Tuesday, November 25, 2014

Author cybErtron lEgacy | 0 comments

Planning to take a SELFIE? Maybe these gadgets can help you ..!!

You can't blame anyone for the blurry or poorly framed selfies that you often capture because you might be scrubbing your thumb fishing for a virtual shutter button as the moment passes you by. For better selfies, consider some of these gadgets.
1. Halo/Hisy ($25, roughly Rs. 1,547)
This one is really simple. The Halo is a small plastic button that serves as a wireless shutter trigger for your phone's camera. Its only job is to trigger your phone's shutter when you click the button. One function, one result.The company makes an iPhone version called Hisy. You need to install its free camera app, Shutter Panorama, as neither Halo nor Hisy works with the regular camera app that comes with the phone.
Shutter Panorama doesn't have too many manual settings or special features. But the device does a good job in allowing me to place my phone in places other than your hand. It's more elegant than setting the camera's timer and running to get in the shot.

2. Kodak Pixpro SL25 ($300, roughly Rs. 18,500)
The Pixpro SL25 from Kodak is essentially a camera lens that mounts onto your phone, allowing for higher resolution than what your phone's camera can capture. The Pixpro communicates with your phone over Wi-Fi and lets you compose the image on the phone's screen. Once the photos are snapped using the shutter button on the Pixpro, the phone serves primarily to review and share the images to social media services.
The downside is you have a second device to carry around, which defeats the purpose of taking selfies on the fly.
The upside is image quality. The Pixpro shoots sharp 16 megapixel photos and full high-definition video at 1080p. This quality is common for rear cameras, but not the front ones for selfies. As a bonus, the Pixpro offers a zoom of up to 25 times, which is more helpful for regular shots than selfies. It's a real, optical zoom, not a software magnification phones typically use.The Pixpro has fold-out arms to attach to the phone, such that the two devices act as one. That, in itself, isn't different from using just the phone for selfies.
It has a wide-angle lens that fits plenty of action into the frame.


3. Satechi Smart Selfie Extension Arm Monopod ($50, roughly Rs. 3,100)
This telescoping monopod from Satechi helps get more than just yourself in the frame. Similar to the Kodak unit, this monopod has spring-loaded rubber pieces that grip the phone on its sides, holding it firmly in place. From there, you simply extend the telescoping device out to its full three feet and get lots of buddies or surroundings into the shot.What really helps is that a shutter button on the grip of the pole connects to your phone via Bluetooth, allowing you to snap the selfie without reaching up to the phone. 
Read more...

Sunday, November 23, 2014

Author cybErtron lEgacy | 0 comments

Toyota Mirai - The zero-emission vehicle

Toyota’s Mirai will be the world’s first mass-produced fuel-cell car 

The Toyota Mirai is a hydrogen fuel cell vehicle, one of the first hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles to be sold commercially. The Mirai is based on the Toyota FCV fuel cell concept car, which was unveiled at the 2013 Tokyo Motor Show. The FCV range is expected to be approximately 700 km (430 mi) under Japan's JC08 test cycle.
The name Mirai is especially apt when you consider the hydrogen powertrain takes just five minutes to fill, emits no exhaust besides water vapor, and can even siphon energy into an owner’s home with the Optional Power Take-Off device.
As far as driving experience goes, the Mirai shouldn’t differ drastically from a normal electric vehicle. The sedan is a tad on the portly side at 4078 pounds, but its maximum output of 153 horsepower allows it to accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in around 9 seconds.
Like the Prius, the Mirai is not an overtly beautiful creature (yes, that’s some understatement) but it was styled quite deliberately to break the mold. 



Furthermore, because the hydrogen components are mounted close to the ground, the FCV has a low center of gravity, which lends itself to spry handling.
But for now, the Mirai is the future — literally: the name means “future” in Japanese — and Toyota hopes that it will follow in the treads of the successful Prius (whose name means “predecessor” in Latin, incidentally). And this so-called future will become the present starting in the third quarter of 2015.
 The Mirai, and hydrogen vehicles in general, are on the proverbial razor’s edge. If they’re a huge success, the world as we know it will undoubtedly change. If they turn out to be a dud, it was a lot of money research, and hubbub about nothing. Realistically, I find that to be unlikely.
The ‘future’ goes on sale in California in fall 2015.


