Free Android Apps Everyone Should Have

The first thing that you use during the day and the last thing you use before you go to sleep is your smartphone. To make your life easier, productive and organized, we use certain apps. These services are a great way to manage your daily schedule. If you are an android phone user, you can get these apps without paying a cent. Here are the must have apps for this year.

1.Google Translate-

Speak, scan, type or draw to translate in 90 languages using this app. It instantly translates text and web pages. You can even use your camera to translate it in 26 different languages without taking a picture. It can be used to translate anything ranging from a street sign to an ingredient list. It has made real -time voice translations a lot faster and easier. People can now experience the world in their own language. You can translate from English to Hindi or French using this app. You can download a small language pack for the languages you want to learn. Also, you can run this app on even a slower mobile network. Translate community will also get you better each day.

2.Hangouts-

Google hangouts app is a communication platform that can be used to text, call and video chat.It allows you to text two or more users at the same time. Chat histories can be easily saved online and are allowed to sync between devices. You can perform a group chat for up to ten users at a time. Not just this, users can send their GPS location to other contacts. You can even make free hangouts calls to other users whether the other person is in India or UK. Photos can be shared using this app and they are automatically uploaded on private Google+ album.

3.Gmail-

Access your mails with simplicity whether you are using a laptop or a phone. Gmail app has made our life much easier. You get an organised inbox. You have social and promotional messages sorted into categories so that you can read your family and friend’s messages first. It has 15 GB of free storage so that you need not delete your messages to save some space. Your inbox remains space and clutter-free as the spam message that hits your inbox is blocked. Have access to multiple accounts at the same time using this amazing application on your android device. Also, you can access both your Gmail and non-Gmail accounts like Hotmail, Outlook, etc. using this app. Because you require internet for this app, you can always get internet packs on your phone. Use freecharge coupons to avail discounts on your internet pack.

4.Whatsapp-

This is a kind of popular messaging application, now acquired by Facebook. You can send text messages, images, videos, audio messages or even to place a call to a friend. It has approximately one billion users and is the crown of apps. People share up to 42 billion messages and for about 250 million videos. It routes all your messages like a normal text system via your mobile number. You can even use Whatsapp on web. And you can make free Wi-Fi calls but charges may apply if the calls are made in absence of Wi-Fi. So, you can always use mobikwik coupons to avail discounts on your internet plans.

Reinvent yourself with these applications on your android phones. Tackle this year with a sound mind and body. Be smarter and get your work done in a much organised manner.

Quitting Apps Doesn't Prolong Your iPhone's Battery Life, Apple Confirms

Predominant Software Myth Dispelled by Apple

One of the most predominant software myths of closing iOS apps tends to help in preserving the battery life has been finally dispelled by Apple that running unused apps would not be draining the phone battery. iPhone and iPad for years had left unused apps by double tapping the home button and tapping the apps upwards in order to eliminate them in the mistaken belief that it tends to speed up the device or makes the battery last longer.

Several of the iPhone users carefully power up and shut down apps owing to widespread belief that it would help to prolong their iPhone inspite of rumours that this type of maintenance could do just the reverse. The outcome is that several apps tend to be suspended and stop to utilise system resources once the user switches away. If one goes back to the app, it tends to spring back from its frozen state.

Vigorously shutting of the app could force the system to repeatedly reload the app which could result in more stress on the phone contributing to battery usage. The only apps which tend to run after it is switched away are GPS navigator, audio recorder or Spotify app which plays background music.

Preserve iPhone Battery Life – Disable Background App Refresh

One can actively preserve iPhone battery life by disabling Background App Refresh that automatically updates content on suspended app. Keeping in mind that Background App Refresh is smart regarding updates content, such as when a phone is plugged in or when it is already in active use, it is still not a big battery user. Location services seem to be one of the biggest energy drainer.

Hence turning them off for underused apps seems to be another way of preserving the phone’s life. To check the phone’s battery sucking information, one could go to `Battery Usage’ section under `Setting’ which will break down the biggest battery users on the device. Senior vice president of Apple’s software Engineering and head of iOS, Craig Federighi responded to an email from a customer questioning Tim Cook whether he closed apps in multitasking often and whether the action was essential for battery life. Federighi wrote `I know you asked Tim but I’ll at least offer my input – No and no :-)’

Launch of Latest Version Smartphone/Tablet Software iOS 9.3

The company has been preparing for the launch of its latest version of smartphone and tablet software iOS 9.3 in the next few weeks wherein the new features would comprise of a permanent warning message on the home screen of company iPhone, a night mode to advance sleep which is due to a shift in the light emanating from the display and the skill to remove the default app that mess up the screen.

