled a large variety and kinds of waterproof cases across the price points, models and makes to serve your need. Secondly you should develop a habit of baking up all your data regularly on your PC, laptop or Mac or even external hardisk to limit the amount of data loss from such incidents.

If you are an Apple device users then you can recover all your data from the iCloud or iTunes but you have to enable regular cloud based backing up feature to make most this feature. On Android you should start using the Dropbox or Google Photos to back up media content automatically at regular intervals. On the bright side Smartphone makers are giving a push towards waterproof devices in future which means consumers will get to choose more number of water proof devices but at an expensive price point.

Monday, January 23, 2017

Finder for AirPods Removed from App Store


Finder for AirPods
The latest model of the iPhone is causing stir in the present mobile market and rightly so, with its superior features and the brand name of Apple, it is the best phone to have. But iPhone 7 the advanced technical features of the iPhone 7 is not the main reason as to why it is catching everyone’s attention.

It is due to the unique Apples AirPods that is the world’s first small sized and wireless Bluetooth headsets for the iPhone.As much as these small devices cost, the growing concern about them is with how ease they can get lost. You thought put them down somewhere and the next moment you can’t find your 160$ Bluetooth headphone! Surely you don’t want that.

Finder’s for Airpods makes sure that you never lose them! 

Deucks Pty, a developer who has some experience in making gadget finding apps, came up with this excellent idea of creating a tracking app for the AirPods. What this app does is that it measures the Bluetooth signal from either of your lost AirPods and guides you using a “hot” and “cold” tracking system. Just launch the app if one or both of your AirPods go missing and it will get you to the spot where you misplaced your headphones.

The app helps you find your missing AirPod through graphic lines. A thin line means that you are far away from your AirPod while a thick line indicates you are getting closer to it. The app will also give you a visual clue as to how hot you are how cold depending on the signal from your AirPods wireless signature. Made from his own experience, Deucks has prepared this great app after facing the same issue of losing his AirPods the very next day he brought them.

Needless to say, we can be careless at times and loosing something as small as the Airpods is inevitable. Finder’s for airpods makes a good job at protecting your investment.

Does this app work? 

When dealing with any kind of technology there are bound to several factors that can go against it. Since the app uses Bluetooth signals, certain environment factors can cause hindrance to the apps working and slow down the process of connecting to the Bluetooth signature of your lost AirPod.

Another aspect that can act as a limitation to the working of this app is the fact that your lost AirPod needs to be charged to emit the signals. Once the battery levels are depleted, finding your headphones become extremely difficult. Since Bluetooth tracking requires the user to be in close proximity with the other device, finding your lost AirPod becomes effective.

Update on Finder’s for Airpods

As of now, Finder’s for AirPods which was up on the Apple store has been removed by Apple and was deemed inappropriate for the apple store. According to the developer people who have already bought this app can ask for refunds via their iTunes.

Saturday, January 21, 2017

Apple MacBooks to Embrace New CPUs


MacBook
Apple has unveiled its new line of Macbook just a few month but they were found lacking in terms of upgrades over their predecessors. Apple is plagued with lack of innovation and motivation towards bringing cutting edge technology and enhanced experience which were highlight for its devices for quite some time.

A number of tech enthusiasts were left distraught with the launch of the Mcabook Pros which weren’t as ‘pro’ as they used to be in the past. One of the trusted the analyst from KGI Securities and Apple Nostradamus named Ming Chi Kuo has suggested last year that Apple will be bringing the touchscreen against the function for its Macbook line. Here are his predictions for this year of Apple’s Macbook lineup.

Apple to make decisive processor update in processors

Apple is set to bring Intel’s new Kaby Lake processors for its upcoming line of 13 and 15 inch MacBook Pro versions. These laptops are expected to launch in the third quarter of 2017 and before it Apple will try to ignite some frenzy among its users by enhancing the RAM power on its 12 inch Macbook range which currently possess 8 GB but it will start featuring the robust 16 GB RAM for more efficient user experience.