Read more...

Monday, January 21, 2013

Author Unknown | 0 comments

Killing your password...............!!


As our lives increasingly move to the cloud, the need for stronger passwords is more important than ever. But aside from avoiding easy-to-guess birthday/pet name passwords, what else can be done?
Google is now investigating alternatives to the password - like an USB-based card from Yubico that would sign you into your Google account when inserted into a device.
In a paper that will be published in IEEE Security & Privacy Magazine this month, Google vice president of security Eric Grosse and engineer Mayank Upadhyay explore the various ways that people might use passwords in the years to come.
YubicoGrosse and Upadhyay gave Wired a sneak peek at their paper, which includes the option to use a cryptographic card from Yubico to log into Google services like Gmail, Drive, or Chrome. As Wired noted, the Googlers had to make some changes to Chrome in order to get the cards to authenticate, but once that was in place, it did not require any additional installation - registration can be completed in one click.
"We're focused on making authentication more secure, and yet easier to manage," a Google spokesman said in a statement today. "We believe experiments like these can help make login systems better."
Those who work in industries that handle secure information - like banking - have long used authentication tokens to log into their work accounts. But consumer services like Google have stuck to the password approach for ease of use.
The paper also discussed options like a "smart ring" or a smartphone that could authorize a new PC with one tap. Ultimately, these devices could mean the end of passwords you'd have to remember. They acknowledged, however, that it can't live inside a Google bubble.
"Others have tried similar approaches but achieved little success in the consumer world," they said, according to Wired. "Although we recognize that our initiative will likewise remain speculative until we've proven large scale acceptance, we're eager to test it with other websites."
What happens if you lose your Google password gizmo? Yubico tweeted today that "many apps can bypass the YubiKey login if it is lost or issue a temporary token code." Multiple tokens can also be used - "it depends on the application and security selected," Yubico said.
The company maintained that the YubiKey is hard to lose since it fits on a keychain "like a key to your door."

Read more...

Wednesday, November 21, 2012

Author Unknown | 2 comments

Knuckles & fingernails coming soon.........................!!

Knuckle and fingernail gestures could be coming to touchscreens soon
As smartphone are growing so are the growth of new technologies. And don't think that an invention of a new technology is the only invention. The usage of different technologies as one is also another invention. A researcher in U.S has made it simple to make a smartphone recognize knuckle and fingernail touches......!! Amazing ri8.......Watch the video...........!!


Read more...

Monday, November 12, 2012

Author Unknown | 0 comments

Always cool to Know............!!!!







Always cool to Know............!!!!


20 interesting facts about technology 7 20 facts about technology that might surprise you (20 Photos)

\20 interesting facts about technology 0 20 facts about technology that might surprise you (20 Photos)

20 interesting facts about technology 1 20 facts about technology that might surprise you (20 Photos)

20 interesting facts about technology 2 20 facts about technology that might surprise you (20 Photos)

20 interesting facts about technology 3 20 facts about technology that might surprise you (20 Photos)

20 interesting facts about technology 4 20 facts about technology that might surprise you (20 Photos)

20 interesting facts about technology 5 20 facts about technology that might surprise you (20 Photos)

20 interesting facts about technology 6 20 facts about technology that might surprise you (20 Photos)


20 interesting facts about technology 8 20 facts about technology that might surprise you (20 Photos)



20 interesting facts about technology 9 20 facts about technology that might surprise you (20 Photos)


20 interesting facts about technology 11 20 facts about technology that might surprise you (20 Photos)


20 interesting facts about technology 12 20 facts about technology that might surprise you (20 Photos)



20 interesting facts about technology 13 20 facts about technology that might surprise you (20 Photos)


20 interesting facts about technology 14 20 facts about technology that might surprise you (20 Photos)



20 interesting facts about technology 15 20 facts about technology that might surprise you (20 Photos)


20 interesting facts about technology 17 20 facts about technology that might surprise you (20 Photos)



20 interesting facts about technology 18 20 facts about technology that might surprise you (20 Photos)


20 interesting facts about technology 19 20 facts about technology that might surprise you (20 Photos)
Read more...

Friday, November 02, 2012

Author Raven Leon | 4 comments

ooohhhh....thats hot!!!!

