Parallels Desktop 11 gives Cortana a native home on your Mac
Parallels launched the latest version of its desktop virtualization software for OS X users. Even though Parallels 10 allowed OS X users to run Windows 10 alongside OS X without requiring a reboot, the new Parallels Desktop 11 brings added features that make Windows feel native on the Mac.
In a demonstration of Parallels Desktop 11 ahead of its launch, Nick Dobrovolskiy, VP of Development of Parallels Desktop, showed that Windows 10 can look as if it's native to OS X. Rather than running Windows in a virtualized window on OS X, the Coherence Mode, which is now available for Windows 10 on Parallels Desktop 11, puts Windows apps in the OS X dock at the bottom.
With Coherence on, you won't even notice you're running Windows as there is no virtualize window. Windows apps take on the Windows UI, but they each open in their own separate window, just like native OS X apps.
Hey, Cortana
Another big change for Parallels Desktop 11 is that Cortana can live natively on OS X thanks to Coherence Mode. Not only will Cortana look like she belongs on your Mac, but she can also be commanded to launch your Mac apps.
"Hey, Cortana," Dobrovolskiy commanded, "Launch Chrome on my Mac," and the Chrome browser for Mac opens. If you just say "Launch Chrome," then the Windows version will open, so it's important to add the "on my Mac" distinction at the end of your command.
Other new innovations
In addition to Cortana and Coherence Mode support, Parallels Desktop makes use of native Mac gestures. With Force Touch, you can also use Mac's Quick Look feature to get a preview of your Windows file. This brings Mac support to Windows.
And because OS X supports voice dictation, you can use your Mac's voice dictation feature in Windows 10 apps. Dobrovolskiy launched the Microsoft Word program for Windows on his MacBook Air and launched OS X's voice dictation to dictate, rather than type, text.
To conserve battery life, the new Travel Mode shuts down select system resources while you're away from your power outlet.
Parallels Desktop 11 can also use your Mac's location information, which is useful when asking Cortana to look up nearby restaurants, map your directions or get weather information.
Pricing
Parallels Desktop 11 is available for $79 (£50, AU$107). Users upgrading from Parallels Desktop 9 or Parallels Desktop 10 can pay the $49 (£31, AU$66) upgrade charge.If you don't want to virtualize Windows 10 and prefer to dual-boot instead, Apple added support for Microsoft's latest OS for its Boot Camp utility.
- Read our review of Windows 10
Read More ...
Bionic arm brings Intel's vision of personalized computing to life
New innovations are making technological products more accessible. One of the finalists for Intel's Make it Wearable challenge showed that a bionic arm, traditionally sold for $10,000, can be obtained for as little as $3,000.
Designed by the Open Bionics team, the 3D printed bionic arm is constructed with polymers with varying levels of firmness. The part that attaches to an amputee's limb is made with a softer, more flexible material, while the hand and fingers are more rigid and firm.
At the technology showcase at IDF 2015, Open Bionics showed the arm in action. A band, with sensors and a custom board with Intel's Quark microprocessor, is attached to the wearer's forearm. When the sensors detect muscle contractions in your forearm, the hands and fingers move.
Internet of Things and wearables
Wearables and the design of personalized, connected accessories are the highlights of Intel CEO Brian Krzanich's keynote on Tuesday morning. Intel showed off the power of its Intel Curie processor for IoT devices, which is based on the Quark design, in a variety of different applications, including as sensors for BMX bicycles.
Open Bionics's bionic arm certainly fits Krzanich's vision for Intel's future. The diminutive Quark microprocessor inside the arm provides powerful instructions to control individual finger movement and helps users articulate the hand. According to the team, the bionic hand can grip a bottle of water, but I wasn't able to witness that in the IDF demo.
Additonally, with 3D printing, upgrading the bionic arm will be less expensive than commercial solutions available today. Open Bionics informed me that the arm must be adjusted as a user grows, especially in the case of pediatric amputees. With the Open Bionics solution, the battery, electronic components and Quark processor can be saved and reused. All that is needed is a new 3D printed arm in a larger size.
While it's easy to imagine a fun and immersive world of IoT gadgets, computing doesn't get anymore personal than a connected limb attached to your body.
- Read our coverage of the IDF 2015 keynote
Read More ...
UPDATED: Intel's Skylake breaks seven clockspeed records
Skylake has been the talk of the town since it was unveiled two weeks ago. Today, at Intel's developer's conference, IDF 2015, the chip's manufacturer provided additional details about the processor's 14nm architecture.
By leveraging a wider core than its predecessors, Skylake is designed to provide smarter instructions for each intended processing action, as well as improved energy efficiency. The chip, although featuring a wider core, will be smaller than previous Broadwell and Haswell processors, which will help Intel sell it to manufacturers as a processor for wearables and other small form factor computers.
When overclocked, Skylake broke seven world records and was able to achieve speeds of 6.8 GHz quad-core, with DDR4 data-reading at 4,795MT per second and a base clock rate of 552 MHz.
What else can it do?
The chip is also being marketed to help boost display output and energy performance, as well as image signal processing on cameras. Intel claims Skylake can power a 13 megapixel camera with zero shutterlag, and record up to 2160 resolution video from four cameras with two running simultaneously.Additionally, the Skylake chip offers enhanced graphics performance by leveraging embedded dynamic random access memory (eDRAM) and up to OpenGL 4.4 APIs. On Skylake, eDRAM is called eDRAM+, and this memory will serve as a cache for both the CPU and GPU. This will help bring improved performance to general computing tasks and not just gaming.
Skylake can also be used to drive video output to multiple displays, even on mobile form factors. In a gaming demonstration, Kirk Skaugen, Intel Client Computing Group Senior Vice President and General Manager, said that even a slim device, like a prototype Microsoft Surface Pro tablet, can drive up three 4K displays at 60 frames per second.
However, when asked about specific details about Skylake, Julius Mandelblat, Senior Principle Engineer at Intel declined to comment, noting that "today is not the launch of Skylake." The chip won't come for another couple of weeks, according to another Intel official in the room.
Shifting Speeds
A new feature called Speed Shift will help Skylake remain efficient while delivering high performance. Speed Shift allows the processor to change its power state, which will make the computing experience feel more responsive.This will help PCs resume more quickly and perform better when in a power-saving state, features both beneficial to notebook users.
Intel did not provide details on what kind of battery life gains you can expect from Skylake over the current Fifth Generation Broadwell architecture during the IDF session. Likely, these details will arrive when the chip launches officially.
On lock down
In addition to delivering better performance, Intel introduced two new security extensions to help safeguard your system. With Software Guard Extension, or SGX, Intel hopes to reduce privilege attacks.The second extension is the Memory Protection Extension, or MPX, which can "help identify errant pointer usage prior to release as well as mitigate exposure at runtime."
- Read our Skylake review
Read More ...
Intel Optane brings the storage octane to SSDs
With a dense, stackable design, Intel has been promoting the merits of 3D XPoint as being significantly faster than the storage available today. The technology was developed jointly between Intel and Micron, and at IDF 2015 Intel CEO Brian Krzanich announced that Intel will be bringing 3D XPoint to market in 2016 under its Intel Optane brand.
Optane promises to be 1,000 times faster with 1,000 times the endurance of NAND while being 10 times denser than conventional memory.
Because memory is written at the cell level rather than in block arrays, data can be accessed more quickly and efficiently with Optane's 3D XPoint technology.
On stage, Krzanich showed that an early prototype of an Optane SSD can access data up to seven times faster than Intel's leading NAND-based solid state drive. Krzanich says that this is the world's first live demonstration of 3D XPoint in action.
Form factors
Intel said that Optane products will be available in standard solid state PCIe form factors as well as a DIMM module. The PCIe form factor can be used in form factors spanning Ultrabooks to servers, while the DIMM module can be used in Xeon-based systems for more bandwidth.Intel did not announce pricing for Optane.
The 2016 availability matches what Micron announced. In late June, Intel and Micron told TechRadar that even though the technology is jointly developed, each company will go to market separately with its own products.
According to Intel, 3D XPoint and Optane is the first memory breakthrough in 25 years since the arrival of NAND.
Intel said that when coupled with Skylake and the new integrated Iris and Iris Pro graphics, gamers will also see speed improvements with Optane, Intel said in a separate gaming-focused session at IDF. Optane can lead to more realistic and immersive gaming experiences with faster refresh rates.
