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Luxury Android Wear Smartwatches from Tag Heuer to Rival Apple

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Ranging from $200 to a maximum of $300, “Android Wear software” is available since almost a year ago, on a lot of different smart-watches. They are mostly built by traditional smartphone manufacturers like Sony, Motorola or LG Electronics. Yesterday, on the 19 of March, 2015, Google announced that they will collaborate with Tag Heuer in order to create the first Android Wear luxury smartwatch.

Tag Heuer in the Android Wear Industry

Tag Heuer is a renowned watchmaker from Switzerland very popular within the luxury watch business and also known for their association with different sports, but mainly with Formula 1. Their collection’s price ranges from a bit under $1000 to their crown jewel called “Tag Heuer Mikrogirder 10000 Watch”, that costs more than $100,000. They are not as renowned as Rolex, but nonetheless they are more than capable of producing amazing watches as well as different accessories.

smartwatches

This partnership also includes Intel. They are responsible for the technical part of the watch, providing the necessary hardware, then Google will come up with the software and last but not least, Tag Heuer will make the design. Previous Android Wear smartwatches came with a Texas Instruments or a Qualcomm processor, so this will be the very first smartwatch that utilizes an Intel chipset. This is not at all Intel’s first attempt to make wearable devices, being responsible for the “Mica bracelet”, released in 2014 with a price of $495, but it was marketed only to women.

So far there is no viable information about the release or cost of the device, but we can safely assume that it will be the most costly Android Wear watch ever made. In a recent interview, David Singleton, who is the chief of engineering at Google regarding Android Wear, said that their watches will mainly “focus on the quality and performance that are expected from Tag Heuer” . He went on to say that the price will be reflected by that.

We can only speculate regarding the design of the watch. Nothing is for certain and all of the companies involved are keeping everything a secret.  Reuters released a report that stated that the watch could be nothing more than a digital replica of Tag Heuer’s “Carrera”, a device better known for its large, sporty design.

It is no coincidence that this announcement came just a few weeks after Apple released their luxury watch, but Singleton said that they have been working on this partnership way before the release of the “Apple Watch” in April, 2015. The Apple Watch has a golden version that costs $10,000 or more, so we can only imagine that Google’s version will not be at all cheap.

At this time there is a balance between iOS and Android users regarding smartphones, but there is a big difference on what kind of customers the companies attract. It is well known that iPhone users have more money and generally tend to spend much more on their devices than Android owners. Many may disagree with this assumption, but recent research data as well as both of the companies’ own figures will confirm it.

You can jump over to Mapbox.com and see for yourself that Android users are more common in low income areas while iOS users can be mostly found in richer zones. With this in mind, we can only ask ourselves who will be the targeted customers for Google’s luxury watch and if they will copy certain aspects from Apple’s playbook of business.

At the moment the biggest problem is that you cannot even start the watch without connecting it to an Android device, so it is more than likely that it will face a low popularity among the masses. I can see how Tag Heuer’s customers will definitely be interested for it expands the heritage of the brand by adding a hot new model, but the vast majority of high income iPhone users will probably just stick with Apple.

smartwatch-comparison-2014

Some time ago Google partnered with LG and together they made an Android Wear smartwatch called “G Watch R”. It was a huge disappointment and LG had serious problems selling it even at the low price of $300. Now, in the UK if you buy an LG G Flex 2  with a Vodafone sim-card, you will receive the “G Watch R” for free.

They seem to go for a different approach by increasing the price as well as associating with a prestigious manufacturer, but as long as it is impaired by the need of a smartphone with Android OS, it will not work.

Combining iPhone with Android Wear is not unheard of. Android developer Mohammad Abu-Garbeyyeh, better know under the alias MohammadAG, released a short video on the 22 of February, 2015 showing his smartwatch, a Moto 360 taking a notification (for a text message) from his iPhone 6. All he did is use the ANCS (Apple Notification Center Service) to connect via Bluetooth to the device by installing a small application on his smartwatch. This being the case we can conclude that Google’s refusal to make the Android Wear application compatible with iOS has more to do with the company’s polices than technical limitations.

It is most likely that Tag Heuer will remain Google’s only luxury associate in their endeavor to break into high-end watches market, but anything can happen although they did not announce any other partnership so far. Luxury brands seem rather desperate for a younger clientele and in this endeavor they are inclined to partner up with software and hardware developers. Recently Gucci also announced their partnership with “will.i.am” in order to create a smart wristband capable of making phone calls.

As this particular market expands more and more, these types of collaborations are expected. Google’s decision to make their watch incompatible with the iPhone is regarded as a bad marketing move and analysts estimate that at some point they will rethink their position and remove this barrier. Some expect this to happen this summer during the “Google I/O” but there is no official statement as of yet.

Driverless Tesla Car Interface Concept

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The future is upon us, taking concepts from movies like Sylvester Stallone’s “Demolition Man” and making them a reality.  The era of driverless cars seems closer and closer with each year’s passing. Many car developers strive to combine technology with comfort in order to develop futuristic automobiles. The concept is not at all new but the development’s speed is mind blowing and each day we come closer to an actual working product and not just a prototype.

This Thursday, CEO and chief product architect of Tesla Motors, Elon Reeve Musk asked for a press conference to address the matter of “range anxiety” and their new software update developed to get rid of this problem. For those of you that do not know, “range anxiety” is the fear that your electric vehicle will be unable to reach its destination because it will run out of juice during longer trips.

driverless tesla car

After this subject was concluded he casually dropped the bomb saying that this summer Tesla cars will receive an update that will allow them to be driven in, as he put it, “Autopilot” mode.