HTC India launches 8X and 8S smartphones with Windows Phone 8

HTC-Windows-Phones.jpg
HTC is treating Indian users to an early Diwali surprise. A day after we reported that the Taiwanese manufacturer might launch its Windows Phone next week, the company has already unveiled the HTC 8X and 8S Windows Phone 8 devices in the country. Both devices will be available this month at best buy prices of Rs. 35,023 for the HTC 8X and Rs. 19,260 for the HTC 8S.

Bothe devices sport a uni-body design and are based on the Windows Phone Live Tiles. The HTC 8X comes with 4.3-inch 720p Super LCD 2 display coated with Gorilla Glass. The device sports an 8MP CMOS sensor with backside-illumination (BSI) for improved low-light performance, along with an f/2.0 aperture, 28mm lens and a dedicated imaging chip. The front camera is a 2.1MP with f/2.0 aperture and 88 degree ultra-wide angle lens, which also allows for high-definition video capture.

8X is also the first Windows Phone with Beats Audio technology and an audio amplifier.There is no expandable storage on 8X but you will get 16GB of on-board storage, part of which will be used by the operating system itself.

The 8S comes with a 4-inch (800x480 pixels) super LCD display with Gorilla Glass, 1 GHz dual-core Snapdragon S4 processor with 512MB RAM, 5MP auto focus camera with LED flash and 720p HD video recording, 4GB internal memory expandable memory with microSD and a 1,700 mAh battery.

Both smartphones feature the Windows Phone Store and Xbox Live catering to their entertainment and gaming needs. The Windows Phone 8X will come in a variety of colours including California Blue and Graphite Black while the HTC 8S will be available in Fiesta Red and Atlantic Blue.

Speaking at the launch of these devices, Faisal Siddqui, Country Head, HTC India said, "Windows Phone has clearly emerged as one of the top mobile ecosystems and is competitive against any other smartphone platform in the world. We are confident that the iconic design and incredible innovation of the Windows Phone 8X and Windows Phone 8S by HTC will help consumers fully realise the potential and lifestyle benefits offered by these smartphones."

With HTC having outed its Windows Phones, Nokia is next in line to unveil the Lumia 920 in the country this month (Also see: Which is your next Windows Phone device - Nokia Lumia 920, HTC 8X or Samsung ATIV S?)

HTC 8X key specs
  • Windows Phone 8 OS
  • 4.3-inch 720p Super LCD 2 display
  • 8MP CMOS sensor, 2.1MP front camera with f/2.0 aperture and 88 degree ultra-wide angle lens
  • 1.5GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 processor with 1GB RAM
  • 16GB internal storage, no expansion options
  • Available in California Blue and Graphite Black
HTC 8S key specs
  • 4-inch (800x480 pixels) super LCD display
  • 1 GHz dual-core Snapdragon S4 processor with 512MB RAM
  • 5MP auto focus camera with LED flash and 720p HD video recording
  • 4GB internal memory, expandable with microSD
  • 1,700 mAh battery
  • Available in Fiesta Red and Atlantic Blue
Read more...

Saturday, October 27, 2012

Author Unknown | 1 comments

Why......Why......Why...................!


Windows 8 : Lock Screen
Windows 8
Windows 8 brings significant advantages to those who are upgrading existing PCs or purchasing new ones, thanks to features that better take advantage of the new OS's capabilities. The operating system offers improvements in performance, existing capabilities, and is cheaper.
I should mention, however, that there are some cases in which you probably shouldn't make the move. The OS has a new look and requires some adjustment in the way you interact with your PC. If you don't like change or learning new ways of doing things—even if in the long run they turn out to be more efficient—you should probably stick with what you're using. Also, if your PC's specs are extremely outdated—less than 1GHz processor or less than 1GB RAM in particular—you won't be able to upgrade. And obviously, if your PC is for work use, your employer may not allow the upgrade. If these issue don't apply, read on.
Windows 8 : New Start Background

                                 Windows 8 : New Start Background

"Tattoos" let you customize your Windows 8 Start screen with artistic backgrounds.
Windows 8 - SkyDrive


                                                    Windows 8 - SkyDrive

SkyDrive is your Windows cloud storage. Apps can be programmed to access the online storage with your permission.
 
