HTC RE Camera Begs the Question: Do You Really Need It?

Everywhere you look, people are using smartphones and tablets to snap pictures and record video of concerts, speeches or even their kids' ballet recitals - and instantly share the experiences with friends and family. At many events, people aren't even looking at the stage; they are watching through their screens.

HTC thinks there's a better way - and they're betting you won't mind carrying around an extra device about the size of a small candy bar. With the new RE camera gripped discreetly in your hands, you can take stills and video while still experiencing the event directly - not through a screen or viewfinder.

No more annoying people behind you by blocking their views with your phone or tablet. (In fact, no one may realize you're recording at all. Hmm. HTC says the RE will at least make a sound when you take a picture or start recording.)

The RE marks HTC's effort to expand beyond smartphones. Its flagship HTC One smartphone earns high praise from users and tech reviewers but the company's global market share is tiny compared with Apple's and Samsung's. According to IDC, HTC's market share was less than 2 percent in the second quarter, the latest period available.

How do I use it?
The camera, which will hit stores in about a month, resembles a miniature submarine periscope. It's about four inches long; its diameter is about the same as a quarter's.

One quick press snaps a 16-megapixel still image, while a long press starts video recording at 1080p high definition. You can transfer images wirelessly to your phone or an online storage account.

Would-be filmmakers can attach the RE to tripods and other accessories. The camera is waterproof, so you can leave it outside for time-lapse video. (Apple added the time-lapse feature to iPhones in its iOS 8 software update, but you can't use your phone for other things while you take the video.)

How much does it cost?
For $199 you get just 8 gigabytes of storage, but you can add up to 128 gigabytes more with a microSD card.

Any drawbacks?
There's no display or viewfinder. You point the device toward the stage and hope you're not cutting anyone off. You can use a companion smartphone app as a viewfinder, but that defeats the point of not needing to have your phone out while enjoying an event.

What else is coming from HTC?
Next month HTC is launching a new mid-range smartphone called the Desire Eye. The phone's front camera will match the 13 megapixels found on the rear, meaning sharper selfies and videoconferencing than what smartphones typically offer. The front camera also will use face detection to keep subjects in focus and permit voice commands such as "cheese!" to snap the shot. HTC plans to bring many of these features to its high-end HTC One devices, too, through free software updates.

The 5.2-inch Desire Eye will be available in early November through AT&T. No details on price yet.

HTC also is launching a free app for iPhones and non-HTC Android phones that lets users create a highlights video. Current HTC phones have a Zoe feature that automatically grabs images taken on a given day and stitches them together into a video, complete with music.

The free app "allows us to get HTC in more people's hands without having to make them do a smartphone change immediately," says Jason Mackenzie, president of HTC America. "So the next time that customer is buying a smartphone, they now have been introduced to HTC."

 

Source from:  http://gadgets.ndtv.com

HTC One X Sense 5 hands-on

An HTC One X running HTC Sense 5? How is this possible? Well, officially it isn’t, HTC hasn’t seeded the confirmed update out, but that hasn’t stopped us from getting our hands on most of Sense 5 on our AT&T branded HTC One.

As you might have guessed, we didn’t manage this feat all by ourselves. Our One X is using a ROM that recently emerged amidst the forums of XDADevelopers.com. A collaborative effort by the XDA user MagioROM, and a number of others. This Sense 5 ROM brings much of the premium user experience which debuted on HTC’s highly successful 2013 Android flagship, the HTC One.

Not being a final release Sense 5 ROM for the Evita - the Qualcomm version of the One X, it’s not perfect. Features like Bluetooth, the FM radio and stock WiFi tethering don’t work, not to mention unique HTC One (and now One mini) features like HTC ZOE photos aren’t possible.



Such shortcomings aside, you can see that the likes of BlinkFeed, the trace keyboard and the overall functionality of the UI remain intact. Interestingly, despite the lower resolution of the One X’s 720p HD display, the apps drawer accommodates apps in a 5x6 as well as a 3x4 grid layout, meaning you can actually squeeze more apps onto the One X’s display in on go, than you can on the Full HD display of the HTC One.

As well as seeing the One X running Sense 5 solo, we’ve also set it alongside its successor, so you can see in greater detail the similarities and difference offered by the Sense 5 experience in unofficial and official instances, side by side.