Apple is suffering from lack of innovation which was evident from the launch of the iPhone 7 in November. Apple did away with the 3.5 mm jack on its new iPhone in bid to make device sleeker and trendier than ever before but this move simply backfired with lower sales. Similarly the subsequent launch of the updated Macbook line in later months met with criticism both by the consumers and critics.

Apple aim towards moving to new processors and to enhance RAM on Macbook is an effort towards improving the battery life of its computing devices. Apple might even go for a 32GB RAM based Macbook as per Kuo in 2017 which will be designed to woo core art professionals who requires more processing power for photo, video and audio editing.

Kuo is reliable for Apple products predictions

Apple Macbook range is highly sought out item among the users for its incredible specification, amazing design and portability factor. It is widely popular among the creative professionals who are willing to shell out extra dollars in order to get high performing device. Macbook poor battery life was becoming a concern for heavy duty users and Apple is expected to take significant steps towards improving upon it by using new processors and enhanced RAM. It is getting stiff competition from rivals who are churning out value for money and affordable computing devices in quick succession.

Kuo is a reliable Apple products predictor and over the years he had quite a number of correct prediction regarding launches, features, specifications and much more. In 2016 he correctly predicted the redesign of the Apple Macbook Pro, the launch of Apple Watch 2 along with GPS functionality as well as the release of the smaller version of iPhone in 2016.

Tuesday, January 17, 2017

Apple iPhone 8 To Have All Glass Front and Back, Stainless Steel Frame?


iPhone 8
After being snubbed by the fans and critics with lackluster launch of the iPhone 7 which offered a minor upgrade over the iPhone 6s. Apple has decided to do away with ‘S’ model release this year and it is gearing up to launch iPhone 8 during the third quarter of 2017. Rumors mills are working overtime to come up with new insights into the iPhone 8 and this time it points towards a steel frame centre with all glass based rear and front for upcoming device. This means that Apple will do away with the aluminum frame which was seen on its last range of iPhones.

Going with ‘Steel’

This isn’t the first time Apple is going to use steel in the iPhone and it was last seen in the Apple iPhone 4S models. Since then Apple has opted for the aluminum finish for its iPhone range. In another rumor it was confirmed that one of the Apple’s manufacturing partner named Jabil is secretly working on the device body which will have two reinforced glass panels. The steel frame will be utilized to hold the two pieces of glass panels together.

Apple is also being criticized for not offering enough innovation on the table when compared to its rivals after the demise of Jobs. Though Apple has brought Airpods which is a wireless earphones but it doesn’t ranks high in terms of innovation. The subsequent release of the iPhone models are also not so great in terms of innovation when Sony, Samsung and some of the Chinese rivals are bring new hype worthy devices from their stable. Apple is decisively looking for ways of cutting through the competition and brings innovation back in the play by throwing everything in the development of the iPhone 8.

Next generation iPhone 8 to be bold

The new iPhone 8 is expected to sport a new bold design language along with a bezel less OLED display. Samsung will be providing the OLED display panels for this new phone which will render extremely stunning, crisp and beautiful resolution to the users. Apple generates a major portion of its revenue from the sales of iPhone devices. The iPhone 6 and iPhone 6S were highly successful device from Apple in recent years in terms of number of shipments. iPhone 7 failed to generate enthusiasm and with its slow sales Apple has decided to completely overhaul the design for iPhone 8.

Some of media reports suggests that Apple will be bringing a larger device this time around apart from its usual offering in 4.7 inch and 5.5 inch Plus models. Since the size will be larger so would be the price for the device. With iPhone 7 Apple ditched the 3.5 mm headphone jack and compensated it with Airpods- awireless earphone- which has to be bought separately. Secondly Apple is still fine tuning the performance of the Airpods resulting in missing the Christmas and New Year sales season. Rumors also suggests a sleeker design with invisible home button and wireless charging capability.