1. Faster startup. On my testscomparing Windows 8 performancewith that of Windows 7 on the same computer, Windows 8 started up more than twice as fast as Windows 7. In a comparison with Mac OS X Mountain Lion, running in Boot Camp on a MacBook, Windows 8 even started up faster than Apple's latest desktop operating system. And it's not just startup time: Windows 8 ran several benchmark performance tests quicker than either Windows 7 or Mountain Lion. Microsoft has clearly put work into improving performance in Windows 8.
Windows 8 - Store

                                                            Windows 8 - Store

The Windows Store now features apps for purchase, with prices ranging from $1.49 to $999. Like the Mac App Store, it lets you reinstall apps you've bought on any of your PCs and oversees app updating.
2. A whole new world of apps. Windows 8 gives PC users a whole new world of full-screen, touch-friendly, Web-connected apps to explore. And these new apps can even display relevant information on their Windows Start screen tiles, something impossible in Windows 7 or just about any other operating system around, save Windows Phone. The new Windows Store—analogous to Apple's iTunes App Store—makes discovering and installing these new-style apps a breeze. The update process is simple, and you can install purchased apps on multiple Windows 8 devices without paying again, provided you're signed in. Finally, uninstalling the apps is streamlined by the Store, with no Registry complications as in past Windows versions' apps.
Windows 8 - SkyDrive

                                                  Windows 8 - SkyDrive

SkyDrive is your Windows cloud storage. Apps can be programmed to access the online storage with your permission.

3. SkyDrive integration. Microsoft's cloud service has become way, way more than just online storage. Sure, it still lets you save and access files to an online space that's accessible from a Web browser or apps that run on not only Windows, but also Mac OS X, iOS, Android, and Windows Phone. But with Windows 8, SkyDrive is accessible to any app that wants to use it, just as though it were a local drive. It also backs up your PC's settings, letting you replicate your environment should you get a new PC.

4. Better Security, Less-intrusive updates.  PC Magazine networking and security analyst Fahmida Rashid considers Windows 8 "the most secureversion of Windows yet." This stems from a couple of things, starting with Secure Boot. ExtremeTech's Sebastian Anthony explains secure bootsuccinctly as follows: "Windows 8 stops a computer from loading an operating system that hasn’t been signed by the publisher (in this case, Microsoft or an OEM)." Another security gain is that all apps in the Windows Store are scrutinized for security issues.  Finally, Windows 8's default Web browser, Internet Explorer 10, was rated best in a recent test by NSS Labs, detecting and blocking over 99 percent of malicious downloads without any help from a third-party antivirus program. This compared with 70.4 percent for Google Chrome, which uses the same Safe Browsing API as Firefox. Opera and Safari only managed to block about 4 percent of the malicious downloads.
5. First-class touch input, but still fine with keyboard and mouse. In some ways, touch-screen input on Windows 8 is superior that of the Apple iPad. For example, you can do everything you need to by swiping with your thumbs, making a tablet easier to use by holding it by the sides. Also topping the iPad interface is Windows 8's ability to snap a sidebar to the side of the screen with a touch gesture, so that you can keep tabs on two apps at the same time.
But mouse and keyboard are hardly forgotten. The full complement of keyboard shortcuts still works, and navigating through the new interface with the mouse and mouse wheel is almost as intuitive as touch gesture input—though there are certainly some actions where touch is a better fit. Using the Windows Key becomes particularly important, as it summons the Start screen and offers key combinations that let you search, share, change settings, access devices, and more.
Read more...
Author Unknown | 0 comments

Wow.......................!!


Heart of blue whale

Heart of blue whale weighs 600 kilograms and is the largest known in any animal. A blue whale's aorta (the main blood vessel) is large enough for a human to crawl through.

Read more...

Monday, October 22, 2012

Author Unknown | 0 comments

Must read post for Android and Windows 8 fans.........!!


Is Windows 8 an existential threat to Android tablets?