As it happens in most cases he did not give many details but he did state that the autopilot will actually be disabled when you are not driving on the highway. He did reveal a few features about the software saying that the vehicle will be “technically capable of driving from parking lot to parking lot.”

You will also be able to summon it and the car will drive itself to your location. On top of that, apparently the vehicle will also have the ability to auto park in the garage.

These cars are already available for purchase and in just some months they will receive the above mentioned update and gain the ability to pilot themselves. We are not discussing a far into the future concept but something that is available today.

Tesla also announced their new user interface concept and we can safely say that it is stunningly beautiful and at the same time it is a massive improvement over the current one available for the “Tesla Model S”. With the help of Bureau Oberhausen, a team of designers, they managed to create a simple, easy to use, precise and efficient UI concept. Bureau Oberhaeuser recently released a video showing you how to use it.

The existing UI allows the usage of two different features at the same time by placing each function in a separate window. This concept, however, takes it one step further by allowing you to utilize as many panes for contacts as you want at any given time and giving you the ability to resize them to better fit your needs. Energy usage, tire pressure, web browsing and many other features will also be available simultaneously.

In the meantime, Google also seems to partake in this new technology with their own “driverless car project”. Many cars in Nevada and California already hit the streets in order to conduct driving tests.

This week, during the  “South by Southwest talks”, Astro Teller head of the Google X made an announcement that shocked everybody present at the Austin ballroom. He stated that they could have offered auto piloted driving on the highway for two years now, but they did not want to rush it and, instead wanted to construct a car that will be able to handle all kinds of driving. He went on to say that at the moment their biggest problem is to predict people randomly walking into traffic.

To sum up, we could have had auto-piloted automobiles for some time now but Google chose perfectionism instead, but Tesla will give us this ability starting this summer.

Galaxy Samsung S6 to be Released in Stores Next Month + Details

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After at least a couple of months without making a splash in the smart phones’ huge market, Samsung has finally presented to fans all around the world its newest model: Samsung Galaxy S6. The product comes with a new design, original components integrated in it and a more lean software and accessibility than the previous models that had Samsung’s TouchWiz interface, all these contributing to the most amazing phone that the company has created in years.

The passionate clients were very eager to evaluate this new smart phone, so read below about all the necessary details regarding the highly anticipated Galaxy S6.

Samsung Galaxy S6 Release Date and Price Plans

As predicted, Samsung launched its new leading smart phones at the most recent technology show in Barcelona, Spain: the Samsung Galaxy S6 and the S6 Galaxy Edge. Moreover, these mobile phones are an important forward leap for Samsung regarding style and development, the Galaxy S6 offering a steel and glass carcass similar to the iPhone 4, and the attention to details which were missing from its previous devices.

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The device will be sold probably starting on April 10 in European countries the price tags are pretty much at the level that was anticipated. The new Samsung Galaxy S6 will be significantly more costly than the conventional models released before it, and remarkably will be available only in the 64GB and 128GB editions through formal channels.

The 64GB version will have a price of around $750 SIM free, while the 128GB model is yet to have an established price on the producer’s website. The standard Galaxy S6 (without some of the advanced options, such as leading software) will cost $600 for the 32GB version, while a 64GB or 128GB version has yet to receive an official price.

The Samsung Galaxy S6 will be available from April in more than 20 countries, with the phone being released in more regions thereafter. Vodafone has confirmed already it will be storing the S6 and is now getting preorders, and we anticipate all other significant high end dealers to do the same.

Vodafone is getting preorders for the Galaxy S6 Edge too, and is offering free package and a trade-in contract. Clients who pre-order the Galaxy S6 on the Vodafone Red L, XL, or XXL plans will get the free Samsung Wi-fi Charging Pad and case; while those who choose Red L plan will get $5 off the cost per month when they change their old Samsung mobile phone. These plans start at $45.50 a month with no advance fee, and $35.50 a month with $199 in advance.

AT&T has its pre-orders on the Samsung Galaxy S6 from $49.50 per month with a $89.99 fee in advance. Preorder now and you will have a free wireless charger.

T-Mobile offers the Galaxy S6 for $45 per month. For this, you receive 1,000 minutes, 4,000 text messages and the starting offer of 1GB of information.

Sprint’s suggested plans for the Galaxy S6 cost $53.49 per month with $40.99 fee in advance. The deal offers you 4GB of 4G information, countless phone calls and text messages and a wireless charger. The Samsung Galaxy S6 has Wi-Fi calls when bought through Sprint.

All other high-end shops and mobile providers will be getting pre-orders starting next month, and clients who have pre-orders can receive the new cell phone one day before its launch in the stores on April 10.

Samsung Galaxy S6 Design

Regarding the style, though, these new mobile phones really look the part. Samsung Galaxy S6 is rather eye-catching: just like a Samsung Galaxy Note, it has a rounded screen; but compared to the Note, its shapes run down on both ends of the screens, which makes for a more consistent and modern look.

Anyway you look at it, the Samsung Galaxy S6 is a thing of beauty. The double curves provide an exclusive overall look, and this goes together with the Gorilla Glass 4 covered and colored steel back panel, to create a device that truly is different from the others.

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The S6 is offered in four colors: black and white – as usual – plus green and blue, and all of them feel and look excellent. Despite all the glass and metal, it has more compact dimensions than the previous Samsung Galaxy S5, being 142mm high, 70mm wide and 7mm thin, while weighing only 132g. The S6 provides the best compromise between monitor dimension and one-hand convenience.

Samsung’s designing teams have been able to even to prevent the mistake of having to move the control buttons around, like it was the case with the Galaxy Note. Here, on the Galaxy S6, the volume or power buttons are located in their normal positions on its right and left sides, incorporated in a slim silver metal structure.

