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Top 10 XBox One Accessories

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At first glance, you might think that if you decide to buy a device, you’ll only pay the given price and be done with it. I remember, the first time I’ve bought a smartphone, that I was thinking it will only cost me $150 which is not that much.

Well, the joke was on me, for it was not that good of an investment and I ended up paying an extra $50 on Xbox one accessories and apps. The gaming market is not different at all. You will pay an initial retail price, but in order to have the best experience possible with your console, then you will have to invest in some cool add-ons.

These are the top 10 gadgets for the Xbox One which was released in 2014.

1. An External Hard Drive

Top 10 XBox One Accessories 1There are 2 versions of the Xbox One available for purchase and both of them, regardless of the visual features, will come with only 500 GB of storage space. This does not include the ” Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare Limited Edition Xbox One” that comes with a 1 TB HDD.

Keep in mind, that only GTA V, that is a must have game in my opinion, will occupy more than 80 GB. Over the first few months, especially after installing more than 10 games, you will notice that you are running out of space.

 

Luckily, Microsoft added 2 “USB 3.0” ports in order to give their clients the option to buy additional storage. Be advised that any hard drive or flash drive that has a capacity of 256 GB or less, can be only used to preserve pictures, videos and music. If you do attach a larger than 256 GB HDD, then you will have the option to format it and then incorporate it into your storage pool.

This is a very wise investment that will definitely improve, if not save, your experience with the system. You might also want to keep an eye open for Amazon sales. For example, right now the “Seagate Expansion STBX2000401 2TB 2.5-Inch USB 3.0” portable external hard drive is available for purchase at Amazon.com for only $84,99, while the “Seagate Expansion STBX1000101 1TB Portable External USB 3.0” hard drive can be yours for $54,00.

2. Xbox One Media Remote

Number 2 on our list of XBox One Accessories is the standard wireless controller. It is truly a masterpiece. Every movement of the joystick feels right, while every button you press seems to click. In spite of these changes, it does not fix the one huge problem that all controllers seem to have.

The Xbox One is not only meant to be a game station, but also a media device that you are going to want to hook up directly to the cable box. Using the button-laden, complicated, beast of a controller for television will feel off, rather complicated and not at all fun to use.

Xbox One Media Remote 2

This is why you might want to invest in a Xbox One Media Remote. It is very easy to use, with a directional pad and lots of buttons that will make dipping in and out of applications a lot more simple. The remote, also has a “glow in the dark” feature, that will activate the moment you touch it and it is very useful for finding the exact button you need. If you are wondering if it has in-built keys for pause and play, then the answer is yes.

This device is available at Amazon.com for $24,99, but if you get it until the 31 of March, then you will only pay $16,92.

3. Turtle Beach Ear Force Stealth 500X Wireless Headset

This is not a product for everyone considering most people out there are just fine with the sound quality that comes out of their TVs. This device is more for those gamers that want to experience the highest sound quality possible while playing. For that I recommend that  you get the “Turtle Beach Ear Force Stealth 500X Wireless Headset”.

Turtle Beach Ear Force Stealth 500X Wireless Headset 3

It is a high-end gaming headset, with a microphone attached to the left side, so the user can very clearly communicate with other players. The speakers offer a 7.1 surround sound, so you will not miss any single in-game footstep, regardless of how discreet it is. The left speaker comes equipped with different remote options as well as power buttons so you will fell more comfortable while using the headset. They use a small base station that sends a signal from your console directly to the headphones.

The “Turtle Beach Ear Force Stealth 500X Premium Fully Wireless with DTS Headphone: X 7.1 Surround Sound Gaming Headset” for Xbox One is also available at Amazon.com for $229,95.

4. Xbox One Kinect 2

It comes with a 1080p camera that will precisely follow your every move, even in the dark. It is also equipped with a monitor that is able to detect your heart rate and advise you accordingly while playing those addictive dancing games.

Xbox One Kinect 2

I was very impressed by the face recognition feature. It works very well and it is surprisingly fast, adding a bit of ownership sense to your experience. It is very satisfying to walk into the room and the console to recognize and welcome you by saying “Hello Paul!”. It feels more like something out of a SciFi movie and not present-day technology.

The body tracking is also significantly improved. The fact that your character in “Kinect Sports Rivals” will, very life-like, reproduce your every motion, arm twist or dance move is actually mind-blowing. And you can do all of that while riding a jet sky. With the new, larger FOV (Field of View),the Xbox One Kinect will dramatically decrease the space requirement for you to play your games.

The “Xbox One Kinect Sensor with Dance Central Spotlight” is available for purchase at Amazon.com for $169,00.