Nagging questions shadow the impending launch of Windows 8, threatening to scuttle Microsoft's plans to reinvent itself for the age of mobility. Will desktop users graciously accept the redesigned Modern interface? Will the Windows Store have enough apps to entice would-be Surface RT buyers? Can Windows 8 breathe life into sagging PC sales?
Microsoft's future success depends on its ability to make serious, quantifiable, no-nonsense headway in the mobile market, but it’s not the only company with a massive stake in the ultimate fate of Windows 8. The new operating system will also have a major impact on Google. Just look at the list of Microsoft’s Windows 8 tablet and hybrid partners—Samsung, Asus, Toshiba, and the rest. They all make Android tablets, too.
Apple’s position in the tablet market is so dominant that it need not fear encroachment by Windows 8 devices. But most of Google’s hardware partners—especially the ones that make the larger, so-called productivity devices—need to ask themselves a tough question: Will Windows 8 obliterate consumer interest in Android tablets?

Early opportunity squandered

At least one expert thinks that this question isn't hard to answer. Forrester analyst Sarah Rotman Epps sees a bleak future for Android tablets.
The Kindle Fire HD, which emphasizes media consumption, is one of the few Android-based tablets that consumers want.
"No one's buying Android tablets other than Amazon or Barnes & Noble [models] anyway," she says. "If there’s a market for non-Apple tablets, it has been and will be Windows. It’s pretty clear that there just hasn't been any demand for Android tablets other than the niche earlier-adopter market, while Windows has mainstream consumer interest."
Despite being the only major tablet alternative for people who don't want to bite into Apple, Android has clearly had little impact on the tablet market. IDC's second-quarter tablet report shows that more than two-thirds of all tablet shipments originated in Cupertino, and even those numbers don't tell the full story. IDC (which is owned by PCWorld’s parent company IDG) and other top research firms track tablet shipments to retailers, not tablet sales to customers. So when you take into account that some variable proportion of shipped Android tablets languish unsold on retailers' shelves, Android's situation may be even bleaker than IDC's numbers suggest.
In the recent Apple vs. Samsung case, for example, court filings showed that Samsung had managed to sell only 712,000 Galaxy Tab 10.1 tablets in the United States since the slate's launch. Those are sad numbers, given that many observers considered the Galaxy Tab 10.1 to be the perfect iPad alternative for much of 2011.
Also troubling for Google's operating system is the fact that the Kindle Fire—Android's brightest tablet star and best tablet seller—is not the droid you're looking for. It runs a proprietary, heavily skinned interface that renders it more of a content delivery system for Amazon than a proper Android tablet.
Ominously, the Kindle Fire accounts for the majority of Google tablet sales. IDC claims that Amazon is the world's third-most-prolific tablet manufacturer, even though Amazon sells its slate only in the United States. And reports from ComScorePew Research, and Amazon itself indicate that the Kindle Fire outsells all other Android tablets combined.
In other words, Android owes most of its slim slice of market share on an Android tablet that doesn't look or feel at all like a pure Android tablet. Google's baby is sucking wind, folks.
Cue the Windows 8 tablets.

Windows 8 and its direct Android prey

Finding agreement among tech industry analysts is always a challenge. Nonetheless, all the analysts I consulted agree that Windows 8 tablets will devastate the handful of productivity-focused Android tablets on the market, such as the Asus Eee Pad Slider and the Asus Eee Pad Transformer series. Whereas security concerns have prompted risk-averse corporations to shy away from Android tablets, Microsoft's operating systems sport deep, business-friendly features—including the all-important Microsoft Office.
IMAGE: LOYD CASE
A Windows 8 productivity machine like the Asus Vivo Tab could threaten existing Asus products like the Eee Pad Slider and Transformer series.
"I think [productivity-focused Android tablets] are going to fade away," says Rob Enderle, the principal analyst of the Enderle Group, summing up the group consensus. "I think we'll see Windows convertibles and hybrids pick up that category. The keyboard really goes with Office."
The analysts I contacted also agree that Windows tablets will quickly gobble up Android's market share in the premium-priced tablet segment. Dropping $500 or more on a 10.1-inch Android tablet requires a lot more deliberation than spending $200 on a 7-inch Google Nexus 7. For this reason, analysts believe, consumers will flock toward the more seamless (and less glitchy) Windows experience when going for a big-screen (and non-iPad) tablet.
But will Android tablets vanish entirely? Most of the experts I spoke with don't think so. Excluding Forrester's Rotman Epps, most analysts expect Android tablets to be around for the long haul, albeit in a niche role that focuses on low prices and media playback.