For enterprises, Optane can be used for faster data analysis and real-time analytics.
- Read our guide on how to replace the SSD in your business notebook
Read More ...
Intel appeals to gamers with Skylake's improved Iris graphics
Over $34 billion are spent on PC games this year. Worldwide, there are 1.8 billion gamers, of which 1.2 billion consider themselves to be active gamers. Active gamers pay for a new game each month, and they upgrade their systems every two to three years on average, compared with PC users who hold onto their PCs for around six years.
These numbers are important to Intel, which hopes that users will upgrade to its Sixth Generation Skylake processors. At IDF 2015, Doug Fisher, Senior Vice President and General Manager of Intel's Software and Services Group, and Kirk Skaugen, Senior Vice President and General Manager of Intel Client Computing Group, showed off key features of Intel's hardware that make it appealing to gamers.
Not only does Skylake provide CPU improvements over the previous Fifth Generation Broadwell architecture, but Fisher and Skaugen pointed out that Skylake will also come with improved graphics capabilities with Intel's integrated Iris and Iris Pro.
How gaming is beneficial
Gaming is not just about play. Gamification in schools can help motivate students and encourage learning. 74% of teachers use games in curriculum, according to Fisher, and games can help the elderly keep their minds active.Gaming also affects non-gamers as well. Doctors who spend on average three hours a week playing games make 37% fewer errors and operate 27% faster in surgeries. Fisher notes that games help refine motor skills.
The hardware
Intel announced its Skylake processors at Computex, which comes with an overclocked K SKU for gamers. These performance machines also comes with Intel's integrated Iris and Iris Pro graphics. Overclocked systems come can go in excess of 4GHz with multi-core setups.On stage, Skaugen showed off the power of Skylake, which not only can handle 4K UHD video output at 60 frames per second, but can do so on up to three 4K displays. Iris graphics can pump video out to three 4K monitors simultaneously, so gamers will be able to create a multi-monitor setup with Intel's integrated graphics.
For professional users, the improved CPU and GPU performance of Skylake means that you can also setup workstations with multiple screens. But beyond that, Intel is pushing performance into smaller packages so that slim devices, like a prototype Microsoft Surface Pro tablet with Skylake, can also push out 4K video to three displays. This brings the power of a desktop down to even mobile devices.
Performance will also be improved with Intel's Optane memory, which is based on the previously announced 3D XPoint memory architecture. Optane will hit SSDs next year, said CEO Brian Krzanich in his IDF keynote Tuesday morning, providing speeds up to seven times that of NAND storage.
Optane's fast speeds will allow games to look more realistic with faster refresh rates, and enterprise customers can also perform real-time analytics on larger data sets.
Personalized and immersive gaming
With its RealSense 3D camera, Intel wants the gaming experience to be personalized. RealSense can be used for the front-facing camera on tablets and phones to enable gesture input as well as on the rear of the camera to scan objects for simulation.As part of his demonstration, Skaugen showed that you can use the rear camera to scan yourself. It takes Skylake about two to three minutes to render your scanned image, but once this is completed, you can insert yourself into the game to create a highly personalized gamin experience.
In another example, objects are scanned into the game. For instance, healing objects and health objects in the game, which are depicted as first aid kids in some current games, can be replaced with whatever you choose. In the Intel demo, a koala bear was scanned and used as a healing object in a game that is developed with China-based Tencent.
- Read our Intel Skylake review
Read More ...
Xbox's latest update adds 1080p, 60fps game streaming
The latest Xbox update is officially bringing users 1080p, 60 frames-per-second game streaming.
According to Major Nelson's blog, the update begins rolling out today and will let users easily stream games from your Xbox One to Windows 10 devices in 'high-res HD quality'.
All you'll need to do is going into the settings of the Xbox app on Windows 10, go to Game Streaming, then change the video encoding level to 'Very High'.
Of course, as Major Nelson points out, "the new streaming capability works best for gamers who have home networks with adequate bandwidth."
The update also adds other features, including the ability to disable notifications when in an online game or party, the ability to invite or chat to friends with just a right click of your mouse and being able to easily compare Achievements with friends.
The Xbox app on Windows 10 also gets an update that fixes some issues that users were having related to signing in, localization, and game streaming.
- We take a look at what the Xbox Two will be like
Read More ...
The speech system used by Stephen Hawking is now free for everyone
Intel has released the open-source code of the speech system it made and developed for Stephen Hawking.
Called the Assistive Context-Aware Toolkit (ACAT), the system was developed to help Hawking, who suffers from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, communicate using very little movement.
ACAT currently uses an infrared sensor or camera, which detects facial movements, while the computer interface uses these movements to select letters and a predictive software helps complete full words. The interface can also be used to access the internet or to use different programs.
Expanding uses
By releasing the source code, project leaders behind ACAT are hoping the developers will be able to modify and expand the uses of the system."After Intel deployed the system to Professor Hawking, we turned our attention to the larger community and continued to make ACAT more configurable to support a larger set of users with different conditions," Intel said on its website.
"Our hope is that, by open sourcing this configurable platform, developers will continue to expand on this system by adding new user interfaces, new sensing modalities, word prediction and many other features."
ACAT is now available to download through GitHub, while Intel's site provides other documentation and guides too, but you should note that it is only available for PCs right now.
Read More ...
Updated: Apple Music is already struggling to keep users, survey finds
Update: Apple is having none of the survey, claiming that 79% of people who signed up for Apple Music are still using it.
The company sent a statement to The Verge saying just that, refuting the MusicWatch survey's claim that 48% have stopped using the service. Apple didn't offer any more details, though its user data is certainly more thorough than MusicWatch, which polled 5,000 US-based users.
With Apple Music's free trial period coming to an end in September, we'll have to wait and see who continues using the service and who opts out once they're forced to start paying.
Original article below...
A new survey suggests Apple maybe struggling to keep Apple Music subscribers after their free trials comes to an end.
According to the survey, which was conducted by music industry research company MusicWatch, 61% of trial users have already turned off their subscription auto-renewal, while 48% have stopped using it altogether.
Meanwhile, only 30% of users are tuning in to Beats 1 radio.
Of course, it should be noted that the survey consists of only 5,000 US users, which is rather a small sampling of the 11 million users that reportedly signed up to try the music streaming service.
The good news
While the survey does indicate that at least 64% of Apple Music users are likely to continue their subscription after the free trial period ends, it's still rather a low percentage given the competition it faces.There are some good numbers for Apple's offering, especially in terms of Spotify, as 28% of Apple Music users are also Spotify Premium subscribers.
In terms of free services, however, the survey says only 11% of Spotify Free users and 6% of Pandora users also use Apple Music.
But there's apparently 23% of iOS users that are still unaware Apple Music, which does give room for Apple to first educate and try to sell Music to them.
Still, Apple Music is coming in to a saturated market, and with it having launched only two months ago, we'll have to wait a bit longer to see how it ends up stacking against the competition.
Read More ...
Intel brings RealSense 3D cameras to Project Tango smartphones
At IDF 2015, Intel CEO Brian Krzanich announced Tuesday that Intel is partnering with Google to bring Intel's RealSense 3D camera to Google's Project Tango smartphone. Krzanich showed off a prototype of the un-named smartphone prototype, which is running the company's Atom processor and comes with a 6-inch display.
RealSense 3D enables more computing possibilities on a smartphone. For one, users can begin making 3D scans and models in real-time.
At the technology showcase at IDF, the prototype that I played with came pre-loaded with a few apps and games that benefit from the "world-oriented," otherwise known as rear-mounted," dual-camera setup.
Mapping the world
Beyond just simple scans, you can map the world around you with RealSense 3D. By using the camera, users can begin modeling their living room or garden, and then they can build off of that map by placing furniture, flowers or plants into the space. This would be a good app for a landscape or interior designer.Architects can also create immersive building experiences. They can create a home, for example, and then with the camera, they can walk through and traverse the different rooms in the home on a 3D augmented reality tour with their smartphone display.
In the example shown at the technology showcase, Intel staff members at the Project Tango booth built a brick home, and you can virtually "crawl" through the brick rooms.
Entertainment
Rather than strapping a phone to your head a la augmented reality and virtual reality glasses, you can attach a RealSense-enabled phone onto toys and peripherals to enhance the experience.