5. Kinect TV Mount for Xbox One

We’ve talked about the new Kinect that you can mount on top of your Xbox One, now it is time to discuss what you can mount on top of the Kinect mounted on top of the Xbox One. Confusing right? Trust me when I say that it will become the second most useful accessory after the Kinect 2 itself.

Kinect TV Mount for Xbox One

This device will attach itself on the bottom of the sensor, allowing you to place the sensor on top of your TV, where it does belong, and not in front of it. By doing that, it will enable it to see your movements and hear your voice commands, with as minimal effort as possible, throughout the room.

The package comes with a plastic privacy shade, that will give those of you that need it, all the privacy that you require.

You can also buy this device at Amazon.com and depending on its manufacturer it will cost you about $20 max. I recommend the “PDP Kinect TV Mount” priced at $19,99.

6. Xbox SmartGlass

The strange thing is that this accessory does not cost any money and it isn’t sold by any retailer. This is in fact a companion application, build exclusively to enhance the Xbox One.

Xbox SmartGlass

You can log into this app in order to find your achievements, video clips, friends list and Xbox Live profile. Thanks to the in-build digital controller, you can use your tablet, or smartphone as a virtual media remote.

7. Play and Charge Kit and the Nyko Charge Base

The standard controller will manage to give you plenty of gaming hours by simply using a set of standard AA batteries, but you can enhance that time by buying a “Play and Charge” kit. This device, comes with a micro USB charging cable, long enough for most living rooms.

Play and Charge Kit and the Nyko Charge Base

If you are not comfortable with using cables or you might consider that it will ruin your room’s aesthetics, then you might consider the “Nyko Charge Base”. It will allow you to use the closest outlet in order to charge your controller and it is capable to recharge two controllers at once.

The Xbox Play and Charge Kit is available at Amazon.com for $21,99 while the Nyko Charge Base can also be purchased there, for $29,99.

8. Nyko Smart Clip

Some people like to have additional in-game information and prefer to use the “Smartglass” for navigation. This neat, little device will make sure that all the info you want will be in your sight at all times.

The Nyko Smart Clip can be yours for $9,99 at Amazon.com.

Nyko Smart Clip

9. Mad Catz Pro Racing Force Feedback Wheel

For the racing enthusiasts out there, I strongly recommend picking up this accessory. There are a lot of amazing racing games available on the Xbox One. From a fantastic simulation experience like in “Forza Motorsport 5” to the sweet arcade action of “NFS”, it has it all. Although, they play just fine with a standard controller, such breathtaking graphics combined with excellent gameplay, deserve a proper racing wheel. The Mad Catz Pro Racing Wheel promises to give you a premium driving experience and, as far as I’m concerned, it is the best available on the market.

Mad Catz Pro Racing Force Feedback Wheel

You can get it at Amazon.com for $399,99.

10. Mad Catz Arcade FightStick Tournament Edition 2

On top of great racing games, the Xbox One also has a solid library when it comes to fighting games. “Killer Instinct”, is at this moment the community’s favorite, but new games, such as the Taken games, will be heading to the Microsoft console soon. This will only make the need for a fightstick grow even more. The best option available on the market is the Mad Catz high-end fightstick (it is the official stick of Killer Instinct) , but if you are a bit short on cash then you can buy the one made by Hori, which will get the job done just as well.

Mad Catz Arcade FightStick Tournament Edition 2

The “Mad Catz Arcade FightStick Tournament Edition 2” for Xbox One costs $235,32 at Amazon.com.

I wish you good luck with your Xbox one console, and if you do not own one already, then you should know that they are available online at Amazon for the low price of $349,99. The version with the Kinect 2 sensor included costs $449,99.

This concludes our list of must-have XBox One Accessories. What do you think. Did we miss anything?

Image Sources: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9

Budget Cutting for Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter and the Mars Rover Opportunity

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The Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter and the Mars Rover Opportunity are facing a financing cut after the most recent budget discussions for 2016, according to the officials at NASA. Citing the specialists close to these projects, the mass media revealed that some American experts had believed that the orbiter and rover were not in danger because the money for them had been discussed in the complementary budgets to the White House yearly financial tasks, rather than in a budget allocated to the space sciences department.

During a decade of function, Opportunity has surpassed way beyond the initial three-month objective. Along with it, the space probe has sent numerous pictures that have fascinated and even baffled the viewers.Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter

In January, a mysterious rock that the researchers have likened to a jam doughnut (light colored around the sides with a red center) appeared in a photo when the Mars Rover had not moved on or in reverse. Scientists determined that the most likely theory was that the probe has “kicked up” the stone when it shifted into position. That move has turned the stone over, revealing a hidden part that had not been exposed for an immeasurable time, maybe billions of years.

The lunar orbiter’s primary job, finished in 2010, was to scan and map possible areas for spaceship pilots to return to the celestial satellite. More lately, it has been programmed to record the modifications produced on the lunar regions.