Wednesday, January 11, 2017

Apple Working with Carl Zeiss on AR Glasses to Debut in 2018

Zeiss

Apple might not be present at CES revealing its next line up of devices but a rumor has emerged from tech world which has excited a number of fans and critics. Apple is secretly working with Zeiss as per the insider news offered by an unnamed employee. Apple is developing a working pair of augmented reality or a mixed reality glass which is expected to make its debut in 2018.

This particular employee further pointed out that Zeiss has made its booth right in the middle of the AR section even though it doesn’t have AR, VR or mixed reality optics to showcase at the event. Now it is been widely speculated that Zeiss was gearing up to unveil the so called AR glasses with Apple during an event but the cat is out of the bag now.

This is not the first time Zeiss has done something for VR segment

Zeiss is already developing special optics for the VR One Plus. This special optic is designed to turn any kind of smartphone into a Virtual or augmented reality system. One Plus isn’t the only one to offer high quality VR headsets to the consumer Microsoft, Samsung, Google and a number of other companies has also emerged in this field with their own dedicated devices.

This rumor generated by the Zeiss employee however gives rise to the speculation Apple is trying to build its own dedicated hardware which will help it in reigning as a supreme leader in the VR/AR market in future. This tie in is a smart step on part of Apple to focus on core development not just VR devices but carefully integrating with it three different operating system namely iOS, Macbook OS and Apple TV OS.

Apple tryst with AR isn’t new

In November 2016, a noted analyst has made a prediction that Apple is actively working on a holistic AR solution. It was rumored that Apple is creating this as a standalone system which will take around to turn into reality in next one to two years.

Till now it isn’t clear what Apple is working in the field of AR. Augmented reality has become a craze with the successful launch of Pokemon Go game on the Android platform which showcases one of the possibility of AR. Apple move in the AR technology can be seen as a calculated way of improving and enhancing the user experience on the iOS and Apple TV OS devices.

Even Apple CEO has confirmed Apple tryst with the AR development as it is evident from the way Apple is quietly enhancing the internal AR team by making strategic hiring and essential segment purchases. Quite recently Apple has acquired ‘Faceshift’ (Motion capture specialist), ‘Perceptio’ (machine learning and computer vision startup, Flyby Media and Metaio (a German AR firm). Apple is working with these to increase the potential development of its transparent displays, AR Maps, VR headsets for iPhone and much more.

Tuesday, January 10, 2017

CES 2017: What to Expect at the Biggest Tech Trade Show of This Year

CES 2017_self_driving_cars
The gadgets extravaganza is back at Las Vegas with Consumer Electronic Show of 2017 (CES 2017) wherein as usual new TVS and other home appliances will make it way along with the newly crafted segment for the automotive technology based vehicles. Here is the quick breakdown of the upcoming segments from which we will see new gadgets being launched over the few days.

Televisions

Televisions are an integral and classical spectacle of the CES 2017. Like last year we will get to see the launch of 4K and HDR devices but this time the price will be significantly lower. However the TV manufacturers are finding it hard to sell the televisions therefore they are actively trying to sell content or Ultra HD capability on their devices. The major players like LG, Samsung, Panasonic and Sony has opted for massive booth to showcase their might with their wider range of advanced displays.

Self Driving Cars: The New Entrant

CES 2017 has been jokingly referred as Car Electronics Show as a large number of automobile manufacturers have made their way in Las Vegas to showcase their self driving cars. In just a couple of years self driving technology has made huge advancement which is set to brings futuristic world right at door step wherein people can ride in the autonomous vehicles.

VR Headsets 

Last year’s CES brought the VR into the play which left everyone amazed with its limited yet mesmerizing capabilities. This year will bring weirder and more capable VR headsets which are expected to blur the line between reality and virtual reality to a great extent. Facebook was first to make headline with its amazing Oculus line of VR headset way back in 2013 but this year it keeping a relatively low profile which has opened up the space for others. Microsoft, HTC, Google and some other little known manufacturers has already launched their VR headset during 2016 and they are expected make comeback with next version of their devices.