However, there are a few disadvantages to this design. First, the detachable back panel, exchangeable battery and microSD port for memory expansion have been banished. Second, the Galaxy S6 does not have IP rating, meaning it is not water or dirt proof like the Samsung Galaxy S5. Third, the glass back panel can be easily affected by fingerprints. If you own these mobile phones, you are going spend a lot of time cleaning them to be spotless.

Samsung Galaxy S6 Display

The S6 has a 5.1” quad-HD AMOLED display of 1,440 x 2,560, and there is absolutely no question that it provides an extremely high quality of the images and videos. Since these performances are packed into a bit more compact screen than its competitors, the Samsung Galaxy S6’ resolution is also higher, attaining an incredible 576ppi.

However, color precision, lighting and contrast are more important than actual pixel density, and in this regard, we have assurance that the S6 display will be a hit. The screen surely looks excellent, with shiny, brilliant colors and ideal contrast (as you would expect from its AMOLED display). Elsewhere, there is a super resistant Gorilla Glass 4 on the top side, so the Galaxy S6 is capable to resist to major damages even better than the models before.

Samsung Galaxy S6: Camera, Sound and Call Quality

The S6 digi cam does not have extreme updates. It has a resolution of 16-megapixel, the same as the Galaxy S5 and maintains a super-fast detect auto-focus, the new model provides a broader aperture and visual picture stabilization.

These do not seem like major changes, but in reality, they make an impressive difference to the S6’s pictures and video performances. The camera is now capable to capture amazing pictures and sleek, constant videos clips. Noise is noticeable when filming cloudy things in low lighting, but even then, you will have decent results in difficult conditions.

The digital camera also features new options on the application front side. There is a new fast release function, which allows double-clicking the button to use the camera in just 0.7 seconds, according to the producer. The program has been simplified, making it easy to select all the various configurations. Samsung S6 has turned taking selfies into a fun and accessible activity: you can now tap a heart rate indicator on the back to capture self-portraits.

Samsung Galaxy S6: Operating System

The Galaxy S6 is the first real mass-market smart phone running on Android with a 64-bit processor. It will still need some time to have important NDK applications modified to 64-bit and then we do anticipate it to run with some problems due to the multi tasking on Android. The S6 is said to take an innovative approach by not using the Qualcomm Snapdragon system, since Samsung is choosing a new road and will instead force its own Exynos SoC.

Qualcomm has the reputation of making a customized CPU core, and in recent years, it has always been caught off guard by Apple’s 64-bit programs. In order to be more competitive against the ever-growing adversaries from Apple, Samsung Galaxy S6 will not be produced with these customized Qualcomm cores.

samsung galaxy s6

The Galaxy S6 is all about returning to the fundamentals. After a few flourishing and carefree periods of development, Samsung had to go back to the designing panel to re-think the ‘next big thing’, so this new model does not look so large, after the company’s product sales tumbled and the S5 model had lower reviews than the S4.

A lot of the story development regarding Samsung so far is not least due to the fact that Apple has delayed its product launching, for many years the clients complaining about their large-sized iPhones. Now, that we finally have both of them on an established market and a variety of powerful promoters from the communication firms, Samsung is beginning to feel the pressure, and now it is serious business for everyone. One thing is certain: the Samsung Galaxy S6 will be a very different smart phone, trying to demonstrate the best of the concept in just one device.

Image source: www.businessinsider.com

How to Prevent and Remove Scratches from Your iPhone

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Does your smart phone look like it has seen better days? Are you tired of squinting at its display because of all the scratches? These days, cell phones have turned into a necessity rather than just luxury items. We depend on out mobile phones for many reasons such as communicating, listening to our favorite music, storing essential data, taking pictures or browsing on the Internet.

Carrying a bad looking phone is more than just unpleasant. This can actually have a negative impact on the quality of the device and its performances. Nevertheless, avoiding scratches and improving your iPhone appearance is not difficult. In the following guide you will learn how to prevent and remove scratches from your iPhone.

How can You Prevent Scratches?

One great way is to purchase an iPhone carcass. While some customers see them as needless and heavy, many find them perfect for when you want to keep the phone in a handbag or briefcase, where the device risks being squished or scraped by all kinds of sharp things. Many see the case as just another way to decorate their iPhone. For example, you can buy even exclusively personalized cases for the phone and luckily, even if your price range is rather limited, there are wide ranges of cost-effective carcasses that will not crack your pockets.

prevent and remove scratches from your iPhone

Similarly, phone skins are the fun and practical way to avoid scratching a vulnerable device, such as the iPhone. This is another method to change the appearance of your gadget in a wide range of different designs, all while saving the external layers from dirt, scratches and blemishes. These are also vital for customers who want to keep their phone protected while still making it possible to carry it in a jeans’ pocket.

When you are concerned about the phone’s frontal display, try buying a transparent protector for screens. These useful little pieces of plastic protect the screen from earmarks or fingerprints, as well as dirt and scratches.

You can have your iPhone safe while driving by setting up a mounting kit in the car. These are useful especially if frequently drop your phone in the mess under the seats. Such phone kits make sure that the iPhone is visible, all while maintaining a comfortable position for the driver. They also keep the cell phone well in its place despite the tight turns of the car. If vehicles are not your thing, then you can have also a kit set up on your motorcycle.

If the phone’s display looks terrible, do not give up yet. There are plenty of different products that can be effective against nasty scratches. Some producers pretend that their car polish will offer excellent results, while others use products like Displex and Apple’s Ice Creme. No matter which one you select, in many situations you can eliminate shallow scratches with sooth buffing, even if some creams might claim that there can be eliminated even a deep scratch with determination and long effort.