A possible path for Android success

"I think there will be a market for 7- to 10-inch, very inexpensive Android tablets," says Patrick Moorhead, president and principal analyst at Moor Insights & Strategy. "Not from the major makers, but off-brand. Android tablets will be the budget option."
Google's Nexus 7 is squarely focused on consumption, not productivity.
"There’s a reason why Google came out with the Nexus 7," says Gartner's Carolina Milanesi. "It basically was a very loud message to the OEMs saying, 'Stop trying to be Apple, because you're not. And you're not going to be successful competing at that price point or that form factor. Go cheap. Go $199, so it becomes more of an impulse buy, and consumers will get them and watch videos, listen to music and play games.' All of which is very much media-centric and content-centric."
Enderle agrees, calling the Nexus 7 "the quintessential Android tablet, almost entirely focused on consumption, and that's probably where Android is going to continue to shine."
Rotman Epps doesn't buy this analysis, though: "Other than Amazon, [OEMs] just aren't selling any Android tablets. The iPad mini, if that comes out as we expect it to, will be the final nail in the coffin for Android tablets."
The other analysts think that if Android tablets do die off, it will be due to other causes entirely: lawsuits and Google's lackluster OEM support.

Manufacturers fear the reaper

Even if customers suddenly decide to support Android tablets, OEMs may not stay in Google's camp now that Microsoft has joined the fray. The analysts we contacted say Google's reputation for dealing with manufacturers is spotty at best; in contrast, OEMs generally enjoy working with Microsoft, occasional Surface tablet tensions aside.
IMAGE: LOYD CASE
After suffering considerable grief over its Android devices, will Samsung give preferential treatment to its Windows 8 tablets, like this ATIV SmartPC?
Hardware manufacturers jumped on the Android bandwagon primarily because it was the only way for them to join the tablet revolution. In that sense, Apple helped spawn Android tablets, but now Apple might be the hammer that drives manufacturers away from Android for good.
"What really triggered the trend [of manufacturers hedging their bets with Android devices by also developing Windows devices] isn't so much customer satisfaction issues as much as that $1 billion judgment against Samsung," Enderle says, pointing to the sudden ramp-up of Windows Phone development by HTC and Samsung as examples.
"A lot of the OEMs really sweat bullets about being next on that particular list. Apple's actually doing Microsoft one hell of a favor here. That $1 billion judgment made 'free' not so free,” Enderle notes, referring to the ostensible price that Google charges OEMs for Android.
Gartner's Milanesi agrees that the risk of litigation from Apple encourages OEMs to see the value in adopting a Microsoft OS that costs money up-front. When you're in the Microsoft fold, she says, you're protected against Apple lawsuits, and Redmond also chips in with marketing costs and support for the developer community.

Where do manufacturers stand?

What do the companies that have skin in the game think about Android tablets' prospects for long-term survival? On the record, they're decidedly less pessimistic than the analysts are, which should come as no surprise, as they have to be cautious when making comments that might reflect on their roadmaps. Nonetheless, the OEMs do acknowledge the altered role that is likely to define Android's future.
Jay Parker, Lenovo's head of consumer/SMB operations for North America, recently told AllThingsD that the company plans to offer Android tablets "for the foreseeable future," but that it will offer only Android slates built in the Kindle Fire mold: small, cheap, and designed for playing around.
"We see them as pure media-based devices, where people are going to be surfing the Internet, reading books, or watching a movie, and really not a heck of a lot else," Parker said.
Acer makes the W510 Windows 8 tablet, but says that it's definitely not abandoning Android.
When asked whether Acer plans to support both Android and Windows 8 tablets, Paul Tayar, Acer America's director of product marketing for connected devices, unequivocally says "yes."
"The more ecosystems that we can play with and have available, the better we, as OEMs, can come up with developing the right hardware for the right consumer,” Tayar says. “Having options available to us lets us bring fresh solutions, and fresh designs, and fresh technology to the table."
Tayar feels there's enough consumer interest to support “even more than three” distinct operating systems, largely because of the very different user experiences offered by Windows 8 and Android. Windows tablets are more focused on productivity and might be more suitable for stationary office settings, whereas Android tablets tie deeply into Google's cloud-connected vision, and might appeal to people interested in everyday, on-the-run use, thanks to their smaller sizes.
Acer plans to tailor its hardware to take advantage of the specific ecosystem advantages of Windows 8 and Android. "You will not see a Windows 8 tablet, and then see the same tablet two days later with Android," Tayar says. He doesn't think Android will disappear any time soon.
"The Android market space, in both tablets and smartphones, is pretty much vindicated by the number of applications that are out there," he says. "That market has been validated. It's the real thing. It's not something that you're wondering 'Is this space going to exist or not?'"

