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. 

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Processors are slower, yet that's not so noticeable for basic tasks such as email,Facebook and weather checks. Video and audio are also enjoyable.

Because you spend so much time with your phone, there's a case for having the best. But those come with a price tag starting at about $650.

So consider how you use your phone and what features will remain most important to you over the next year or two. Before you drain your wallet, here are three solid phones that cover the basics:

ZTE Nubia 5S Mini (Android, Rs.15399)
The Nubia is a slim, light device with a 4.7-inch screen - the same as the iPhone 6. It looks sleek and is comfortable to hold. What's the catch?

The Nubia's display measures 1,280 pixels by 720 pixels, well short of what you get on the latest iPhones and top-end Samsung Galaxy devices. That resolution is adequate for 720p high-definition video, not the sharper 1020p. The camera is OK for taking everyday shots; pricier models deliver better focus and colors and take nicer low-light photos with the flash off.

However, the front camera for selfies is 5 megapixels, better than the typical phone. (The rear camera takes 13 megapixel shots, which is common.) And it comes with 4G connectivity and 16 gigabytes of memory.

Motorola Moto G (Android,Rs. 11162)
Motorola has a $129 Moto E phone, and you get a good device at that price. But I've found photos to be subpar, especially because the camera has a fixed-focus lens, meaning it doesn't compensate for how far away your subject is. Given how much people use the camera on their phones, I recommend spending another $50 for the

The latest Moto G model has a large 5-inch screen that is covered with Corning's Gorilla Glass for durability, something more common in pricier phones. The Moto G's back is curved, which could contribute to a better grip. Like the Nubia, its display is 1,280 pixels by 720 pixels.

The rear camera is 8 megapixels, the same as the iPhone, though shots weren't as good. The front camera is 2 megapixels.

The Moto G's main shortcoming is the lack of 4G LTE cellular connectivity. You're stuck with the slower 3G network. LTE is available for last year's Moto G model, but that screen is only 4.5 inches and the camera's resolution isn't as good. The Moto G also starts with just 8 gigabytes of memory, when many smartphones are starting to offer 32 gigabytes.

Microsoft Lumia 635 (Windows, roughly Rs. 9,500))

This 4.5-inch device doesn't feel as sleek as top-end Lumia phones such as the Icon and the 1520. But it's better than the $79 Lumia 530, which feels like a bar of soap, given its bulk and smaller screen. It's worth getting the 635 instead, especially as some carriers and retailers are offering substantial discounts to bring its price close to the 530's.

The Lumia 635 has a 5 megapixel rear camera, no flash and no front camera. It performed better than the Nubia and the Moto G in low light. Just don't expect shots to match what the 20-megapixel Icon produces. The display resolution is lower than on the Nubia and the Moto G, and the built-in storage is again just 8 gigabytes.But the 635 does have 4G connectivity.

So for those with a tight budget, think again before you get your hands into the costlier smartphones.

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People keep forgetting their passwords all the time, but if there's one kind of password that no one bothers to remember it has to be the Wi-Fi password.Before you head down that path, here are a few tips to recover your saved Wi-Fi passwords.That is illegal and could land you into far more serious trouble than you probably realise. These steps are only for recovering your own Wi-Fi password, and are impossible if you haven't already got access to the network on one of your devices. If you have forgotten the password of your Wi-Fi network, follow these steps to recover it.








Windows

While you might come across several apps that claim to let you recover saved Wi-Fi passwords, you don't need any of those on Windows PCs. Even if you don't have administrator access on your PC, you can look up the Wi-Fi password by following these steps. Note that this method only works when the security is set to Personal - if you're connected to an Enterprise network, such as your office Wi-Fi, then this method will not show the password.

1. Using a PC that is connected to the Wi-Fi network in question, go to Start > Control Panel > Network and Sharing Centre. On Windows 8 computers, you can tapWindows key + C, click Search and look for Network and Sharing Center.

2. Click Change adapter settings on the left sidebar.

3. Right-click the Wi-Fi network you're using and click on Status.

4. Click Wireless properties.

5. Click the Security tab.

6. Now you will see the name of the Wi-Fi network and the hidden password. CheckShow characters to reveal the saved password.

Mac

You can find saved Wi-Fi passwords through the Keychain Access app on the Mac. Here's how.

1. Go to /Applications/Utilities.

2. Open Keychain Access. Go to the System keychain listed under the Keychains on the top left.

3. Search for the Wi-Fi network you are trying to find the password for, by typing the name of the network (SSID) in the search box in the top right corner, or by manually finding it in the list.