In another demonstration, Intel attached the phone to a Nerf-like gun. Rather than shooting real Nerf ammunition, you get an augmented reality experience. This could very well be the perfect toy for parents as kids won't be able to do any "real" damage with their virtual bullets.
Cost
Intel said that the Project Tango phone shown at IDF 2015 is only a prototype and it's up to OEMs to bring RealSense to market. Intel isn't disclosing component costs, saying it varies by volume. The company would not disclose what type of premium a phone with RealSense will have when questioned.- Read our coverage of RealSense for Windows Hello authentication
Read More ...
This tool turns your pictures into abstract emoji art
The Internet makes many great things possible. Saving files to the cloud, or streaming music from services like Spotify wouldn't be possible without it. But let's take a moment to celebrate a site that harnesses the power of the web to do something so completely silly that it's almost beautiful. Nah, who am I kidding? It is beautiful.
Eric Andrew Lewis' Emoji Mosaic tool takes any photo you upload and converts it into, you guessed it, a mosaic made up entirely of emoji. All of those little symbols you use to convey words and feelings can now actually paint a pretty picture. Of course, we made a few to get you inspired to try it yourself.
Have fun making your own Emoji Mosaic right here
Via Boing Boing
Read More ...
The search for the Fourth Protocol – the missing link of the IoT
Introduction and industrial issues
There are now twice the number of connected devices on the planet than humans. From smart meters and thermostats to pumps, smart motors, sensors, and robots, there is no lingua franca in the IoT. Amid competing technologies including Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, cellular and radio frequency, and many iterations of each, the communications landscape is confusing. The Internet of Things – so often used only as slang for enabling devices to become 'smart' – has a missing link.What does the regular IoT use?
While consumer devices have relied largely on Wi-Fi and Bluetooth – thanks to their inclusion in smartphones, tablets and everything else created for the home – industry has been using Wi-Fi and ZigBee. The latter, also known as 802.15.4, is expected to increase almost fivefold in popularity over the next five years, rising from just under 425 million today to over 2.1 billion in 2019, according to ABI Research."The low-power, low-cost, mesh networking capabilities of 802.15.4 networks make them the primary wireless technology choice across a number of different vertical markets including home, building and industrial automation, smart metering, and home entertainment," says Andrew Zignani, Research Analyst at ABI Research. ZigBee is expected to see its strongest growth in the home automation market, where the share of total ZigBee shipments will rise from around 9% today to 28% in 2019. However, the industrial IoT has other plans.
Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, cellular or radio frequency?
In the IoT as a whole, all of these typical wireless protocols are being used. "Standards in the IoT space are somewhat in their infancy, but I would expect a bias to Wi-Fi due to its ubiquity in the home, and Bluetooth LE for devices paired with mobile phones taken from the home," says Phil Williams, Principal Architect, Rackspace, who also thinks that Power Line connectivity provides a simple plug-and-play approach when teamed up with an internet-connected gateway device.Cellular connectivity via the mobile phone network dominates in asset tracking, commercial transportation and video surveillance. For instance, AT&T offers a service that uses a SIM card to track a piece of artwork as it's flown between exhibitions, or containers on cargo ships.
"Generally these are not seen as communication protocols, but more like types of 'pipes'," says Martin Poppelaars, Vice President of EMEA Sales at global remote IT management company Lantronix, on the subject of Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, cellular and radio frequency.
Why Wi-Fi doesn't fly
It's rather obvious that Wi-Fi doesn't work well over large areas, such as manufacturing plants and especially when equipment is either mobile or in remote locations, such as oil rigs, wind farms, streetlights and farming equipment."We're seeing that Wi-Fi is certainly taking the lead for consumer-based IoT solutions, which makes sense – Wi-Fi in the home is ubiquitous and very cost effective," says Nav Dhunay CEO and founder of Canada-based Ambyint, which has developed an IIoT platform for oil rigs. "However in industrial applications that's not the case … the selection of the protocol really comes down to the problem you are trying to solve, and we're finding that both low powered RF and cellular are a good strategy for IIoT."
Why is the industrial IoT different?
Smart buildings, grids, meters and agriculture are now being constructed across the planet, and it's this Industrial IoT that the likes of Siemens, GE and Rockwell, as well as IT companies like Cisco, Intel, Oracle and Qualcomm, are most interested in. However, Wi-Fi and ZigBee are unlikely to triumph."While the IoT has evolved with the use of Wi-Fi and ZigBee, these are still limited by battery life, insufficient cell coverage and unmanaged local area networks (LANs)," says Olivier Hersent, the CEO, CTO and Founder of Actility, a provider of network solutions and managed information systems for the Internet of Things (IoT) market. "The IoT on an industrial scale will be about '0G' rather than 4G or even 5G."
Emerging platforms and standards
What is the 'fourth protocol'?
The battle is on. Low-powered radio frequency is seen as the missing link for the industrial IoT, but which flavour will win out remains unclear. So far it's a battle between Sigfox and Actility, both of which offer narrowband technologies designed to allow equipment to frequently send limited data back to a central server, often many hundreds of miles away.Crucially, the power demands are so low that solar power can be used; the maintenance-heavy batteries required to power frequent cellular transmission aren't needed. However, while SigFox is an ultra-narrowband technology and nothing else, Actility is a package – and the search for the IoT's 'fourth protocol' isn't just about technology, it's a search for a platform, too.
"Unfortunately there is not a common language that can be used within the IIoT space," says Dhunay. "There are a few companies that are certainly looking to create some standards, such as GE and its Predix platform, but certainly there needs to be a lot of work done around the creation of a standard."
An emerging IoT platform?
There are other emerging platforms – including the home-centred Google Brillo and Samsung's ARTIK (which includes SigFox) – but the most convincing attempt at a platform for industrial machine-to-machine communications is GE Predix Cloud.Aimed at aviation, energy, healthcare and transportation industries – among many others – this software platform is all about using the big data collected by IoT devices and sensors to predict failures before they happen, and optimising supply chains with the aim of reducing risk and cost, and increasing the lifespan of machines. As well as coming from a giant-sized industrial company, GE Predix will involve apps.
"A cloud built exclusively to capture and analyse machine data will make unforeseen problems and missed opportunities a complication of the past," said Harel Kodesh, Vice President, General Manager of Predix at GE Software. "GE's Predix Cloud will unlock an industrial app economy that delivers more value to machines, fleets and factories – and enable a thriving developer community to collaborate and rapidly deploy industrial applications in a highly protected environment."
Whether GE Predix dominates remains to be seen but a collaborative ecosystem is just what the industrial IoT needs.
The emergence of common standards
There are some standards now gaining wide acceptance among IoT device makers, developers and operators. "Linux and Python are both used as IoT scripting languages," says Poppelaars, who bemoans the lack of a defined common language to connect pumps, motors, sensors and robots."The industry standard for hardware communication in the IoT sphere is MQTT, which is a message queuing protocol," adds Mike Crooks, head of Mubaloo Innovation Lab, which works on location-based technologies. "While this isn't a language, it provides a common set of standards which devices can be built to emit." It's also fair to say that for beacons – despite being Apple and Google platforms – Bluetooth is the de-facto protocol.
Work is being done, with the Allseen Alliance's AllJoyn, Industrial Internet Consortium, IPSO Alliance, Open Interconnect Consortium, and IEEE all developing competing standards. It's largely a battle between tech and telecoms companies, and no single standard will emerge anytime soon.
However, in all this talk of the varying technologies vying for the title of 'the fourth protocol', it's wise to remember that over 95% of industrial automation systems in factories and manufacturing plants is wired, not wireless.
Read More ...
Razer made a slick 3D camera for desktop gaming and VR
Razer is tapping into the power of Intel's RealSense technology with a new camera aimed at desktop gaming and virtual reality.
The tube-shaped camera, which while aimed at consumers doesn't yet have a consumer-ready name, will allow for a multitude of experiential applications around game broadcasting and VR gaming, according to Razer.
One noted function is automatic background removal, allowing streamers to remove or replace their setting for "a more entertaining and immersive experience."
RealSense cameras also let users scan 3D objects and pick up motion and gestures, similar to the Xbox One Kinect, and bring them into a digital world. Not only are inanimate objects scannable - so are people.