You thought the Windows Store lacked tablet apps?

Tayar's last comment raises an interesting point: None of the analysts I spoke with think Android as a whole is in danger of dying, as the phone platform remains quite strong. Google Play features an abundance of Android apps—more than 675,000 by Google's last count—and the overwhelming majority of them are designed for smartphones, not tablets.
But that situation, too, is a double-edged sword for Google, as Android phone apps tend to translate poorly to the tablet experience.
IMAGE: ROBERT CARDIN
Ironically, for all its inventory problems, the Windows Store may quickly eclipse Google Play in terms of pure tablet apps.
"Microsoft hasn't even launched the Windows Store yet, and it probably has five times more tablet applications than Android does," Moorhead says. For context, consider that the original 7-inch Samsung Galaxy Tab kicked off the Android tablet effort nearly two years back.
Despite some blustery talk by Google chairman Eric Schmidt, signs indicate that Google is finally beginning to understand how serious the Windows tablet threat is. Google recently improved its Google Play developer console and finally—finally!—introduced a set of tablet design guidelines for developers. "I think that they'll even give incentives for developers to develop applications," Moorhead says.
Incentives are crucial because Microsoft is gunning for those same developers, with an extensive support system that draws raves from developers. If Google wants an Android future on anything other than smartphones and embedded systems like Google Glass, it must convince some of those developers to create tablet-specific apps for its OS.

Yea or nay: Will Windows 8 tablets kill off Android?

Android tablets won't burst into flames on October 26 in some kind of self-destructive conflagration. Manufacturers won't pack up and leave Google holding the bag just because Microsoft is selling tablets—at least not initially. But serious questions loom over the launch of Microsoft's next-gen operating system, and until the company can allay some of those concerns, partners like Acer, Asus, and Lenovo will probably ride the fence until a clear market winner emerges.
But Microsoft isn't afraid to play the long game or to toss billions of dollars at marketers and manufacturers to ensure that its tablet initiative ultimately pays off. When—not if—Microsoft clears the initial hurdles, Google will have to step up its own game to ensure that Android tablets have a fighting chance, even as budget options.
Sure, Android might be the best choice for inexpensive media slates. But Google needs to get busy to bolster even that path to success, especially if Apple releases a miniature iPad. Google must do more to stimulate app development. It must work more amicably with OEMs. And it must step up to the plate, and protect its partners from Apple's litigious wrath.
If Google doesn’t do all of these things, manufacturers could very well throw up their hands and join the Windows team for good. Then we'd see the classic Apple/Microsoft duopoly all over again, this time in the mobile arena instead of on the desktop.
Will Windows 8 tablets kill Android tablets? Only Google can answer that question
Read more...
Author Akhil | 0 comments

Apple Getting Ready For iPad Mini Event at San Jose’s California

Apple has begun its preparations at San Jose’s California Theater ahead of Tuesday’s iPad mini announcement. The Cupertino company has erected a number of eye-catching posters, which match the brightly colored event invitations it sent out to the press last Tuesday.

As opposed to big banners sprawled across the front of the building, Apple has chosen to keep its decorations subtle for this event; it’s currently utilizing the poster frames that sit on the walls outside the theater instead. The sign above the entrance of the theater reads “Apple Special Event.” The posters themselves, however, aren’t so subtle.

Apple hasn’t held an event at the California Theater for seven years, since Steve Jobs announced the first iPod capable of playing video, and introduced TV shows to the iTunes Store. The company traditionally holds its events at San Francisco’s Yerba Buena Center, and occasionally at the Town Hall Auditorium on its campus.

Source:TechnoBuffalo
Read more...
Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...