Effective Methods to Remove Scratches

An iPhone is not like every model of the iPod, because it has a glass screen on the frontal side. This type of display is Apple’s well-known measure to make their phones to resist most scrapes. Even if it is the scratch proof, the iPhone cannot really escape any damage or unpleasant lines that will gather over time. Because of this resistance to scratches, it is also incredibly hard to eliminate the scrapes on the iPhone.

prevent and remove scratches from your iPhone

Many of the methods tried by angry phone owners have proved not to be so efficient to remove or, at least, diminish the scrapes on their iPhone. Here are a few simple guidelines to get rid of the scrapes. However, be cautious when following these techniques so you will not make the scratches on the phone even worse.

If there are scrapes on the rear panel of your iPhone, one method to get rid of these is to use very find sandpaper and abrasive rubs. Carefully rub them on an affected part of the device, and pay attention not to rub and damage the anti-scratch layers of the phone. Here you will see fine and little scrapes on the iPhone, so you have to be extremely cautious on using the thin sandpaper when fixing the scrapes.

Toothpaste is also very efficient for eliminating the iPhone scratches. The toothpaste that is particularly for delicate teeth tends to work better when it comes to diminishing the scrapes. You can use this product as a light abrasive for a phone and it can fix tinier and slimmer scrapes on the carcass, as well. Below is what you have to do:

  • Put a little glob of toothpaste right on the scratched surface of the phone.
  • Rub it softly using a smooth fabric or with micro-fibers
  • Let the toothpaste remain there for a couple of minutes to dry for a little bit.
  • After this, clean the surface of the iPhone using light washing items, such as those that are ammonia free. A small quantity of detergent with moderate content will make it for a good cleaner, too.
  • Polish and keep rubbing the scrapes for a little while to have the best result for the iPhone.

Be cautious when you use the toothpaste and pay attention for it not to get into the slots and gaps of your iPhone, since they can cause serious damages on the device. Even if it is said that prevention is the best cure, regardless of how you try it, it is very hard to avoid making deep scrapes to your phone. This is why you always have to keep it safe and perform the necessary operations to have an iPhone that seems brand new.

By following the tips listed above, you can make a scratched phone not to look so bad. Even more important, you can maintain them working for a longer period, enabling you to have fun with the countless functions of your iPhone for years to come.

Image Sources: 1, 2

8 Must Have Apps this Year

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Nowadays mobile device apps are the most common form of media used on the market. The traditional forms of media stand no chance to them because the apps are online, easy to download, easy to install and most of all, easy to use.

Let’s take a quick look at all the must have apps of this moment.

Soundcloud

Must Have Apps

Since its start in 2007 Soundcloud proved to be the definition of music lovers and producers’ basic and most urgent needs. Using unlimited storage, free to listen options, easy to access streaming and easy to upload options, Soundcloud is THE music application out there.

The Sounds can be classified into playlists, favorites, and by artist. There is literally no one in contemporary music, whichever the genre that doesn’t have a Soundcloud profile, even if it is fan made. The other great advantage of this app is that it hosts musical works which are not necessarily included on the artists’ albums, that’s why on Soundcloud one can easily find live recordings from DJ sets and remixes.

FlashScore

Must Have Apps

FlashScore is out there for all the sport betting enthusiasts and sports fans alike. Covering about all official sports, individual and team sports, the application provides full real time details for all competitions, from football to cricket and water polo. In the same time, those interested can find fixtures, season tables, top goal scorer statistics, team line-ups, head-to-head past results comparisons, and options to choose and add favorite competitions.

For those interested in betting, FlashScore gives away offers from all the big names in sports betting agencies, such as Paddy Power, William Hill or Bet-at-Home. The options include simple 1×2 tips and more complex number of scored goals odds.

Tinder

Must Have Apps

Nothing comes handier for a quick romantic fix in a world dominated by technology than Tinder. The app’s immense success is shown by its over 50 million users worldwide. The innovation brought by Tinder is the search for matches based on the physical proximity. The location is given by the GPS of the mobile device -Tinder is only to be used on mobile devices- and the (very) basic info on the profile (not a greater amount of information offered by a 2000s Yahoo profile) is provided by the user’s Facebook account (first name, age and a limited number of photos).

The “dating” process is very quick and simple. If one profile is liked, you have to sweep right on that profile, if not, the other way. If 2 users chose the “right side” they will be “matched” and that’s where the social aspect of the application steps into scene. You can start chatting right away avoiding interaction with other contenders; it’ll be just you and the person that catches your attention. It is a more synthetic version of Facebook, concentrated on one major purpose – one night stand dating and maybe even more.

MoovIt

Must Have Apps

This urban traveler’s real time guide is simply a treasure. It is a free application using data gathered from official sources and from the people who travel using buses, trams, subway trains, intercity trains, ferryboats and/or other means of transportation. The fact that it is crowd sourced is a major plus for MoovIt. The users learn from those who were there before about schedules, stations, delays, the quality of the ride, alternative means of transportation and fares.

MoovIt was founded by 3 Israeli innovators and the idea for it came from a different crowd sourced application called Waze, used mostly by car drivers to ease their rides.

Launcher

Must Have Apps

iOS users don’t get to customize their home screens as those who use Android. But Launcher comes really close in letting Apple users do that. The app uses the notification center in iOS 8 to let users place shortcuts of apps in their today panel. The app allows you to have widgets that you can customize. For example, you can add a shortcut for Twitter that will open the app directly on the “compose new tweet” page. You can upgrade the app and make it a lot more customizable for just $3.99.

You can have a Google Maps shortcut that you can customize in such a way that when you launch it, it will give you directions to reach your home address.