The Android 4.2 update expected to bring Sense 5 with it should be on its way in the coming months, though nothing has been confirmed by HTC. If you've got an HTC One XL, AT&T HTC One or any other HTC One with the dual-core Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 inside, you can find out more about freshening up its UI by heading to ImagioX1's thread over at XDA developers.

Update (22/7/13): XDA Developers user and lead themer for the MagioROM team, Grinder19 just got in touch to clarify a few things regarding the team's Sense 5 ROM. Firstly the extra grid icon spacing in the apps drawer was implemented by the team and is not natively an element of Sense 5.

What's more since filming, new refinements have hit the ROM, including now system UI toggles and a more cohesive system-wide cyan theme, both of which you can download here and here respectively.

Grinder19 also promises better hardware support in the next major release of the ROM, including Bluetooth and FM radio compatibility.

 

 

Source from:  http://recombu.com

Researcher: Middle East Blackberry Update Spies on Users

A BlackBerry update that a United Arab Emirates service provider pushed out to its customers contains U.S.-made spyware that would allow the company or others to siphon and read their e-mail and text messages, according to a researcher who examined it.

The update was billed as a “performance-enhancement patch” by the UAE-based phone and internet service provider Etisalat, which issued the patch to its 100,000 subscribers.

The patch only drew attention after numerous users complained that it drained their BlackBerry battery and slowed performance, according to local publication ITP.

Nigel Gourlay, a Qatar-based programmer who examined the patch, told ITP that the patch contained “phone-home” code that instructed the BlackBerries to contact a server to register. But once the patch was installed, thousands of devices tried to contact the server simultaneously, crashing it and causing their batteries to drain.

“When the BlackBerry cannot register itself, it tries again and this causes the battery drain,” he said, noting that the spyware wouldn’t have drawn any attention if the company had simply configured the registration server to handle the load.

The spying part of the patch is switched off by default on installation, but switching it on would be a simple matter of pushing out a command from the server to any device, causing the device to then send a copy of the user’s subsequent e-mail and text messages to the server.

The spyware appears to have been developed by a U.S. company, which markets electronic surveillance software.

Gourlay obtained source code for the patch after someone posted it on a BlackBerry forum. He said the code contained the name “SS8.com,” which belongs to a U.S. company that, according to its web site, provides surveillance solutions for “lawful interception” to ISPs, law enforcement and intelligence agencies around the world.

Neither Etisalat nor SS8 could be reached for comment.

UPDATE: Veracode has provided an analysis of the spyware source code. The spyware apparently is designed to encrypt messages it grabs from a BlackBerry before it sends them back to the server so that anyone intercepting the data en-route would not be able to read it.

Wired.com spoke with Chris Wysopal, co-founder and chief technology officer of Veracode, who pointed out that the fact that the interception is done on the client device rather than on the ISP’s server — where it would normally be done — helps law enforcement, or whoever else might want to intercept the messages, circumvent encryption used by the sender of an e-mail, since it’s grabbing the message after it’s been decrypted on the recipient’s BlackBerry.

 

Source from:  http://www.wired.com

 

iPhone with a physical Blackberry QWERTY keyboard?

Typo 2

Typo 2 is an add-on accessory for iPhones. It is a simple case with a physical QWERTY keyboard which looks and feels like a keyboard from a BlackBerry smartphone.

The Typo 2 is available for pre-order and the price is at $99 (approx Rs 6,000).

Typo 2 is an add-on case that fits over the iPhone and makes it easier for typing. Those who upgrade from a BlackBerry handset to an iPhone would love the idea since they would be used to typing on the keyboard and a touch on-screen keyboard would be a clumsy.



Typo 2 was built for efficiency. The founders of the gadget were using two phones, a BlackBerry and an iPhone, one for typing and correspondence and the other for communication. They found it pretty annoying to switch between the two types of keyboards and decided to invent something that could make typing on an iPhone easier and, why not, as easier as a BlackBerry keyboard. Thus came the idea and Typo was born after two years of designing.



The design of the Typo 2 is kept simple, but the goal was to have a keyboard and case that would add the absolute minimum additional length and thickness to the iPhone, while still providing protection to the phone and a butter-smooth, tactile typing experience.