This is just the beginning for Razer's RealSense camera as the company anticipates more functions popping up down the road.
"Gamers will, we expect, be able to enhance their broadcasting and VR experience in unprecedented ways," said Razer CEO Min-Liang Tan in a press release.
The final design is subject to change, and we've asked Razer about an anticipated release time frame.
Intel also joined up with Razer's Open Source Virtual Reality platform as a participant. With access to Intel's RealSense camera technology at its fingertips, OSVR should get a hearty boost in creating more immersive VR experiences.
- Have you read our impressions of the Oculus Rift?
Read More ...
Samsung Galaxy Note 5 display rated as 'best ever tested' on a phone
There's a crystal clear winner among best smartphone displays, and it's the Samsung Galaxy Note 5, according to display experts today.
Its 5.7-inch Super AMOLED screen technology has the highest absolute color accuracy, highest peak brightness and highest contrast rating in ambient light.
Think the previous record-holder, the Galaxy Note 4, looked good? The Galaxy Note 5 improves upon it with slightly lower screen reflectance and up to 23% more brightness.
It achieves this with 21% better power efficiency, according to DisplayMate. That should really help with Note 5's smaller 3,000mAh battery, down from its predecessor's 3,220 mAh capacity.
What's even more interesting
Samsung's display research efforts may have come to a peak with the Galaxy Note 5 and also-lauded Galaxy S6 Edge+.Their 2560 x 1400 pixel resolution and 518ppi look "perfectly sharp for normal 20/20 human vision under all normal viewing."
It's gotten to a point where DisplayMate calls it "absolutely pointless" to further increase the display resolution and pixels per inch. It's a "marketing wild goose chase into the stratosphere."
Instead, the suggests is that Samsung and other phone manufacturers focus on improving real world display performance in ambient light among their OLED and LCD panels.
Of course, real world picture quality and screen readability in ambient light aren't backed up by the sexy numbers of skyrocketing resolutions and pixels per inch. At least not yet.
- This is why Samsung leads our defintive best phones list
Read More ...
Intel focuses on smarter wearables at IDF 2015
At IDF 2015, Intel focuses on the computing experience, rather than its big name processor, like Skylake. CEO Brian Krzanich highlighted the computing experiences that's enabled by devices like Intel's RealSense 3D camera, the Intel Curie platform for Internet of Things and wearables.
The computing experience is delivered based on three assumptions, Krzanich said during his keynote. These include sensification, smart and connected devices and experiences that are more personal and an extension of you.
Sensing with RealSense
With sensification, Intel hopes that its developer partners will work to deliver a more immersive computing experience. Instead of being confined to a 2D world, that's often defined by a keyboard and mouse experience, sensification brings added dimensions to the computing experience with feedback.With Intel Smart Sound technology, for example, Intel adds extra capabilities into the Cortana digital assistant on Windows 10. There is an integrated digital signal processor that's always listening, and this allows you to use voice to wake up your PC from a power saving state.
On stage, Krzanich's team showed that you can say "Hey Cortana, wake up" to command your PC to wake up your PC. It takes about five seconds for the PC to wake up from hibernation with just your voice command.
With RealSense, Intel is expanding the use beyond just password authentication. Working with Google, Intel is bringing RealSense to smartphones like Project Tango. With RealSense on your phone, you can use the camera to create 3D scans and maps.
RealSense is not only a great camera, Krzanich said, but it can also measure depth and positioning. As one example, Intel talked about a drone equipped with RealSense navigating through a forest of trees. Called the "Game of Drones," Krzanich said that RealSense, along with fast, real-time computing, helped the drone avoid crashing into trees.
RealSense can also power the next generation of robotics. Working with Savioke, RealSense can be added to robot butlers, like the Relay. This way, robots can navigate around the physical world and avoid obstacles, preventing collisions with humans.
To make RealSense smarter, Intel says you can add connectivity to bring real-time feedback. One example is a new smart mirror developed by Memoi that is available at high-end retailer Nieman Marcus. These mirrors can superimpose different color options on clothing, so you can try on a red jacket and see how a blue, black or purple jacket will look on you.
When you're done trying it on, you can share the images and videos with friends so they can help you decide what's the best color and fit.
For gamers, Razer is making a RealSense peripheral that can track where your eyes are looking in a game. In a demonstration of a racing game, when the player moves his focus, the view of the game also adjusts on the screen. Turn your head to the left, and the view of your race shifts to the left. This makes gaming more immersive, Krzanich said.
Smart devices that securely connect
A connected Nabi babyseat is another way that connectivity can make IoT more practical. If the Nabi babyseat buckle is connected, and you walk out of Bluetooth range of the seat, your phone will send you visual and audible alerts to warn you that your baby is still in the seat.
Intel says that this will help prevent the deaths of forty or so babies that are left behind in car seats everywhere.
Additionally, Intel is working with partners Microchip and Amtel to bring its Enhanced Privacy ID, or EPIC, security to IoT devices. EPIC brings silicon-level root of trust security to deliver secure, anonymous communications for IoT devices.
A simple way to make computing personal is to expand into the wearables space. Intel partner Fossil Group showed off a collection of braccelets, smart watches and a connected watch with a digital display on stage. Fossil says that its watches will be available under its own brand as well as through partner brands, like Armani, Michael Kors and Tory Burch.
For IoT devices, Intel showed off the capabilities of its Intel Curie processor, which is the brains behind gadgets that need to connect.
For example, in extreme sports, like BMX biking, Curie can be embedded into the handle bars and car seats, and Intel says that additional sensors can even connect to Curie. Curie gives real-time data on the movement of the handles, rotation and how the bike's body moves.
This data allows the athlete to train better and for the audience to understand how tricks and stunts are performed.
Personalized experiences
Wearables can also make it more safe and easy for log into your computer. Similar to how Apple Pay requires you to authenticate once on the Apple Watch, a new Intel bracelet prototype allows you to quickly log into Windows 10 when you're within proximity of your PC.To keep things even more secure, once you take your bracelet off, you'll need to authenticate again with your password. This way, if someone steals your laptop and your wearable, they can't access your data.
The technology integrates with Bluetooth Low Energy, uses Intel's ID IQ and integrates with TrueKey.
To bring more devices to market, Intel partnered with famed reality television producer Mark Burnett to host a new competition called the America's Greatest Maker's challenge, with winners set to receive $1 million. The challenge, hopefully, will bring more personal and connected devices that helps bridge the digital and physical world.
Read More ...
Microsoft unveils the newest preview build of Windows 10 for PCs
Microsoft has unveiled the next preview build of Windows 10 for PCs and large-format tablets. Build 10525 features enhanced customization options and a better way to automatically manage memory usage.
The new build is an example of how Microsoft plans to test changes for Windows 10, which will now include mandatory sporadic updates. Microsoft will test a new build and then, after a satisfactory trial period, make the new features and fixes available to the general public.
For this build, Windows 10 users stressed the importance of color enhancement options for the Start, Acton Center, Taskbar and Title bars, which in previous builds had been set to a default bluish gray. Now, with Build 10525, you can go in and edit the color to your heart's content. It is immediately unclear what the color options are, but we'll head in and give the new build a perusing tonight.
Microsoft is also touting the advantages of its new Memory Manager setting, which compresses unused files and activities - rather than writing them to disk - in order to reduce the amount of memory used per process. Essentially, your computer will be leveraging in-memory computing to minimize the size of inactive files in order to provide faster response times to your actions.
Still not perfect
Several issues exist within Build 10525. Mobile hotspots will not get a valid IP address from external devices, so you won't be able to access the web without a Wi-Fi or ethernet connection.Optional language packs will not be available, but Microsoft said it will add them to the build later this week.
What else is new?
Microsoft recently made the next version of Windows 10 Mobile available to testers. The updated preview, Build 10512, features improvements to overall performance, as well as interface changes and bug fixes.The mobile version of the operating system is expected to be complete in November. The first devices to get the mobile version will be the Lumia 430, Lumia 435, Lumia 532, Lumia 535, Lumia 540, Lumia 640, Lumia 640 XL, Lumia 735, Lumia 830, and Lumia 930.
- If you're interested in previewing the mobile operating system, check out this primer on how to download the preview today.
Read More ...