Mr. Jump

Must Have Apps

This game is very challenging as bad timing can ruin everything. The game is pretty straightforward: you have to make Mr. Jump reach the end of every level by avoiding the spikes and other obstacles. While the game doesn’t look that difficult, timing is crucial and it is very challenging for a simple game.

At the end of every round you will be presented with information regarding how many attempts you’ve had and for how far you’ve survived. If you’re stuck in a level you can skip it with an in-app purchase. Also, make sure you listen to the soundtrack as it is pretty whimsical.

Atari Fit

Must Have Apps

The designers from Atari made a fitness app that centers on games like Centipede, Pong and other retro jewels. Based on what your fitness goals are, the app will offer you numerous exercise plans. Exercises will earn you coins that you can then use in order to play games like Super Breakout, Centipede and Pong.

The app also includes social features that will let you compete with your friends. If you connect Atari Fit and Apple Health, the app will retrieve information from your wearable devices and other apps such as RunKeeper.

LinkedIn Job Search

LinkedIn finally decided to make an app for their website. You can search jobs in the numerous listings and apply directly from the application. The app works well with notifications and it will tell you when something opens up in a company or a field you’re interested in. The recommendations in the app will only get better as you search for more jobs and view more listings. LinkedIn Job Search also considers your skill and experience so keep your profile up to date.

Enlight

Must Have Apps

Enlight is the latest photo editing application from the same developers that brought us Facetune. The app is in many ways the dream app of every iPhone photographer. It features a great balance between artistic effects and filters and Photoshop controls. The app has a lot preset filters that you can choose from and you can also adjust elements of your images manually. The app also has a great and sophisticated curves control.

You can use the mask feature in the app to only apply effects to a certain part of the image and trust us when we say that it’s full of great artistic effects.

So there you have it. This was our list of recent must have apps.

Images source: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9

5 Steps Microsoft Needs to Take In Order To Revive The Windows Phone

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It was not so long ago, when everybody believed that Microsoft will be a real contender concerning the mobile’s phone market. Not more than 4 year ago, some experts anticipated that the “Windows Phone” will rise above the iPhone and BlackBerry, clamming the second spot in the handheld device market, right under Android.

A smaller group of researchers even claimed that the company has enough potential to rise above Android, but we all know what has happened in the end; the iOS and Android are uncontested leaders.

After the purchase of Nokia and with the new hype concerning Windows 10, Microsoft looks refreshed and ready to undertake a spectacular comeback. IDC analyst, Ramon Llamas, said that

“When people say, ‘My life is on my smartphone,’ they’re not lying. Considering the power the smartphone has on people, it’s important for Microsoft to play there, and Microsoft has unique assets to bring to this space.”

With the release of the iPhone 6 and the announcement of the Samsung Galaxy S6 as well as the HTC One M9, Microsoft will have to bring their A game in order to compete with these new super phones. After years of failed attempts, it is time for the gigantic American software producer to shine. These are 5 ways in which they can do that.

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The Release of Premium Devices

Until the present day, Microsoft only focused on affordable smartphones. If we were to look at their unit shipments in 2014 then, we will notice that the strategy completely failed.  They only had a 4,2% in units shipped overseas, a figure which is way below the market’s average, that sits at 22,7%. In spite of that, they continue to concentrate on cheap and medium-end devices. Last week, they released their latest Lumia handset, called “Lumia 430” and it’s their lowest priced smartphone to date, costing only $70.

If they were also to focus on high-end devices then, they will attract a wider range of customers. Not only that, but at the same time, the company will actually be able to compete with Apple and Samsung. Producing a premium device will draw in attention to their other products as well. Now, we’ll have to wait and see, because Microsoft said that they will not even consider this idea until the release of Windows 10.

Windows 10

In order for a smartphone to do well in today’s market, consequently, the OS (Operating System) it comes with must be stable, easy to use and, last but not least, compatible on a wide range of gadgets. Apparently, Window 10 will work on PCs, tablets, smartphones and wearable devices. In addition, they will make it easier for developers to move their older apps to the environment of Windows 10. This will make things a lot smoother when transitioning to a new operating system.

Windows 10 looks rather good on paper, but the end product must deliver on its promises. It is more than likely that the success of this OS to determine the triumph of their mobile business. Not all of the Windows Phone’s problems have to do with the current OS, but a better one can’t hurt and will, most definitely, increase their market shares.

The preview version was released on the 18 of March, 2015, and we must admit that it’s coming along quite nicely but there are still a few issues to be fixed. In other words, Windows 10 is shaping up to be Microsoft’s best release yet.

Targeting Business Users

Although 2014 was not that great of a year for Microsoft, the Windows Phone grew 4,2% and managed to grab an additional 2,7% of the market. Experts predict that by the year 2018, the Windows OS will own more than 5,6% of the market. Nobody expects them to make a comeback over night, but in time they might be able to do just that.

With great apps like Skype, OneDrive and Office 360, there is no reason why they can’t appeal to a more business oriented customer. Business users are looking for a similar experience on all of their gadgets. They must also be able to target the specific needs of enterprise consumers.  Microsoft should not abandon consumers, but instead, expand towards productivity.

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Remake Nokia

More than a year ago, Satya Nadella took over the CEO seat from his predecessor Steve Ballmer. It was Ballmer that eased the acquisition of Nokia for $7.2 billion, but the deal only went through after Nadella was in charge.  He then started the reimagining of Nokia and fired over 12,000 people across Europe and Asia. Many taught that under the new management, there will be a major improvement concerning Microsoft’s disposition toward hardware, but nothing has happened as of yet.