4. Double-click the name of the network and in the resultant box, check the Show password option.

4. Enter the user account password when prompted and you'll be shown the saved Wi-Fi password in clear-text.

Via the router
In case you don't have a Windows or Mac computer that has the Wi-Fi credentials saved, or if you're trying to do this with your phone or tablet, you can still try to find the saved Wi-Fi password through the router. Obviously this will only work if you're connected to the router's network - remember you can connect to the router with an Ethernet cable as well. Tablets and mobile phones can't proceed further unless they are already connected to the Wi-Fi network.

The steps will vary slightly with each router. Changing the wrong settings here may mess up the wireless network for everyone, so proceed at your own risk.

1. First, open your browser and go to the router's local address - this is usually http://192.168.1.1 - but the URL varies depending on the make of the router, so check the manual (or the official website) to find the correct address.

2. Enter the username and password. Again, this will vary by manufacturer, and you can and should change the passwords as well. By default though, on both MTNL and Airtel provided routers, both the username and password are "admin" without the quotes (other routers often have "password" without quotes as the default password) . You'll have to check with the router manufacturer or ISP if this combinations don't work.

3. Click Internet and then click Wireless. In some routers the Wireless option may be visible on the main screen.In this section you'll see the security type (WEP, WPA, etc.) and the key. Some routers may have these options under a Security tab.

The box next to the key field contains the password for the Wi-Fi network. On many routers this is in plain text, so you can just note it down.

If all these fail..
You might have to reset the router if nothing else works. Don't do this unless you just can't connect to the network using any device. Resetting the router is an extreme step and you will have to reconfigure the network to restore your Internet connection. Unless you know how to do that, we suggest that you contact your ISP for help in this process.

We cant give you  the step-by-step guide for this because it varies quite a bit depending on the make of the router. You must check the user manual for your router before attempting this. Each router has a reset switch. Some routers have a tiny button, while other routers have this button hidden in a tiny hole (that you can hit using a paper clip). This switch needs to be pressed for a few seconds for the router to reset. Flashing lights on the router will tell you that it has been reset. Once that is done, wait for it to reboot and reconfigure the network. The exact steps for this process will also vary depending on your ISP, which is why we recommend contacting your ISP if you need to reset your wireless router, unless you know exactly what you are doing.

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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.

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 The stuff we shared represents a lot about us and is always vulnerable over the Internet, be it a personal photograph or our personal details.  And since Facebook is becoming more public every other day, keeping our info on Facebook is getting harder. Facebook is continuously improving the privacy features which are capable of making your presence on Facebook almost anonymous, but most of us don’t know much about these features.

So, we’ve created this comprehensive up-to-date guide which would definitely make your presence more secure on Facebook.  This guide will significantly strengthen the privacy of content-sharing and would ensure that your Facebook stuff is shared only among the trusted people.

1.Hiding Contact Info:

Sharing your contact info with unknowns can put you in trouble. Contact info is specified by user himself and basically it includes your email, your address, contact number, etc. If you’ve specified contact info on your timeline, you can control its privacy.

For hiding your contact info, go to your timeline and look for “About me” option under your profile picture. In next page, look for “Contact info” column and click “edit”.  A pop up containing all your contact info will be opened and at the end of each detail you’ll find a drop down list denoted by icon as circled above in the picture.  From there you can specify to whom with you want to share this info, three options are available- Public, friends, none. Once done, press the “save” button at the end of the popped window.

2.Timeline and Tagging

Guidelines below will help you to manage your timeline and tagging feature of Facebook.

Tagging

Tagging is one of the most intelligent features of Facebook and one of the most annoying too. Why annoying? It is annoying because sometimes your friends tag you in a picture which you don’t want to share with your friends and sometime they tag you in a picture which is not concerned to you in any way. So to control that Facebook has a privacy optionTimeline review which let you to review the Tagged posts before posting it on your Wall. 

For enabling Timeline review privacy option, Go to Account settings> Timeline and Tagging. There you’ll find an option- “How can I manage tags people add and tagging suggestions?” Enable the review option from there as shown in the picture above.

Timeline

Further, you can also make your timeline more private. There are privacy options that allow you to hide your timeline’s posts from anyone and moreover you can also control the “Right to post on your wall”.  For enabling these privacy features, Go to Account settings> Timeline and Tagging and change the settings according to your need. (See pic above)

3.Message Filtering 

Sometimes you receive unexpected messages from unknowns. These unknown messages messed up your inbox and for keeping these unexpected messages away, Facebook recently added Message Filtering option.  If you will enable this option, all messages from unknowns were dropped in “others” box.

For enabling this option Go to Messages>Others>Edit Preferences. A pop up will be opened and choose the one from given options- either basic or strict. Basic filtering will work as usual whereas strict filtering will keep away unknown messages from your Inbox.