Drone

This year’s CES 2017 is set to bring new generation of drones which are much weirder and wild than ever before. Currently the market leader us DJI which has no competitors near it to give it a stiff challenge. Drones will come in all shapes, sizes and with varying capabilities. A number of drones have been optimized for the indoor flying as a number of regulations has made it tougher to market and sell outdoor drones. Some will feature functionality to be used in the high-speed racing while some can even possess underwater diving capabilities.

Wireless Audio

Apple created a sensation last year during its launch event by launching it won unique wireless headphone but the wait for this exquisite offering has been prolonged as Apple failed to release device during Christmas holidays. A large number of headphone and audio device makers are making their way at CES 2017 to reveal their upcoming wireless audio devices in the wake of capturing the market. Since Apple has done away with 3.5 mm jack audio device manufacturers are showing an elevated interest in the wireless devices.

Monday, January 9, 2017

Apple sued over fatal 'FaceTime crash'


FaceTime
Smartphones or iPhones can be one’s favorite pass time as it includes several interesting features and applications that can add to your amusement. At least one member in every family uses iPhone and with the increase in its popularity and decrease in price almost everyone is aware of this gadget which is surely beneficial as you can get access to several things happening in and around the world. But, yes it can only prove out to be beneficial if proper measures are taken while using it otherwise your life can be at stake

With the increase in popularity of iPhones lawsuits against Apple has also increased in number. Several cases against the Apple company have been registered in recent times because the users have become so addicted to its usage that they do not even hesitate to risk their and their fellow beings’ life.

Once An American Couple lost their son in an accident, and when the investigation took place it was discovered that the boy who was 20 years old was using Face Time on his iPhone and on further note it was found that the application was running almost for over an hour before the accident took place which proves that the boy was hardly cautious in terms of driving and when suddenly another vehicle came from the other side he could not control his car and met with a fatal accident. When the cops found the phone of the boy at the accident spot they noticed that application was still running.After this revelation the couple filed a case against Apple but it is very obvious that no matter how hard they try they will not get back their son.

Another incident took place in India where a person while driving was busy doing video chat over his iPhone hit a women who was crossing the road with her daughter and unfortunately both of them died because of the carelessness of the driver. Similarly, there are several accidents taking place almost every day and everywhere.

After so many accidents taking place the court has issued a notice against Apple regarding their Face Time, iMessage and video calling features asking them that they should launch a technology, or a software should be fed in iPhone were anyone while driving will not be able to access these features.

Though the iPhone manufacturers have not yet yielded any response in favor of the allegations but it is sure that in near future they will definitely figure out a solution to these dead ends.

We all believe that technologically advanced gadgets are very beneficial but as users we should also remain careful while availing all these benefits given by Apple so that we do not risk our life as well as others. It is good to be advanced but it is simultaneously necessary that we are careful enough to use it in a proper manner. Take the advantages of the features but be sure that it does not leads to disaster instead of privileges.

Friday, January 6, 2017

New Cinema Mode is Rumoured to be Part of iOS 10.3 Update


iPhone
Dwindling sales and under performance of its flagship iPhone 7 has brought a new frenzy in the Apple where it is looking forward to bring new cool features on devices in a hurry. It has been rumored that Apple is carrying out extensive testing of a relatively new feature for the iPads and iPhone in 2017 with next update.

Apple is expected to bring iOS 10.3 update in upcoming months wherein a slew of new features apart from regular bug removals and minor enhancement will be to the iOS platform. This new feature has been tightly kept under the wraps but it has been found that this particular feature make its way into the control centre and it will be named “mode”. Rumor mills are suggesting that this could be the brand new cinema mode which been making news for quite some time.

What this new mode feature will bring? 