One has to wonder if Nadella would have purchased Nokia if he was CEO at that time and it is believed that he is even considering to sell the Nokia division, but nothing is for certain.

Draw in Developers

In order to attract more customers, they need to have a wider range of applications, but, at the same time, in order to have more developers willing to write for the Windows Phone, they need a bigger user pool. A simple solution to this problem is to create a universal platform.

They aim to develop a platform that will function on all of their devices, from PCs, to Xbox, smartphones and tablets. This will enable the construction of compelling apps for the mobile version of Windows a lot easier. This is a great idea, but nothing more than that and everybody is questioning  their ability to deliver.

Microsoft reinforced their commitment to grow their app portfolio in order to attract more customers. In a blog, posted in December, 2014, Microsoft’s own Todd Brix stated that both downloads and active users have increased in the past year.

Image Source: 1, 2

Inventions That Improve Water Quality

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World Water Crisis

The lack of clean, fresh water is one of the worst problems worldwide today, due to its impact on economy and day-to-day life of the people that are affected by it.

Water scarcity, the lack of clean water resources in different parts of the world derives from various economic interests in those specific areas and/or on the climate of those areas. In some cases the issue is excessive drought (like in Sub Saharan Africa and Central America) or floods (South East Asia, Eastern Europe and South America).

Big corporations (Nestle for example) use even the water resources of normally dry areas to produce more bottled water for economic profit. The best example is the recent activities of the above mentioned company in the Sacramento area, where the Bottling Plant is draining around 320 million liters of water per year.

All these factors are responsible for over 1 billion people’s lack of access to clean drinking water alone, not considering other basic uses for potable water. Several organizations around the world, most of them under the direct guidance of the United Nations are trying to diminish the effects of the water crisis through special programs. Both economic and physical water scarcity are tackled with fundraising actions and awareness programs.

Contaminated water is the number one issue in areas with water shortage. The most affected countries are in Sub Saharan and Saharan areas of Africa (Tunisia, Algeria, Sudan and Ethiopia), South and Central America (Venezuela, Cuba, Haiti and Mexico) and Central East Asia (China, India, Pakistan and Bangladesh).

Amongst the direct effective actions carried by people concerned with these problems, an important role is played by a few ingenious but very useful inventions.

Here are five inventions that improve water quality.

UTEC’s Water-generating Billboard

Inventions That Improve Water Quality

This invention is the result of the bright minds of future engineers from the University of Engineering and Technology from Peru’s capital, Lima. The AirHuerta is one of the most efficient innovations in a place where the lack of potable water or any kind of water is affecting about 1.5 million people. One of the driest places on Earth, the capital of Peru, started benefiting from the billboards that transform the humidity from the air into clean, potable water in 2013 and since then, a series of such Huertas started producing clean water for the population. With the help of a local publicity agency, the inventors of the billboards began advertising their work. Using electricity provided by Lima’s city power lines, the billboards turn condensed humid air into an average of 90 liters of water daily. What started as an ambitious yet ingenious college plan might grow in the near future into a viable long term solution for other areas which suffer from water shortage. It’s great to think that all of this due to the joint efforts of engineers and advertising agents.

The Drinkable Book

Inventions That Improve Water Quality

A unique invention, the Drinkable Book is a revolutionary asset for people living in areas where drinking water is contaminated. Created by a group of American scientists, “The Book” combines a basic, very efficient water filter contained in each of its pages, with special tips & tricks on how to handle being raised in an area where water is not safe to drink.

The people using this invention have access to potable water with minimal effort and they can benefit from the instructions printed on the filter “pages”. The Water is Life foundation concentrates its efforts on a very fast and efficient spread of water filters and alternative ways of producing water safe to drink for affected communities, especially in very poor communities from areas with harsh climates.

LUV Water

Inventions That Improve Water Quality

A very enthusiastic group of students at the Carnegie Mellon University created a water purification mechanism called LUV Water. It is capable of creating energy to power ultraviolet LED lights which kill about 99% of the germs and pathogenic bacteria from the water. But this doesn’t stop here. The team is working on getting even further in the field, the next step being a solution that incorporates ultraviolet LEDs to water bottles.

The device is still in an incipient phase, but those who came up with the idea are searching for funding solutions that will drop the costs of producing these devices very fast and very soon. The idea behind the product is to bring a fast, scientific option to tackle health problems in areas where climate and poverty unfortunately join hands.

LifeStraw

Inventions That Improve Water Quality

Created by the Vestegaard Company, the LifeStraw is basically a tubular device through which impure water is turned into safe to drink water by simply sucking it from the source. The company’s official goal is providing real alternatives for the health problems of the people living in poverty and improper conditions.

The LifeStraw was recognized by the Forbes magazine as one of the most important inventions of the contemporary science. It was designed and used since 2005, with immediate effects on the quality of life and health of the people from deprived areas.

Dean Kamen’s Slingshot

Inventions That Improve Water Quality

A well-known and respected inventor (with the iBot wheelchair and the Segway among his creations), Dean Kamen brought to light in 2009 in collaboration with Coca Cola, the Slingshot. Initially called the Freestyle, the device could produce drinkable water with the help of a Sterling engine (a regenerator engine that converts heat into mechanical work) from any type of water source (Kamen claims that the machine can transform up to 97 % of the undrinkable water into safe, reliable potable water).

Being vapor condensed, the contaminated water is turned into over 900 liters of potable water a day. In partnership with the Coca Cola CEO, Kamen’s company, DEKA, sent 15 units to schools in Ghana as a test in 2011. The result was a huge success, due to the ease of the Slinghshot’s use and its efficiency.