The next important release is scheduled to be iOS 10 which would possibly be announced in early June at Apple’s annual developer’s conference WWDC. It has also been reported that Apple intends to launch a 4-inch iPhone known as the iPhone SE or special edition, at an event on March 21 in San Francisco.

The new handset is said to feature a 12-MP rear facing camera, a near field communication –NFC chip for Apple Pay support together with a Touch ID fingerprint scanner. The launch of the iPhone 7 is anticipated, which is the next main iPhone release scheduled in September. It has been reported to have no 3.5mm headphone jack, a camera lens flush with its body and redesigned plastic antenna bands.

Intel's new Optane memory technology could lead to 1000 times faster MacBook storage

Optane Launching New Ultra-Fast Memory Technology

In 2017, Intel and Micron branded as Optane would be launching a new ultra-fast memory technology which would overlay the way for a much faster storage on Apple’s MacBooks. Optane is said to be compatible with the NVMe storage procedure which Apple tends to use in some of the MacBook, known by Macworld, which means that it can be relatively easy for Apple to change and benefit from the new technology. Optane is considered to provide speeds 1,000 times faster as well as more durable than the common flash storage on using 3D Xpoint technology which is due to its 10 times denser than DRAM.


The Non-volatile Memory Express support in new 12-inch MacBook had been launched by Apple enabling it with a software update to OS X last April. NVMe is destined to replace old AHCI technology that had been designed for maximum performance in systems utilising spinning hard drives. NVMe is adjusted for operation of lower latency provided by solid state media or non-volatile memory. NVMe, when compared to AHCI tends to reduce latency by around 50%. Intel for instance puts latency overhead in SCSI/SAS systems at 6 nanoseconds at 19,500 cycles though quotes NVMe at 2.8 nanoseconds at 9,100 cycles – PDF link.

NVMe – Designed to Scale over Next Decade

Moreover, NVMe is designed to scale over the next decade, a lifecycle which is comparable to AHCI that had been introduced in 2004. Since 2011, Apple had been using the PCIe transport procedure; the company seems to be in a good position to expeditiously extend support over the complete line-up of Mac. Regarding the super-fast Optane memory and SSD products, Intel had been silent, though some emerging details could hit at how they could be utilised in products such as Apple’s MacBooks. Optane is said to be a brand name for the latest kind of memory and SSD based on 3D Xpoint, which is a jointly developed technology by Intel and Micron that is 10 times denser than DRAM and 1,000 times faster as well as more durable than flash storage. The 3D Xpoint technology is likely to be released soon would be compatible with NVMe, which is a super-fast storage protocol that could be helpful for Optane in attaining its intense speeds.

Apple – First to Implement The Latest Laptop Technologies

Some of the MacBooks already tend to have NVMe based SSDs with Optane providing a further speed enhancement. Among the first vendors in implementing the latest laptop technologies is Apple and it could take the opportunity of putting Optane in its MacBooks. Apple had been the first to implement Thunderbolt as well as processor technologies from Intel. The first products of Optane would be SSDs; reaching supporter’s PCs next year and later would spread to the other desktops as well as mobile products. Optane memory DIMMs that can be plugged in prevailing memory slots would also be coming along. Optane products would first be based on Intel’s Skylake architecture and if Intel tends to ship memory DIMMs, they would need to be compatible with the DDR3/4 DRAM bus which is in most of the present PCs. Some of the Windows laptops also tend to have NVMe storage though most of them depend on the older and slower SATA interface. Fanatic desktop users like the gamers tend to be early adopters of the new technology and several of them would probably move over to Optane.

Device Makers Planning 'True VR Experiences' on Apple's Iphone This Fall

Virtual Reality Headset for iPhone – Fall of 2016

Piper Jaffray, investment firm held sequences of virtual reality panel recently comprising of 13 companies and one of them, IonVR, showed that they expected to have a VR headset for iPhone launching in the fall of 2016. These devices would be somewhat like the Samsung Gear VR headset that utilises Samsung smartphones as the display.

 IonVR, a privately held company that specializes in third-party VR hardware, hopes to have a headset in the fall which would enable the iPhone to be utilised for VR and according to Munster, would come at a price of $100 and $200. Gene Munster, analyst stated that the IonVR product is estimated to be very much advanced than the prevailing iPhone based VR accessories like Google Cardboard and Mattel View-Master.

He is of the belief that those basic products which tend to use IPhone’s Retina display for stimulating VR do not provide `true VR experiences’. However comments from IonVR at the recent panel, recommended that the iPhone could in fact do appropriate VR, with the help of third party hardware, according to Munster. He hopes that those kinds of iPhone connected accessories would start taking off later in the year.