The result is Typo 2, which adds just short of a 1/4 inch in thickness and a less than 3/4 inch in total length to the iPhone.

Typo 2 was made possible by miniaturizing the components on our circuit board, using patented TYPOTouch keyboard technology and one of the world’s smallest Lithium-ion battery, measuring at just 1mm in thickness.

Both the hardware and software for Typo 2 were designed and engineered in California & Utah, manufactured and assembled in China.

 

Source from:  http://www.deccanchronicle.com

 

BlackBerry Torch 9810 review

BlackBerry may have lost its dominance of the business phone market, but you’ve got to give manufacturer RIM credit for keeping up in an increasingly crowded race. Of its recent slew of handsets the Torch 9810 is the one with the slide-out QWERTY keyboard, and includes a capacitive touchscreen and five-megapixel camera.

Design
Like virtually all slider models, it’s a bit of a chunky beast weighing 161g but has some sleek good looks thanks to its shiny black plastic with chrome-look trim.

The 3.2-inch screen is bright and clear and offers a perfectly decent 640×480-pixel resolution — sharp enough for viewing movies or reading smallish print on the web without straining your eyes. It’s sensitive in use too, easily distinguishing between brushes and presses, though the optical trackpad that sits immediately below it is very capable for navigating your way around menus and web pages.

The keyboard slides out from the bottom with a satisfying thunk to reveal 35 tightly packed keys. This is an area in which BlackBerry excels, and despite the small size of the keys, they’re carefully angled and ridged so that finding them under the thumbs is never a problem, and it’s easier to get up a decent head of texting speed here than on Samsung’s Galaxy Pro, for instance. An odd quirk of the keyboard however is that it won’t work when you’re holding the phone in landscape mode — as soon as you slide the keyboard out the screen is fixed in portrait mode and stays there, which can seem a bit weird at times.

Software, apps and performance
The operating system is the latest BlackBerry 7 OS, which offers a few tweaks to its predecessor rather than the kind of the radical reworking that Windows Phone 7 introduced over the old Windows Mobile platform. You’ll notice the difference though — the icons have changed, as has the menu layout. You now get four shortcut icons at the bottom of the screen, and you can scroll sideways to view different options in a range of sections: All, Favourites, Media, Downloads and Frequent (the latter here being a screen that is automatically populated with shortcuts to the apps you access most regularly).

BlackBerry’s new Universal Voice Search is here and although it doesn’t have as many features as the Android equivalent, which offers multiple interpretations of your words, it worked fine.

It also has the latest BlackBerry Messenger 6 (BBM) , which allows you to send free messages to other BlackBerry devices and wiil allow you to text your mates from within some games and apps, too. Incidentally, while BlackBerry App World has most of the basics covered, it’s looking distinctly under populated these days compared to its Apple and Android rivals.

The five-megapixel camera includes a very bright LED flash as well as autofocus, image stabilisation, geotagging, face detection and a variety of scene modes including macro. Picture quality is pretty good too and it features a 720p HD video recording capability. Many phones now capture video in 1080p HD, but 720 is still more than good enough for most uses. For storage, there’s 8GB of memory on board and you can add up to 32GB more via microSD card.

The 1.2GHz processor is powerful enough to keep things zipping along even when you’ve got multiple apps running, but there’s a price to pay with battery life however, which barely made it through a full day of heavy use.

Conclusion
The BlackBerry Torch 9810 adds an excellent slide-out QWERTY keyboard to a good sized touch screen, but the lack of apps and games in BlackBerry App World will be a turn-off for some when compared with rival Android and Apple models.

 

Source from:  http://www.wired.co.uk

 

iPhone 6 Release Date, Specs & News Round-Up

The iPhone 6 is probably one of the most highly-anticipated smartphones for 2014, although we guess this can be said for every iPhone launch which is partly due to the rumor mill which hasn’t exactly been helpful in tempering expectations. Now we’re not sure if this year’s rumors are any more (or less) true, but we have decided to round up what we have heard so far for those who might be feeling a little overwhelmed with all the rumors that have been flying by our heads the past few months.

iPhone 6 Design

If there is one thing many are looking forward to with each new iPhone release is what the new model will look like, and there is a reason for this as Apple’s Sir Jony Ive has been known to put out some pretty impressive industrial masterpieces, as evidenced by Apple’s range of products. However over the years we have come to realize that Apple typically keeps design refreshes on a two-year cycle, so the iPhone 6’s design is definitely something to look forward to this year.