Encouraged by this positive outcome, the inventor and his partner planned to implement by the end of this year a number of 2000 units in places where these kinds of inventions are needed the most (Central and South America, Asia and Africa).

Images source: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

T-Mobile Makes An Announcement Regarding Less Expensive Phone Plans for Small Business Owners

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On the 18 of March 2015, during an event that took place in NYC, T-Mobile revealed their  ninth Un-Carrier project. It was John Legere, the CEO, that took the stage and promised a more simple and transparent telephone scheme without any kind of negotiation or hidden prices. He assured that they will have the best deals, stating that “the best price is the only price, for everyone”.

Taking a look at their offer you can clearly see that he was not kidding and that their deals are up to 40% cheaper than the very similar deals from their major competitors Verizon and AT&T.

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Depending on your business needs you can choose how many lines you require and pick the best package for you. For example if you need less than 20 lines it will cost you $16/line where for 20 or more lines the price will go down to $15/line. The minimum lines you can get is ten and it will cost $160/month. If you require more than 1000 lines then the price is lowered at $10/line. It is extremely beneficial  for every business owner to be able to pick exactly what they need and on top of that to pay less and less as their company grows.

Every line has 1 GB of internet data included but more can be purchased. You can pay $10/line for an additional 2 GB or $30/line for unlimited traffic. Let us imagine that you have 80 employees but out of those only 12 need additional data. T-Mobile has the solution and offers you the ability to buy more data only for those exact 12 people.

Data can also be pooled together for all employees at the price of $4.75/GB for the initial 500 GB with a minimum of 100 GB. Just like before the more you buy the cheaper it gets. You will pay $4.50/GB after 500GB and if you purchase 1 TB of data or more you will pay $4.25/GB. T-Mobile made it so you will only be charged for every GB you use making it ideal for smaller companies. Chief analyst at Jackdaw Research, Jan Dawson had this to say: “T-Mobile’s new business offerings should be very popular with smaller businesses, which buy services very much like consumers, with the buyers being office managers or business owners rather than professional IT directors”.

In today’s market first impressions can make or break a business and the more professional you look, the better. T-Mobile understands this very well and offers a free email account courtesy of Microsoft for every additional purchase. A personalized email address on your business card could attract more customers than a standard one at Yahoo or Gmail. In order to sweeten the pot even more they will also grant their customers a .com domain and a “mobile friendly” website free of charge, thanks to their partnership with GoDaddy.com.

Legere went on to say that they will cover the fees for early-termination, not more than $650, in order to make the transition more smooth for business owners. They will also buy out leasing plans and equipment installments from rival companies for every client willing to switch providers. The families of their new customers will also benefit. They can sign new personal contracts at a discount rate of up to 50%.

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Nintendo Creates its Series of Games for Smart-phones

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Nintendo’s position on creating its own games for smart phones is stance that is extremely well-known since the company has denied for some time this concept. The organization has uphold this position for a long time before gradually taking one small step at a time by developing applications, and not games per se, for modern phones, and for those who are expecting to see one day similar games to Zelda and Mario appear on their intelligent phones, well that might become reality in the near future.

The company has lately declared that they will be joining forces with the Japanese corporation DeNA and both of these organizations will be developing a new series of games for mobile phones. Now, before thinking that this implies we will be seeing some unknown titles and figures wearing Nintendo’s trademark on them, this does not seem to be the situation, since all these games will have Nintendo’s technical compatibilities. However, they will not be exactly the copy of The Tale of Zelda for your smart gadget, but we consider this being a phase towards that route.

nintendo

New cross-platform services working across smart phones, tablets, Nintendo hardware and PC will also be produced. Thanks to the statements released by the officials at Nintendo, they intend to focus their efforts on new applications that will be using Nintendo IP, these being developed specifically for the modern generation of portable devices. They did say that that the games and their characters will be aimed at building fresh experiences for those who are already familiarized with the famous Nintendo, gaming universe.

This cross-platform that is currently being produced will take the place of Club Nintendo, after this will be shut down in the course of 2015. During the press conferences held these days, the company’s representatives made it clear that their games for smart phones are now only in an early stage of development.

Company’s president, Mr. Satoru Iwata, has been asked how Nintendo can maintain the image of a company that creates products that are safe for children, as opposite of many games today that are free-to-play, with violent scenarios and how kids are sometimes exploited when playing them. Iwata declared that he wants to keep consumer trust, saying that Nintendo likes to put its values on creating games that are safely played by children of all ages.

The Japanese giant in gaming industry has resisted entering into the market of mobile games for several, but even so, recently they have experimented different free-to-play scenarios. This indicated a certain interest from the company and its will to take a dive onto the portable gadgets scene.

Even in February this year, Nintendo’s officials were still skeptical regarding the idea of producing mobile games, since the prices for the products created for smart phones or tablets are declining very quickly.

According to the news coming also from DeNA, they say that in order to make sure that all their clients will have a high quality of game experience (the main factor that supports the partnership between Nintendo and DeNA), only a variety of new games compatible with intelligent devices, including mobile devices, will be sold, rather than renewing older games that were initially designed for Wii console or for Nintendo’s 3DS gadgets. We assume the objective here is to gradually entice customers to play more new games on the Nintendo programs. It is quite relaxing to see a games giant like Nintendo taking a flexible position regarding this subject, but do not expect programs for Wii or 3DS in the near future.

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Mortal Kombat X – Who’s next?

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Mortal Kombat X Scorpion

One of the most loved and played arcade fighter games of the 90’s will release a new installment on the 14th of April 2015 – Mortal Kombat X.

We are expecting new challengers, a rehash of an old game mode, a new non-linear, original story-line, and an antagonist that will combo the nostalgia out of us.