MotionSync – Proprietary Optics System

The Idaho-based IonVR had developed a proprietary optics system known as `MotionSync’ which it claims would reduce motion sickness greatly when utilised with mobile devices like Apple’s iPhone. Unified hardware in its headset is also considered to offload some of the processing from the phone, enabling it to last longer as well as simplify the software development process.

IonVR products are also considered to be modular which means that parts could be replaced or changed out as technology progresses.Virtual reality is talked about much as a hot new technology with concerns that it could follow the boom and bust of 3D TV. Munster states that VR would not flop like 3D in part, due to the larger level of investment in VR with its augmented reality.

He adds that Facebook which owns Oculus VR is firmly dedicated to its success.He informed that, Apple, Google and Sony are expected to be making substantial investment in VR/AR for the next five years. He believes that these investments would lay the groundwork for VR/AR to be the next computing prototype.

Sony – Best Position to Capitalize on VR

Munster has commented that Sony is in one of the best position to capitalize on VR. It has the content, user base and distribution to enable VR to expand rapidly. He added that they have also been impressed with the demos of Sony on `London Heist’ and `Walk The Wire’ and the company is said to have a slate of around 80 games that would be made available at the time of the launch later this year. Oculus Rift is said to be shipped in 20 countries on March 28 including the U.S. It would also be made available at select retailers in April and would cost $599. It would need a high-end PC with graphic card. Bundles of Oculus Rift headset together with Oculus-ready PC is priced at $1,499. Samsung, in the meanwhile is endorsing its smartphone-based Gear VR that tends to use Oculus technology and the Gear VR will cost $99 which needs a new Samsung Galaxy phone.

How to verify checksums when you download an app for your Mac

Open Source Transmission BitTorrent Infected with Malware

Some of the Mac users seemed to have received a surprise last week when they discovered that a latest version of the open source Transmission BitTorrent client had infected their computer with malware, a condition which had been avoided with suitable securities. Most of the computer savvy are aware of the vigilant about where the download software are from though few of them pause to verify that the files received are the file which they are supposed to receive.

 This could be a grave last step in the prevention of malware infection seen in Transmission. Often, developers tend to post checksums or hashes together with the download links for their projects in order to simplify this type of verification. Generally, a checksum is the outcome of a mathematical calculation that tends to run a certain file, if the file has not been changed. The checksum calculated will tend to match the checksum provided by the developer.

It has not been made known how the infected download made its way on the Transmission’s website, though those who seemed to have received it first in the processhave informed that the checksum of the bad file does not seem to match the checksum given by the Transmission team.

Checksum Validator – Easy to Use Utility – Calculating/Validating Checksum

Checksum Validator is an easy to use utility for calculating and validating checksum – SHA-1 or MDS digests, for files which one downloads or uploads. On comparing a site’s published checksum with one’s calculated checksum one can verify that the download matches with the official copy of the site, which is free from corruption or tampering, unless of course the site’s checksum is also tampered.

All that is essential to calculate checksum is in MAS OS X which is quick and easy and the quicker and easier, the more possibility of actually verifying downloads. If the checksum is verified prior to installing, they would be aware of something being inappropriate. It is worth being aware that this is not a reliable process and if a website is compromised, the attacker can easily change the checksum also.

 Users can learn to verify checksum or SHA-1 which is a software update, provided on Apple software updates for those who intend to verify the authenticity of an update and is optional. Users need to note that for updates that are delivered by Automatic software Update, SHA-1 digest verification is accomplished automatically for you.

SHA-1 Secured Checksum for Data File

In order to verify a manually downloaded software update form Apple Downloads, that seems to comprise of SHA-1 digest, the following steps need to be done:

• Open Terminal which is located in/Applications/Utilities
• Type the following at the Terminal prompt
• About SHA-1

SHA-1 is a secure checksum for a data file which is based on a cryptographic average and for a given file; SHA-1 creates a 160 bit encrypted output which is known as a `message digest’. It is unlikely that a modified data set would create the same message digest. If a file seems to have changed at the time of transit, its message digest also tends to change.

Users can download manually-installable updates from Apple Downloads. Apple tend to use SHA-1 digest on definite Apple Downloads in order that users can verify with great amount of possibility that the software downloaded is the same software one intended to download. When the SHA-1 digest for the file downloaded seems to match the digest for the file displayed on Apple Downloads, one can be assured that the file is reliable. For security purpose, users can utilise the secure https download page for manual updates.