The plans for the two probes and others, including their future expenses, have been when the NASA Advisory Council Subcommittee met at the NASA main office in California, DC. The conference plan contained up-dates on the Mars discovery, the external planet’s exploration, near-earth things and various other subjects.

There’s challenging information forward for lovers of NASA’s plucky Chance Rover or the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter. The most reason price range suggested by Chief

Both Opportunity and the Orbiter have their supporters and adversaries. Currently, the bi-static radar is not functioning due to budgeting deficits, but the radar is still able to check the moon’s area to evaluate the activities on it and the quantities of ice in different crater pouches all over the Moon. Any realistic plans for a long-term human friendly environment would use the lunar ice for consuming it and for development.

Meanwhile, on Mars, Opportunity’s specialists just completed resetting the probe’s flash storage. For the past few years, Opportunity has been functioning with no flash hardware at all, passing the details as they were produced. Getting the rover back to its full working capacity improves the techniques to execute scientific findings and operate various tests.

The latest NASA evaluation of the Mars-based operations for cost-reliability and scientific prospective per money of expenses actually placed the Opportunity and Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter in top places for the effective use of financial resources per predicted scientific gains. This way, they defeated the bigger and more complex Curiosity that has been much more under public attention since landing on Mars four years ago.

The doubts circulating around both Opportunity and Mars Rover is an example of how a short-term objective of political forces can menace the long-term progressive goals. Both the rover and satellite can be used to collect details that are important to a future human base or community on other planets. When we consider the price of developing, examining and releasing a space device (not to mention the major risks of failure), the majority of the expenses of Mars Rover Opportunity and the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter have already happened. It is far more cost-effective to discover new ways to work with current devices than to release new components.

Image source: www.mars.nasa.gov

YouTube Presenting its Videos at 4K Resolution and 60 Frames per Second

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Before YouTube 4K resolution, not so long ago, the website has tested new features for its movie clips, such as 360-degree clips and the multi-angle function, but the famous video website is also looking forward to meet the requirements of new technological innovation before they become widely used. YouTube’s latest news show six video clips playing at a 4K resolution at 60 frames per second.

 youtube 4k resolution

The clips, which for now can only be watched on Google Chrome, have a selection of scenes from volcanic eruptions to the fan-made short movie composed of shots from the space game Star Resident. All these clips look wonderful on a complete HD display at 1080p and 60 frames per second, even if some problems appear when you change it to 4K image quality.

The main issues are that the videos will not run successfully, given that most persons do not even own a 4K display system. Moreover, another problem is data transfer usage for the actual quantity of information needed for the 4K video clips, and these might keep the web pages loading for a long time.

As the HDTV device in the recent years, the 4K display needs a period of accommodation to turn into a cost-efficient system in order to become the new norm for watching movies or music clips. To do so, it is gradually integrated into several programs such as Netflix, DirectTV, Amazon Instant Video or the Nvidia Shield. Unfortunately, the 4K devices are, however, an expensive acquisition and only the customers with thick wallets can afford to buy both the gadgets and the appropriate connection that allows an optimum data transfer.

It really is worth noting that even the 4K resolution at 60 frames per second is now on a experimental level, YouTube already offers both the image quality and frame costs independently. The Google owned company announced the 4K support for video clips back in 2011 but it was only in 2014 that short movies could be watched at 60 frames per second. Nevertheless, the mixture of these two options might still take quite a while to be fully applied on all clips uploaded on YouTube. Even so, information regarding a new product soon to be launched is a crucial problem for the early adopters and, despite the fact that there are only six videos running with the 4K resolution and 60 frames per second, it offers users an additional glance of what YouTube will present in future for its audiences.

Image source: www.hdtv.net

Apple Watch will be Bought only by Reservation Only

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As the Apple Watch release date is approaching, details about this revolutionary device have been coming out about how the company will be managing the product sales for this new gadget. According to some confidential data, Apple will not be selling the watches to walk-in clients at the release.

Apple will start by offering on the internet pre-sales of these watches from April 10, having the first supplies delivered on April 24, the day of the official Apple Watch launching. During these couple of weeks, the clients will be able to program hands-on appointments at the company stores and suppliers.

Apple-Watch

But, according to the confidential documents received from anonymous sources, Apple does not allow the any walk-in acquisitions for its watches at launch. The clients must create a “Product Reservation” on the Internet to have a particular model of the Apple Watch at a retail shop. This original “Product Reservation” program is used instead of the company’s “Personal Pickup” option for the Apple Watches. The retail records show if a customer comes in and wishes to buy a watch, he must be offered the possibility to try the watch. Then, he must be guided to place his order in online stores or through Apple Store application.