Finish Him – Mortal Kombat X style!

Back in 2011, when the original creators Midway Games filled for bankruptcy, Warner Brothers swooped in and bought them out of their misery – furthermore creating NetherRealm Studios. Later that year, in April, the company released Mortal Kombat ( also known as Mortal Kombat 9) for the PS3 and Xbox 360 – according to editor Jeffrey L. Wilson of PC Magazine, it was the most anticipated release of the year.

Gulping review after review, at the end of the day the tally was – extremely positive. Mortal Kombat won several Game of the Year awards for the best fighting game of 2011:

  • Spike Video Game Award
  • Golden Joystick Award
  • Academy of Interactive Arts and Sciences’ D.I.C.E Summit Award

Mortal Kombat X roster

Metamorphosing the player into a vicious, blood thirsty warrior that would destroy you in mere seconds, tearing your every limb apart, wasn’t that well received in Australia – not by the huge fan base that it garnered since the 90’s, but by the country’s censorship department. Australian Classification Board refused their classification, and didn’t allow the game to be sold in stores, or digitally, banning them all-together because of ” violence that exceeds strong in impact“. The Australian Customs and Border Protection Service added Mortal Kombat to the prohibited items list. Warner Bros. fought the decision, trying to appeal it, but with no success – it was also banned in South Korea due to its excessive depiction of violence, blood, and gore that would come in the way of a developing young child. Alas, justice has be served in 2013 when Australia adopted the R18+ classification for video games – the ban was lifted in February of 2013, and Mortal Kombat was on shelves on 1st of May 2013.

It’s not that odd that it was banned in certain countries. The game is the living embodiment of violence. With the new added feature of energy meter, a player could harness its powers and perform counters, or deadly attacks – the most lethal one being the X-Ray move. If successfully performed the game would enter a short cinematic whereupon you could see, for example, Scorpion cracking his enemy’s skull and crushing his ribcage – auditory, and visually it’s shocking, but sweet damn if it ain’t the sweetest thing an arcade fighter lover can experience. You can watch the whole clip right here. Be advised, it’s not for the faint-hearted.

Almost every challenger has 3 fatalities available to use, and a babality – it’s like a fatality, but if the player pushes the right buttons it turns the enemy into infant. Melting faces, disembodiments, carving your name with a Katana into your arch-nemeses’ eye balls, or just simply throwing them into another hellish dimension is what makes fatalities so unique and loved – and the fact that you need to work on your button combination to get it right. If you want a dose of cruelty and despair, you can check Mortal Kombat 9’s top 15 Gruesome fatalities.

Mortal Kombat X battle

 

Come Over Here – Mortal Kombat X!

Like its predecessor, Mortal Kombat X will shock everyone, and it will surely be banned in some countries – looking at you South Korea.

Pinning two players against each-other, fighting to the death, performing special moves, on-time blocks, clenching counter-attacks, and of course the decisive X-Ray technique can alleviate a ton of stress from your daily problems – and it’s fun as hell!

NetherRealm Studios released in April of 2013 another arcade fighter game called Injustice: Gods Among us with almost the same game mechanics as Mortal Kombat X, the difference being some added features – some flopped, but some were overwhelmingly positive received by fans. In this new installment of violence and fun, the company wants to bring features from their other games. Like fighters being able to interact with the stage’s environment – bounce off of walls, use a tree as a pummelling mattress, or simply just helping yourself to a weapon that you found scattered on the floor.

Mortal Kombat X will also feature the awesome brutality. It will make a comeback from 1995’s Mortal Kombat 3 Ultimate Mortal Kombat – it’s a form of fatality that also lets you punch in a certain button combination to perform a sadistic game winning attack.

The Sprint Gauge, that was last seen in Mortal Kombat 4 will be up for use in the new game.

A new feature will be added called Quitality, and its designated more towards multiplayer – it will instantly kill the one who leaves the game before the match has finished. It’s a well thought strategy to make the multiplayer experience a better place, where quitters are a thing of the past.

Mortal Kombat X featuring Scorpion and Sub-Zero

Game modes will be back of course. The traditional Story, 1vs1, Ranked, King of the Hill, Survivor and Test your Luck will be present in the game. New modes will make their entry to the franchise. Living Towers – it’s built upon a former MK mode called ” Challenge Tower” where the play conditions will change every hour, forcing players to be focused all the time. Faction Wars will let players choose from 5 different factions  – Black Dragon, Brotherhood of Shadow, Lin Kuei, Special Forces, and White Lotus – siding them in a cross-platform tournament, and every win will add points to the team that you will represent. You will earn special rewards if your faction wins the week.

Regarding the story-line, Ed Boon, the original creator of Mortal Kombat, has stated that they want to go a different way – they are tired, and the fans are tired, of the same linear story that has plagued Mortal Kombat since its inception. It will be refreshing and ” showcasing some of the game’s oldest characters including Scorpion and Sub-Zero, while introducing new challengers that represent the forces of good and evil that tie the tale together.” said Boon.

Mortal Kombat X will add 9 new challengers to the roster of fighters: Kung Jin (cousin of Kung Lao), Takahashi Takeda (son of Kenshi), and Jacqueline Briggs (Jax’s daughter), Cassie Cage, D’Vorah, Erron Black, Ferra/Tor, Kotal Kahn.

Mortal Kombat X will be released on 14th of April 2015 for PS4, Xbox One, and PC. The PS3 and Xbox 360 release has been pushed to mid-2015. Pre-ordering the game will add Goro as a bonus fighter. The price will most likely be 59,99$, but you can buy it now on Steam for 49,99$ – a gift for early birds.

 

Image Source: 1, 2, 3, 4 

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