Fossil flashes its first Android Wear smartwatch
Fossil is getting into the wearable game as the company announced its first Android Wear smartwatch, developed in partnership with Intel.
At the Intel Developers Forum, the watch maker revealed a trio of "connected accessories" powered by Intel. Fossil, being more of a fashion brand than a straight-forward watch maker, introduced a connected bracelet, a connected watch (seemingly not running Android Wear), and, finally, a smartwatch running the Google-made OS.
Upon first blush, Fossil's Android Wear smartwatch looks like a carbon fiber copy of the Moto 360 from its circular frame down to the black bar on its chin. Of course, unlike Motoralla, LG and Samsung, you can be sure Fossil will include more aesthetic options, including silver and gold trim with leather and metal bands - similar to the more expensive versions of the Apple Watch.
Fossil's Greg McKelvey also noted his fashion brand will make connected watches for Michael Kors and Kate Spade as well.
Fossil plans to announce more details in the future, including features, price and the smartwatch's final name.
- 10 things you should know about Samsung's first circular smartwatch
Read More ...
Google wants you to stop Googling 'best router' by making its own
Think routers are complicated? Google has just announced its own router solution, called OnHub, that it hopes will simplify getting your home connected.
While it resembles Amazon's smart speaker Echo, OnHub is purely a router that Google says is easy to set up, manage and troubleshoot.
It uses an app, available on iOS and Android, from which you can manage your connected devices, see what speeds each device is getting, as well as prioritize each connection.
The app will also help troubleshoot network issues and give suggestions if there is a connection problem.
A better connection?
Google says the OnHub's cylindrical design allows for better Wi-Fi penetration throughout the house. It has also focused on the look of the router so you won't feel the need to hide it away where it might effect Wi-Fi performance."We replaced unruly cords and blinking lights with internal antennas and subtle, useful lighting, so you'll be happy placing OnHub out in the open, where your router performs its best," it said in a blog post.
Made in partnership with TP-Link, the OnHub has 13 antennas inside and supports 802.11ac and 5GHz Wi-Fi, with the router automatically detecting the best channel to broadcast on.
Currently, the OnHub also supports Bluetooth and Google's own Weave smart home language, with the search-giant saying the router will be able to support smart home devices in the future.
The OnHub is up for pre-orders in the US today for $199.99 (about £127.70/AU$272.56), and it'll be on shelves starting August 31 in the US and Canada. There's no word yet on if it will be available globally.
- The best connected home gadgets right now and coming soon
Read More ...
In Depth: How the iPhone 6S could control your home
Introduction to HomeKit
It seemed as if Apple was taking over the household with its Macs, iPhones, iPads and the Apple TV, but now the Cupertino company wants to control your smart home.That may happen starting with the iPhone 6S in September with its still vague HomeKit intentions. It wasn't a big focus at June's WWDC, but the company did add iOS 9 support for motorized window shades and new sensor classes, like motion and carbon-monoxide detectors.
Modest as they may seem, these impressive additions all work toward making your home more efficient. It could rival Google's convenient and energy-efficient Nest innovations.
Will the iPhone 6S be the central hub for your smart home? Apple is clearly pushing its software in that direction from everything that we have seen so far.
What is HomeKit?
Home automation is in a state of chaos, requiring an individual application for each smart home component you buy. Apple aims to simplify this through the HomeKit framework, which was originally thought to be built into iOS 8, but now we won't see it until iOS 9 launches this fall alongside the iPhone 6S.Apple created the HomeKit framework so that any smart home device from any manufacturer could be understood without the need for an individual application for each component you buy. Not only that, but HomeKit also takes advantage of Siri, allowing you to control your home with just your device and your voice.
In layman's terms, HomeKit brings all smart home components under a single umbrella over its traditional, cluttered mess. This allows for simple, efficient, and easy access to all of your smart home products. In the words of Nest, home automation "focuses on the little things so you can focus on the big things."
How is HomeKit being improved in iOS 9?
HomeKit is receiving some very nice improvements in iOS 9, all of which Apple introduced during WWDC 2015 in early June. There is now support for motorized window shades, along with the aforementioned new sensor classes, such as motion and carbon-monoxide detectors, to name a couple.Another extremely useful addition is the compatibility with home security systems, which could mean that it will support popular services like ADT, Alarm Relay, Vivint, etc. There are also looming reports that Google and Apple could get into the home security business.
When it lands this autumn, iOS 9 will now let you securely access your home via iCloud, whether that be on your iPhone or Apple Watch (as of watchOS 2.0, which should launch this fall alongside or not long after iOS 9 hits devices).
The iPhone 6S could control your home
For the mobile world, smart homes are the next big thing, and many companies are jumping on this train, with Google even going as far as purchasing home automation company Nest early last year. That said, Apple needs to stay competitive in this field, and HomeKit is its weapon to do just that.
HomeKit will obviously be available on any device running iOS 9 or watchOS 2.0, but the coming iPhone 6S, thanks to iOS 9, will be able to easily control your home through Wi-Fi, and for some devices, maybe even Bluetooth. Unfortunately, there's still a lot of problems to solve before that becomes a full reality. At this point, manufacturers need to make their smart home devices compatible with HomeKit. While many are jumping on board, more well-known smart home companies may not agree, such as Nest, due to being a competitor in the field.
Despite that, the iPhone 6S, combined with the powers of HomeKit, will be able to power our houses in new ways through Wi-Fi technology. The iPhone 6S will no doubt act as the remote for everything, whether it be as setting scheduled thermostat settings to something as simple as turning on your TV. If HomeKit provides a good interface for the iPhone 6S to access all of this tech, home automation will have a big player in the field.
The iPhone 6S also has the potential to control the home through Bluetooth technology. This is purely speculation, but if Apple can make transferring files efficient, easy, and seamlessly through AirDrop and other technologies, there's no doubt they'll be able to take Bluetooth to a new level to offer seamless home automation. Imagine being able to shut your lights off or transfer files to your Apple TV through a two-step process. The technology is there, and Apple can easily implement it in the iPhone 6S.
That said, the iPhone 6S has the potential to control your home. There's no doubt about this, however, compatible smart home components just aren't available to the public yet. There's also the aspect that many could be paranoid about smart home technologies due to just how new of a technology it is.
Potential HomeKit problems for iPhone 6S
HomeKit is rather useful, but as of right now, it's really only appealing to technology enthusiasts. It'll take some time for the everyday person to accept the idea, as is the case with almost any new technology. Back when the Internet was in its infancy, it took awhile to catch on, and so did smartphones. It's difficult to say, but many people are paranoid, and we're just not ready to accept home automation from a cultural standpoint.
That's the same reason why Google Glass hasn't hit the ground running: people look at it and think it's weird. I remember listening to an episode of the Vergecast where Joshua Topolsky, Chris Ziegler, and David Pierce discussed walking around New York City with Google's wearable. He received many interesting remarks, one of which was "can you see through my clothes with that thing on your head?" People are paranoid, and that probably has a lot to deal with the lack of public excitement around wearables, smart home automation, and other technologies.
There's also the aspect that consumers don't see a need for smart home components yet. They don't see how it will truly benefit their lives. We all know how smartphones have benefited us: we can send emails faster, schedule and track things more efficiently and complete tasks on the go. Smart homes are beneficial: they can automatically alert authorities in the case of a fire or break-in and change your thermostat from work, for starters. However, consumers have yet to decide whether they may "need" this simplifying technology, at least not yet.
So yes, HomeKit is useful, and with it, the iPhone 6S will be able to easily control our homes. But again, it won't be a widely used feature – at least initially – because the public is wary of adapting to these new technologies yet.
How will HomeKit work with the iPhone 6S?
As of this writing, there's no confirmation, but many expect Apple will offer an official app called Home alongside the 6S to control all of your HomeKit devices. However, other rumors indicate that HomeKit will be exclusively operated through Siri.Again, there's no indication in any official capacity, but you will allegedly be able to create visual representations of rooms with the Home app. This will allow you to easily organize your HomeKit devices for more efficient remote operation. It'll be interesting to see how this works, especially if Apple decides against a central application and has HomeKit operated exclusively through the company's voice assistant.
Either way, we're not entirely sure what Apple's plan of action is, and we likely won't hear anything in an official capacity until we're closer to launch day. Regardless, it's already clear that the iPhone 6S and HomeKit have the potential to change how you interact with your home, specifically your living room.