Some are calling this feature ‘Theatre Mode’ while other are labeling it as ‘Cinema Mode’. Regardless of the name this feature will bring in the functionality of diming the device screen through simply touching at the button. It has been suggested that this will help in making movie viewing a much easier activity on the iOS based devices.

A reputed Apple leakster going by the name Sonny Dickson has offered his opinion that this new mode will bring a wider functionality to the users. According to him through a simple touch on this mode button which dim the screen along with putting sound & notifications in mute phase. In short it will act as a mega version of the silent mode wherein you can enjoy movies and videos without being disturbed by unwanted messages, notification or other sounds.

New Feature will launch closely followed by iPhone 8 this year

Critics and Apple fans were left distraught by the launch of the iPhone 7 which doesn’t any new significant design changes and extra rich features to the iPhone experience. It is being expected that Apple will closely follow the launch of iPhone 8 this year after bringing the latest iOS update.

The latest iOS update has been code named Erie and it is expected make way to the existing devices by the end of this month. Some other tweaks and features to be seen with iOS 10.3 is that it will bring improved Apple Pencil support, bug resolvement apart a large number of minor tweaks and enhancements to the overall iOS experience. In October Apple brought Portrait Mode with iOS 10.1, in December it brought extensive emojis support with iOS 10.2.

A large of Apple users regularly complain about the battery issue in the iOS based devices. The rapid battery drain in the Apple devices has become an epidemic which brings havoc for the heavy users as they struggle to find charging opportunities frequently. Hopefully in the upcoming update Apple will bring necessary tweaks to prolong the battery life on its range of devices.

Sunday, January 1, 2017

A Ultra Thin Sticker Can Add Wireless Charging to Your iPhone


Wireless Charging
A large number of users wishes their Smartphone possess the wireless charging functionality so they don’t have look for power outlets and charges all the time. But wireless charging is in a very few number of flagship devices which are hugely expensive at the moment. Sadly Apple devices misses on the wireless charging support as well and hopefully we will see this feature in next year’s Apple range of devices. An innovative startup from France named Energysquare has come up with a universal solution to bring wireless charging to all the Smartphone and other handheld devices in a unique fashion. It has created a new kind of technology which brings wireless charging support to almost any kind of device.

Kickstarter campaign will turn into reality

Energysquared has campaigned heavily on the crowd-funding site Kicjstarter last May to give a push to its new technology based product. It has promised to start manufacturing and shipping of the product in the early 2017 if it meets its funding target. Energysquare innovative product caught the fancy of millions of users worldwide and it has able to collect more that the target amount. Staying true to its promise it will showcase its revolutionary product at the CES trade show in Las Vegas.

It offers comes in two parts which includes a charging pad and few stickers which has to be placed on the back of the device. This sticker comes with two tiny metal dots which are essentially electrodes. Stickers comes with a Micro-USB, USB Type C or Lightning connector which plugged right in the device’s charging port. Once users has put sticker on the phone then it has to be placed on the charging pad and charge will initiate within a second.

What sets Energy Square apart from others? 

The wireless charging found on the most of the high end devices relies on the use of electromagnetic induction. On other hand Energysquare offering work a newly developed technology which extensively relies on the electric conduction. Reliance on this technology allows it to charge multiple devices in a single go at such speeds which can be easily compared with the normal charge.

The basic problem or rather downside associated with it is that its stickers cover up the charging of the device. This is seen as a calculated move by the developers which help in abstaining users from charging normally as well as wireless at the same time. Therefore users will have to remove the sticker of they wish their devices normally through a charger. Energysquare has stated that it is aware of this problem and it will remedy it in the second generation of stickers which are expected to possess a port right on the backside.

When it comes to price this wireless charging strip will only cost $89 wherein users will get a charging pad along with five stickers. Given the price one would get to charge at least five devices simultaneously regardless of the fact where they have inbuilt wireless charging support or not.