Apple probably expects low stock for its watches and notices “try-on’ sessions also cannot reserve an Apple Watch for buying it later. Apple wants to permit eventually walk-in acquisitions, but not until the initial wave of demands has passed.

The Apple Watch is probably the most expected wearable yet, since Apple has created the first watch on the highly competitive industry of the smart watches. The organization has presented also the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus in autumn last season, while Apple announced that more details about the watch and its purchasing methods will be offered at a conference in the next weeks.

During these main events, Apple revealed the official prices and the launch time frame info, providing us our first look at this wearable to come, and presented also a few of the third-party programs that will be loaded on the watch’s system at launch.

The company also programs to upgrade its shops for April 10, when its Apple Watch will be offered for trying out thanks to pre-booked sessions.

We have gathered up everything we found out so far about this model of watch, including its release date, purchasing option and pricing info. Apple has offered some range prices for the different types of smart watches. The 38 mm Watch Sport might be sold from around 500 dollars, while the bigger 42 mm model can cost up to 650 dollars.

The ‘Watch’ version will be sold from 600 dollars, going up to 1,200 dollars depending on its case and strips combinations. For example, the 38 mm Apple Watch made with the Dark Classic strap might get around 700 dollars out of your pocket, while a 42 mm model can be with 75 dollars more expensive.

Image source: www.apple.com

“Halo 5: Guardians” – New Trailers Presented on US Television

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“Halo 5: Guardians”, the Microsoft’s series of games, broadcasted the  live-action teaser for the upcoming game over the main commercial break of the famous TV series “The Walking Dead” showing that the game’s launch day for the first time: October 27 this year. It was an excellent moment to merge TV fiction with gaming sci-fi since the audience is, most of the times, the same.

Halo-5 guardians

The game trailer, that has been running since then on Hunt the Truth, Microsoft’s blog create to advertise the first-person shooters, reveals the new leading character, Jameson Locke, speaking with and about the Master Chief, with a gun pointing at the stalwart’s head. Thanks to the details about “Halo 5” coming from Microsoft, Locke has the main job of tracking and killing the Master Chief, while finding an important secret that is threatening the entire universe.

The second game trailer, broadcasted in the last hour of “The Walking Dead” presented the same scene, but with the roles of Spartan Locke and Master Chief changed. In this game trailer, Chief points his gun at Jameson. The trailer seems to suggest that this duo will fight each other in the missions, with varying views on a still unidentified disastrous event that resulted in their battle.

343 Sectors, a Microsoft-owned graphic studio creating the experience, is predicted to release many more scenes and details about “Halo 5” at a famous game-playing, E3, that will be held in July. The initial in-game preview of the missions and single-player strategies will most likely shown those days to the interested fans.

Last season Microsoft organized a multi-player try out analyze for Halo 5: Guardians by offering codes through The Master Chief Collection, this being a package of all the significant titles that had Master Chief in them, also named John 117. The set was an improved course for players to understand what was going on with Master Chief and what was predicted to occur in the next missions.

Halo 5 Guardians will, depending on what has been exposed so far, present Locke on the numerous pursuits to find the truth behind Master Chief. Both live-action game trailers presented these days, which could have represented some excellent CGI footage, seem to suggest that Locke is on a mission for revenge against the Chief. In the videos, we can see an injured and apparently dying man with a large gap in his chest area, most probably made by a bullet.

Image source: www.ign.com

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.

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.

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Jonah Becker, Design Chief from HTC Quit

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jonah beckerThe design chief from HTC, Jonah Becker who oversaw the development of the new HTC One M9, has called it quits.

Jonah Becker, associate vice president of industrial design from HTC, announced on his Twitter on Thursday that he has left the company. He did not reveal what his future plans were, but he did ask his followers to stay tuned for more information. Becker had been working for HTC for less than a year. He replaced Scott Croyle in April of 2014.

This isn’t the only change that HTC is going through, just last week the company revealed that chairwoman and co-founder Cher Want was going to replace CEO Peter Chou. Chou isn’t leaving for good, as he will remain on board to help develop new products for HTC.

Becker was the person in charge of overseeing the development of a plethora of products, including the company’s recently released flagship, the HTC One M9 smartphone.

The HTC One M9 received rave reviews and the only negative criticism was the fact that it was hardy distinguishable in terms of design from its predecessor.

Becker and HTC have both announced that they were looking forwards to a new adventure, but the reason why Becker chose to leave HTC is unknown and it is probably going to remain that way.

HTC was quick to announce that it has replaced Becker with creative director Daniel Hundt.

HTC is beginning to branch out with a wide range of gadgets, including the HTC Vive VR headset and the HTC Grip fitness band.

Image Source: Ibtimes

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