The war for your living room
There are a lot of companies fighting for your living room, whether it be Microsoft with the Xbox One, Sony with the PS4, Google with the Android TV, or even Apple with its Apple TV and possibly a coming refresh this fall. The living room is largely unclaimed space, as far as technology goes. And Apple wants to be at the center of that with its Apple TV.While there are some rumors that Apple will release a Home app to control your smart home technologies, other rumors say that the Apple TV will be the central hub for your smart home. That's not to say it will replace the iPhone 6S as the gateway to your automated products, as the handset will easily be the go-to device while you're away or moving about your home. After all, what do you always have next to you? Your smartphone.
With the iPhone 6S, you will not only be able to access your home entertainment, but also be able to adjust your thermostat, turn your lights on or off, monitor your home via smart security cameras, and so on. Apple's goal to winning your living room is to make it not only as convenient as possible, but also to be the place for on-demand entertainment: that's the primary goal of taking over your living room.
All of the hardware and software is available to do this, and more is being added every day – we're just waiting on Apple to release the iPhone 6S. Paired with iOS 9's HomeKit, the iPhone 6S will be the gateway to all of your smart home tech.
The only problem is that Apple is already seeing fierce competition in this regard. Amazon's already offering the Amazon Echo, convenient grocery services like Amazon Fresh and the Dash buttons, and living room entertainment through Amazon Fire TV.
Remember, smart home technology is still in its infancy, and is expanding at a rapid rate, but it might not be the next big step. The next big leap could be completely based around convenience, as Amazon seems to think, not flashy gadgets.
Either way, the smart home is here, and while the iPhone 6S may not be able to control our entire home, it can control your living room really well. And, for right now, that seems to be all that matters to big players in the tech industry.
What about your entire home?
In 2015, creating an entirely automated home is difficult, particularly because of how many industries your home falls into: groceries, cookware, appliances, entertainment, the home office, books, the bedroom and so on. It's an extremely difficult undertaking, something that all the big tech firms are working on. And Apple's staking its claim for the home through HomeKit in the iPhone 6S.Any company that comes out with a smart home product can make it HomeKit-compatible, thus bringing it into Apple's ecosystem. So, while you may not be able to control your entire home in 2015 with the iPhone 6S, Apple is just waiting on smart home companies to provide those products.
Conclusion
There are a lot of devices out there to help further the smart home movement, but many of them aren't even close to official availability. There are also some points that need to be defined regarding home automation. For instance, what does a smart home look like? And after answering that as an industry, products need to be made to reflect that answer.In the end, smart home technology is here, and it should work wonderfully with the iPhone 6S, but Apple and its rivals could be jumping the gun here.
What do you think about the iPhone 6S and HomeKit? Could you imagine yourself purchasing a few HomeKit devices to see just how well it works? Better yet, could you imagine actively using smart home tech in your home?
Read More ...
Fallout Shelter gets sexy on Tinder
Fallout Shelter's out looking for love, as snaps advertising the game on Tinder have surfaced. When you click on the Fallout Shelter photo, it automatically redirects to a Tinder subsite, with redirects you to Fallout Shelter on Google Play or iTunes.
Using the dating app to stealth-advertise products is not uncommon, having been done by the makers of indie hit Ex-Machina who created a Tinder profile using an image of the main character Ava to lure unsuspecting men into a dialogue - part creepy, part zeitgeist genius.
It is also quite an appropriate medium for Bethesda. You add to your vault numbers by making the characters procreate - although with few vault co-inhabitants to choose from, you'd imagine people get a bit antsy in the dating stakes.
Bethesda has publicised it on Twitter too, even contributing a hashtag #DateADweller to encourage lots of lovely user-generated content including tweets and screenshots showing the characters they'd date in the game.
While verifying the story, we did come across a Fallout Shelter account on Tinder, but our reflex auto-left-swiping thumb happened before we could stop it to grab a screenshot. Sorry Vault Boy!
We also apologise to anyone else we inadvertently left-swiped in haste to verify this story.
Read More ...
Updated: Best free Android apps 2015
Best free Android apps
If you have an Android device you really are spoiled for choice when it comes to apps, with the Google Play store being home to thousands of them.
- What's the best smartphone of 2015?
1. Periscope
Periscope, Twitter's live video streaming app, has made its way to Android and it's an essential download for anyone who likes the immediacy of Twitter but craves something more visual.
You can easily create your own live streams or watch other people's, send comments and hearts in real time and if you miss the action there's a 24 hour window with which to replay streams. In short it's simple enough to dive straight into but has enough to it that you'll keep coming back, whether you're more creator or viewer.
- Listed for app of the year at the TechRadar Phone Awards.
2. WhatsApp
WhatsApp is one of the most essential apps you can install on your Android device, especially if you have friends and family across the world.
Rather than using up your SMS allowance by sending text messages, WhatsApp lets you send messages over any Wi-Fi or mobile data connection instead. You can also send and receive photos with no size restrictions, and if you're using Wi-Fi (or you have unlimited mobile data) they won't cost you any extra to send.
- Winner of app of the year at the TechRadar Phone Awards.
3. Spotify
Similar to Netflix, Spotify has been pretty quick to establish itself as the top music streaming service, and the Spotify Music app brings some great features to your Android device, turning it in to a pocket jukebox that delivers your favourite tunes no matter where you are.
Even better you can now listen to Spotify music for free on Android, although if you want to download songs for offline listening and without any ads, then a Spotify Premium account is worth investing in.
- Listed for app of the year at the TechRadar Phone Awards.
4. Evernote
Evernote is an excellent app for your Android device that lets you stash and sync all your text notes, voice memos and files on your phone and access them through a desktop computer.
It's a brilliant productivity tool that lets you organise and search your notes so you always have exactly what you need at your fingertips.
- Listed for app of the year at the TechRadar Phone Awards.
5. Timehop
For the most part, social media is fleeting, but Timehop is all about digging up precious memories from the past. You link it to whatever social media services you frequent (and your on-device photos) and it shows you what was happening years ago on today's date.
- Listed for app of the year at the TechRadar Phone Awards.
6. Pushbullet
Boost your productivity with Pushbullet, which lets you view your Android phone's notifications and messages directly on your desktop PC. It means if you get a text message you can read it there and then without having to take your phone out of your pocket or bag.
You can also quickly send files from your computer to your phone with only a few clicks, and if you regularly find that you email links to yourself just to open them on your smartphone, then you'll never have to do that again thanks to Pushbullet's link sharing features.
- Listed for app of the year at the TechRadar Phone Awards.
7. Snapseed
Snapseed is Google's own photo editor that's been designed from the ground up to make tweaking your snaps as easy and fun as possible on a touchscreen Android device.
Although the interface is simple enough to use with just your fingers, there's also a lot of depth to this app as well. You use tools to tweak and enhance your photographs to make them look the best they ever have, as well as playing around with fun filters that can transform the photos you've taken on your smartphone or tablet.
- Listed for app of the year at the TechRadar Phone Awards.
8. Instagram
Instagram is the go-to app for quickly taking photos, adding quirky filters to them and sharing them with the world. Over 300 million people use Instagram and thanks to the social aspects and effortless interface it's easy to see why it's such a hit.
You're not limited to sharing your snaps on Instagram either, as you can easily add your photos to Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr and more with just a few taps.
- Listed for app of the year at the TechRadar Phone Awards.
9. Google Photos
There are probably hundreds of photo apps around, but Google Photos stands out as it gives you unlimited storage for photos and videos, all for free.
That's reason enough to jump on board, especially as it works not just on Android but on iOS and computers too.
But with basic editing tools and the ability to make collages and albums this is more than just photo and video storage, it aims to be your first and last stop after taking a picture. To achieve that it will need a few more features, but it's well on its way.
- Listed for app of the year at the TechRadar Phone Awards.
10. Strava
If you're serious about running or cycling then you should be serious about Strava. As smartphone fitness tools go it's one of the best, allowing you to track your performance, set goals and see daily progress updates.
There are leaderboards and challenges to give it a competitive edge and if you're ever not sure where to run or cycle you can find user created routes on the app, or share your own. All of that comes free of charge, while a premium version adds even more tools.
- Listed for app of the year at the TechRadar Phone Awards.