4.Who can search you and see your stuff?

Your Facebook stuff including timeline is public by default. But Facebook provides you some powerful privacy settings with which you can hide yourself completely on Facebook. For managing privacy settings, Go to Privacy Settings and Tools.  In that section, you’ll find two privacy settings:

Who can see my stuff?

• Using this option, you can manage privacy settings like- Who can see your future posts? You can set it to public, friends, only you or even to custom.

• You can even review all your posts and things you're tagged in using Activity Log. Activity log contains the record of your every action on Facebook like pages you liked, posts you were tagged in, your comments, etc. This way you can also control the sharing of your activity.

• Further, you can even limit the audience for posts. You can decide whether you want to share past posts with friends of friends or Public?

Who can look me up?

• You can decide that who can look you up using email or contact number. For enabling this, Go to Privacy Settings and Tools and under “who can look me up” change the privacy settings according to your needs.

• Apart from this, you can even disable the Indexing of your profile by search engines like Google, Bing, Yahoo, etc. For disabling indexing, Go to Privacy Settings and Tools and under “who can look me up” turn the indexing option off. .

5.Facebook Account Security

It’s possible that right now someone is trying hard to break into your account. However, hacking a Facebook account is almost impossible but your negligence like poor password, etc. can make it possible. Here are few suggestions that will definitely make your account much safer than ever.

Strong Password

Applying a weak password just only because you don’t want to forget it- is the dumbest excuse. If you’re not using a password that isn’t 8-10 character long, doesn’t include both uppercase and lower case letters and don’t include a numeric character then believe us your account is more vulnerable to hacking. 

Enable Secure browsing

You can use your Facebook in “https” mode which will encrypt all your Facebook activity between Facebook Server and your computer. For enabling secure browsing, Go to Account Settings> Security and enable the secure browsing from there.

Enabling Login Notification

Enabling Login Notifications will inform you whenever your account is accessed from unknown or unrecognized device or location either via email or by SMS. For enabling login notifications, Go to Account Settings> Security and enable the secure browsing from there.

• Must Check:How to Protect Your Facebook Account.

6.Blocking

If someone is annoying you or there’s someone from whom you want to hide on Facebook, you can block him/her. Once you blocked someone, he/she won’t be able to contact you on Facebook; in fact he/she won’t be able to even find you on Facebook.  For blocking someone, Go to the profile of that person and click the settings icon just after the message button (Pic above). Choose the block option and confirm the blocking.

• And if ever you think of unblocking someone, go to Account settings>Blocking and unblock him/her from there (Pic Above).

7.Privacy Shortcuts

Recently Facebook introduced the Privacy shortcut feature on the Facebook which is indeed a great addition to the Facebook. You can quickly configure the Messaging filters, quickly block someone and configure the privacy of your posts right from the news feed page.

8.Applying Privacy to Media files and posts

For configuring privacy of a status before posting, click the Public button just before Post button and from there you can specify the privacy of that post (Pic above).

For configuring privacy of a picture, open the picture, click the list menu button and from there you can specify the privacy of that picture (Pic above).

For configuring privacy of an album, Go to Photos> Albums, under the album name, click the list menu button and specify the privacy of that album from the list (Pic above).

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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.

Grosse 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."

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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...........!!

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Those of you who thought Samsung might take a cue from HTC and settle its patent differences with Apple can think again. Samsung vs. Apple is moving full steam ahead.

Shin Jong-kyun, head of Samsung's mobile and IT division, told reporters in Seoul recently that the company has no plans to settle, according toYonhap News.

"It may be true that HTC may have agreed to pay 300 billion won (US$276 million) to Apple, but we don't intend to [negotiate] at all," he said.

Over the weekend, Apple and HTC announced that they had settled a patent battle that dated back to 2010. The deal means the two companies will dismiss all current lawsuits in favor of a 10-year licensing agreement. Apple and HTC said terms of the deal are confidential, but "the license extends to current and future patents held by both parties," they said.

But don't expect a similar announcement from Samsung. Apple and Samsung have been fighting over patents since April 2011, when Apple fired the first shot. The case has since expanded to dozens of courts around the globe, but the biggest ruling thus far came in August, when a California jury ruled in favor of Apple and handed down damages of $1.05 billion. Samsung is currently appealing.

Prior to the start of the California trial, Samsung and Apple tried several times to hammer out a deal. Apple CEO Tim Cook and Samsung's Choi Gee-Sung sat down in May and again just days before the trial started, but remained at loggerheads over the value of each others' patents. Cook then spoke with Samsung's Kwon Oh Hyun on the phone just before the case went to trial, but to no avail.

The fight could drag on for years; another California suit is not scheduled to go to trial until March 2014.

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

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