11. Pocket
Even in 2015 there are still times and places where we can't get an internet connection, but this doesn't have to mean you can't read websites, however, thanks to the excellent Pocket app. It allows you to save articles, news stories, blog posts, videos and much more, letting you read and watch them offline.
You can also synchronise your saved articles across every device you've installed Pocket on, allowing you to pick up where you left off and continue reading.
- Listed for app of the year at the TechRadar Phone Awards.
12. Uber
Uber is transforming the way we travel. You can quickly and easily request a taxi using the app and get picked up within minutes and you can compare rates and get quotes, as well as paying with Google Wallet, PayPal or by adding your credit card to a secure Uber account.
The Uber service is available in over 50 countries, and it's rapidly growing. Give it a try and you'll never want to hail a taxi the old fashioned way again.
- Listed for app of the year at the TechRadar Phone Awards.
13. Citymapper - Bus, Tube, Rail
Arriving in a brand new city is always exciting but it can also be a little daunting, especially if you need to get around using public transport. Citymapper - Bus, Tube, Rail is a brilliant app that brings you real-time information on public transport for cities around the world.
You can easily plan your route using all kinds of transport and you can be kept up to date with any disruptions or cancellations. An essential app for any city-bound traveller.
- Listed for app of the year at the TechRadar Phone Awards.
14. Google Maps
Google Maps is probably already on your phone, but as the best free mapping option around it's well worth highlighting.
Transit directions, live traffic updates, voice-guided GPS navigation, Street View and more are all included, making this more feature-packed than even most paid options. Importantly it's detailed and accurate too, so you'll never get lost again.
- Listed for app of the year at the TechRadar Phone Awards.
15. Yahoo Livetext
Yahoo Livetext is somewhat impressive in that it manages to put a new spin on instant messaging. Because rather than just sending messages out to a blank screen the person you're talking to can see a live video feed of you and you of them.
So it feels more like you're face to face and you can instantly see their reactions to your messages, yet you're still typing, there's no sound here, which means you can easily use it when out and about where it might either be noisy or you don't have enough privacy for an audible conversation.
In most other ways it's a fairly standard messaging app. If there's a downside it's that you'll need to convince people to get the app, which could be hard given the huge number of communication apps most people are already using, but it's a novel experience.
16. Snowball
If like us you've filled your phone up with hundreds of apps you may find that you're getting an almost endless stream of notifications, many of which you have little to no interest in. Sure, Android has its own notification management, but Snowball arguably does it faster and better.
With it you can make sure important notifications are always shown at the top, while less important ones are listed below or hidden completely.
Better yet it learns and makes predictions over time and it allows you to reply to many notifications, such as WhatsApp and SMS messages, straight from the notification itself.
17. Twitter
A few short years ago if we'd recommended the official Twitter app as the best resource for tweeting from your Android device, we'd have been laughed off the internet.
However a lot of work has since been put into the official app to help it compete and even surpass third party offerings. New features such as being able to embed tweets within tweets for some sort of tweetception shenanigans, as well as uploading GIFs, are all very welcome.
These new features plus a streamlined interface, a lack of superfluous features some of its competitor apps contain and no ads makes this the best app for firing off a quick tweet.
18. VLC for Android Beta
It might not be quite as glamorous as other media players, but if you want a no-nonsense app that can play pretty much any media file under the sun, then VLC for Android Beta is the app for you.
As the name suggests this app is still in Beta which means there could be the odd bug, but we've yet to encounter anything serious and it's perfectly stable for playing and streaming your media from around your house.
19. Dash Radio
There are a number of streaming radio apps available for Android but where Dash Radio differs from most of them is that it includes over 60 original stations, with real DJ's, no adverts and 24/7 content.
It's not FM so you can listen with or without headphones and there are radio stations covering numerous genres, so it's easy to find ones you'll like. It also has daily competitions and supports Bluetooth streaming to external speakers. The overwhelmingly blue interface could use a bit of work but we can't fault the content.
20. CloudPlayer
CloudPlayer, as the name suggests, lets you stream music you have stored in the cloud. This of course is something Google Play Music has been successfully doing for years, but with CloudPlayer you can link up your OneDrive, Dropbox and Google Drive accounts and access all of them in one place.
It also has both Chromecast and AirPlay support and lets you stream files in lossless quality, on top of which it's got all the basics you'd expect from a music player, like a 10-band equalizer and playlists. Some features are free but others require a one-time payment to upgrade to premium.
21. Dropbox
Dropbox is probably the best known tool for syncing and sharing your files, photos and videos across all your devices, and its popularity is well earned. Any files that you save to your Dropbox folder on any of your PCs or devices will appear in the Dropbox app.
It took a while for Dropbox to come to Android, and after a shaky start this app is now essential with a number of helpful new features that let you save photos and videos from your device straight to Dropbox, as well as quickly editing your documents from within the app.
22. Boxer Calendar
Standing out as a calendar app is pretty hard, since there are so many and they all do essentially the same thing. But Boxer Calendar just gets it right. For one thing it works with other calendars, such as Google, Facebook, Outlook and Twitter and you can easily choose which ones to sync if you don't want all of them displayed.
It's also got an attractive Material Design inspired interface, offers pop-up notifications, multiple calendar views, a widget and if you couple it with Boxer email you can even view and send your availability to someone without jumping between apps.
It could soon be a pretty big deal too, as it's set to replace Google Calendar as the default calendar for Cyanogenmod OS 12.1, but you can get it for other Android devices as well.
23. Google Keep
Google Keep is the Android maker's own attempt at muscling in on the clipboard and to-do list app, presenting a versatile corkboard tool that lets users record audio notes, capture photos, create checklists and more.
The star of the show is the resizeable Home screen widget, from which you can access all the features and hit buttons to record clips and take images. Google's so proud of Keep that it's become canon - and has come pre-loaded as part of Android's app set since Android 4.3.
24. Next Lock Screen
Android doesn't do a bad job of lock screens, but for a platform built on customisation they can be disappointingly limited.
Not so with Next Lock Screen. This Microsoft app gives you quick lock screen access to a large selection of apps of your choice, filtered into categories such as home, work or on the go.
It also gives you quick access to a flashlight, Wi-Fi toggles and more, all of which are customisable too. With music app controls, weather, upcoming calendar events and notifications displayed as well it's seriously full-featured.
25. Hexlock
You can lock your whole Android smartphone with a PIN or pattern, but out of the box you can't lock specific apps. That's where Hexlock comes in. It lets you set a PIN or password and apply it to apps of your choice, so even if someone borrows your phone you can control what they see and access.
Maybe you want to keep your messages private for example, or stop a child accessing the browser or Google Play. To make things even easier you can set up multiple profiles which lock down different apps and switch between them with a tap.
If you want to make things really secure you can even keep Hexlock itself from being uninstalled by unauthorised users.
26. IF
IF was formerly known as IFTTT, which stands for "if this then that" and handily sums up what this app does. It's a simple ethos that gives you a huge amount of options for making your Android device even smarter.
You can create simple statements such as "if any photo is taken then add them to Dropbox", or "if my location is home, send a text message to my partner saying "I'm home!"" which can also be shared with other IF users. You'll be amazed how much you can do with such a simple premise.
27. Nova Launcher
One of the best things about Android is how customisable it is, and there are loads of apps out there that can help you change the way Android displays and launches apps to suit your preferences.
Out of these Nova Launcher is the best, giving you complete control over your home screen. You can change the icons, themes, colours, layouts and much more.
28. Skype
There's a good chance that you've heard of Skype, the excellent voice and video service (with instant messaging thrown in for good measure as well). The Android app integrates brilliantly with your device, making it easy to make and receive calls.
Calls to other Skype users over Wi-Fi are free, but you can also make calls to mobiles and landlines as well. You'll need Skype credit for this, but you could find yourself saving a small fortune, especially if you're ringing people in other countries.
29. Photoshop Mix
Adobe Photoshop Mix isn't quite the full Photoshop experience, but it is a slick photo editing app designed for fast and intuitive use on a smartphone.
You can easily crop and merge images, adjust the colours, add filters and do more fine-tuned editing of a specific segment of a picture.
Importantly you can always return to the original image too, so if you create a monstrosity the photo it was based on isn't lost and when you're done creating you can share your pictures in a snap as well.
30. Prey Anti Theft
If you've just dropped hundreds of pounds/dollars/kwachas on a new smartphone you'll probably want to protect your investment and Prey Anti Theft helps you do that.
If your phone is lost or stolen you can use your Prey account to find it on a map, take pictures using the front or rear camera, remotely lock it, remotely trigger an alarm even if it's on silent or display a tailored message on the screen, increasing your chances of getting it back, or at the very least scaring whoever stole it.
31. Lifesum
Sticking to a diet or exercise regime isn't always easy. Tracking the calories that you've consumed and worked off can make it easier to stay on track but that in itself can be a bit of a chore.
Thankfully Lifesum is here to make it as simple as possible, allowing you to add foods and exercises with calorie estimates, work to specific goals and get prompts as to when you should be eating more or less, all with an attractive interface and an intuitive layout.
You get all that for free, but if you subscribe to a gold membership you can get more detailed nutritional information, sync the data with fitness apps and wearables, follow specialist diets and more.
32. Google Fit
Google Fit is an excellent app for keeping track of your activity and you don't need any additional fitness trackers; you can just carry your Android phone around with you. If you do have Android Wear-compatible fitness trackers and wearables, then Google Fit gets even better.
Fitness goals can also be set to help you reach the level of fitness you desire, as well as keeping you motivated.
33. Map My Fitness Workout Trainer
Map My Fitness Workout Trainer is another great app for keeping tabs on your workout regime. As the name suggests it uses the GPS positioning features of your Android smartphone to log your runs, letting you get an accurate look at your workout regime.
Voice feedback will keep you in the loop even when you're in the process of working out, giving you information on your pace, the route you're taking calories burns and plenty more.
34. Slide for Reddit
There's no shortage of Reddit apps for Android, though curiously there's also no official one yet, but if there was we'd like to think it would look like this.
Slide for Reddit is one of the most visually pleasing Reddit apps around, making it a joy to use. It's also customisable, allowing you to change the theme and colours according to your tastes.
It's not lacking in features either, as you can both read and reply, easily access saved and upvoted content, view user profiles and your inbox, use it in both list and full view modes and much more besides. There are Reddit apps with more features, but none which also look this good.
35. Duolingo: Learn Languages Free
If you fancy learning a foreign language then make sure you download Duolingo: Learn Languages Free, as it's one of those rare apps that manages to be both educational and fun, ensuring that you'll keep coming back for more to brush up on your langueage skills.
Spanish, French, German, Portuguese, Italian, Dutch, Irish, Danish, Swedish, and English can all be learned, it's completely free with no ads or hidden fees and it's one of the best ways you can learn a new language with your Android device.
36. Twilight
If you're anything like us you're probably glued to your phone, staring at its bright screen well into the night. If you are then you may also have noticed you have trouble sleeping, as the blue light emitted by your device can keep you awake.
Twilight provides an easy fix, by adapting the display colours to the time of day, filtering the blue light after sunset and in turn helping you get to sleep before 4am.
37. Microsoft Office
Microsoft Office? On Android? Don't worry, you have read that right; Microsoft's suite of office applications is now available on Android devices and not only is it free, it's also really rather good.
Word, Excel and PowerPoint are all included, so you can open and edit your documents no matter where you are.
38. Google Drive
If having Microsoft on your Android device feels a little weird, then worry not, as Google Drive has you covered as well. You can view all the files you save to the Google Drive cloud storage service, as well as share them with friends and co-workers.
PDFs, photos, videos and much more can be accessed through this handy app.
39. Google Translate
If you need to quickly and easily find out what something means in another language, then there's no better way than with Google Translate. You can translate between 90 languages and even converse naturally with speakers of other languages and let Google do the translation.
One of the best features lets you use the camera of your Android device to translate real-world objects such as signposts and posters. Just point, shoot and translate!
40. Office Lens
We've seen document scanning apps before, but Office Lens is one of the slickest yet, helped in no small part by the Office integration afforded by being a Microsoft app.
Pictures of documents and whiteboards are trimmed and enhanced and can then be converted into Word, PowerPoint or PDF files and uploaded to OneNote or OneDrive for easy access from other devices. While scanning a business card will turn it into a contact on your phone, ensuring the content is easily accessible and never gets lost.
41. Inputting+
It's possible to type surprisingly quickly and accurately on a smartphone, but mistakes still happen more often than they would on a proper keyboard and when they do the means of fixing them are somewhat more limited.
But Inputting+ gives you a few extra tools, which would take the form of keyboard shortcuts on a PC. Any time you enter text with Inputting+ enabled a little circle will pop up and if you want to undo, redo or find and replace text you can do so by tapping on it.
It's still not quite as fast as an actual keyboard shortcut, but it's the next best thing and should help make text entry on Android error and frustration free.
42. Feedly
If you've got a huge list of websites and news sources that you like to keep up to date with, then you'll need to get Feedly. This excellent RSS feed reader collects all the latest news from your favourite sources and brings them together in an elegant interface that makes it easy to find what you're looking for.
43. Kindle
Amazon's Kindle app is a great e-reader, which is seamlessly linked with your Amazon account. Support for magazines and newspapers is limited at the moment, with only a handful of niche publications in Android-friendly format.
But for books it's great, with plenty of screen and text display options to get it looking a way that hurts your eyes the least. Another exciting new way to collect classic novels you'll probably never get around to reading because there's the internet now.
44. eBay
Another app that's been out there for a while on Android, the eBay tool has also been updated so much that it's now a credible alternative to the desktop site.
You can list items that you want to sell direct from the app, while there's a simple PIN system that makes paying for your winnings via PayPal much simpler and less convoluted than it is on the full blown web site.
45. Tinder
Tinder is the dating app that's taking the world by storm, and it's easy to see why as it lets you view and connect with people nearby, and its simple interface could net you a match made in heaven.
All you need to do is swipe through the photos of people who are using the app nearby and if you like the look of someone swipe right and if not swipe left. If someone likes you back, you'll be put in contact with them through the app. It's also compatible with Android Wear devices.
46. Microsoft Translator
Microsoft Translator ensures you'll always be understood, no matter where you go. You can get a written and spoken translation for any word or short sentence in dozens of languages and it supports both text and speech input.
There are other similar apps, but Microsoft Translator has a slick interface, Android Wear support and most importantly it works well, almost always understanding what you're saying to it.
47. Journey
Journey brings journaling into the smartphone age, making it easy to log your travels and experiences or just your day to day activities with text, images and videos.
A clean design and intuitive interface makes it simple and fun to use and you can easily find past journal entries based on their date or location. You can back them up too, leaving you safe in the knowledge that you'll still be able to find them in five years, no matter where you are or what phone you're using.
48. Medium
Medium is one of many services which gives you a feed full of articles related to your interests, but while most such things are fairly one sided, with you simply reading the articles that catch your eye, Medium lets you be an author too.
You can write and post articles or stories of your own and publish responses to other people's articles. The social nature means that not all of the stories will be from big names, but there are numerous famous and influential people contributing, while other articles are from, well, anyone who has something to say.
49. Hooks - Alerts for Everything
Want to be alerted when your favourite band has a new album out or a new gig in your area? Or how about when a certain Twitter account tweets, or when a new episode of Game of Thrones airs? Perhaps you want to be alerted every time a critically acclaimed game launches for the PS4? Or when there's a weather warning in your area?
Hooks – Alerts for Everything can do all that and more. Despite the name it doesn't quite cover everything, but it has options for things as niche as being alerted of when a particular website goes down or when a well-regarded restaurant opens nearby and new alert types are being added all the time.
So just set up alerts for everything you care about and never again worry about missing something or having to hunt for it.
50. Amazon Appstore
There's a particularly great reason to have the Amazon Appstore on your phone or tablet - free stuff. Amazon is enticing users to stick its alternate Android app store on their devices with the promise of a free app every day, with some classics like Sega's ChucChu Rocket and World of Goo featuring as previous daily freebies.
The catch is these are unsupported releases, meaning no updates or fixes in the future, but you can't moan too much about getting some ace freebies every day.
- Not enough? Check out our list of 50 best Android apps.
Read More ...
Available Tags:Mac , Intel , gamers , Apple , 3D , gaming , Samsung , Galaxy , Microsoft , Windows , Android , Google , router , iPhone 6 , iPhone ,
No comments:
Post a Comment