As it stands there aren’t that many rumors surrounding the iPhone 6’s design at the moment, but given Apple’s obsession with creating devices that are thinner and lighter, we can only assume those principles will hold true with the iPhone 6. The concept rendering above is courtesy of Federico Ciccarese who has drawn up some concept iPhone 6 handsets where the bezel is pretty much non-existent, giving us the illusion of a larger display. Like we said this is a concept and not the real deal, but why not? We certainly wouldn’t mind!

Display Size, Type, Resolution

With the iPhone 4, Apple in a way kicked off the race with display resolution, although oddly enough they seem to be lagging behind compared to the Android and Windows Phone competition, where manufacturers have long adopted Full HD as the standard for high-end devices, and in some cases are even trying to introduce QHD displays as the new standard for 2014. In fact last we heard, Samsung could be looking to up the ante with the Galaxy S5 this year with a QHD display.

So what will be Apple’s response this year? The Cupertino company has been pretty stubborn and it took about 5 iPhones before Apple decided to increase the display to 4-inch. Granted it was bigger than previous iPhone devices but still paled in comparison to other smartphones who ventured into almost-tablet territory, like the Sony Xperia Z Ultra with its 6.44-inch display. However according to the the rumors, it looks like Apple could finally be caving in this year as we have heard reports that the iPhone 6 could come in a 4.8-inch or a 4.7-inch variety, depending on which analyst you believe in.

As for resolution, recently leaked specifications (alleged) has suggested that Apple could go with Full HD or QHD, and would utilize Sharp’s IGZO display panels in the process. It has long been rumored that Apple would adopt IGZO technology for its display, although those rumors were finally realized with the iPad Air.

There have also been talks that Apple could turn to sapphire in place of glass. As sapphire is undoubtedly stronger than glass, it would make the iPhone 6′s display more scratch resistant than ever. Rumors of the use of sapphire have been fueled by Apple’s partnership with GT Advanced Technologies as well as the push for opening a sapphire plant in Arizona. Sapphire has typically been used as the lens cover in previous iPhones, as well as the cover for the Touch ID sensor, so for Apple to use it as part of the display would indeed be a huge leap.

New rumors also suggest that the iPhone 6 would adopt a bezel-free display which would no doubt be very beautiful to look at. At the same time the lack of bezels will also create the illusion that the phone is bigger than it really is, while still allowing for single-handed use, or so we hope.

The A8 Processor

With the iPhone 5s, Apple introduced their latest processor in the form of the A7 chipset. One of the interesting things about the A7 chipset is that it came with a co-processor in the form of the M7. This allows data from the accelerometer, gyroscope, and compass to be stored and processed in there separate from the A7 chip, ultimately reducing the amount of work needed to be done, which in turn helps to reduce the amount of battery consumed.

The A7 chipset is also the first mobile chipset to be of the 64-bit variety to make its way into smartphones and tablets, a move that was initially criticized by some in the industry before it was suggested that companies such as Samsung would be making their own 64-bit chipsets as well. Based on the features of the A7, we can only rightfully assume that the A8 will share those features as well.

However if there is one difference in the A7 and A8, apart from the presumed difference in power, is that according to the rumors, Apple’s A8 chipset could see the integration of the DRAM into the chipset itself, as opposed to a separate component. So what are the benefits with integrated DRAM? Well for starters, because the distance between the chips are shorter, we should see some boosts in speed/reduced latency. It would also help to simply the design and free up some space which could lead to a thinner iPhone.

Touch ID

Touch ID was one of the features that was introduced with the iPhone 5s and basically introduced biometric security to the iPhone. Surprisingly unlike fingerprint sensors of the past, Touch ID turned out to be pretty responsive and useful as we found in our reviews. It is incredibly handy as it can be used to verify purchases in the iTunes App Store as well. Presumably with the investment into the technology, Apple will want to bring it to the iPhone 6 as well, although oddly enough Apple decided to pass on using it in the new Retina iPad mini and the iPad Air. It is unclear if there will be any upgrades or improvements made to Touch ID for the iPhone 6, although as a personal wish, a faster response as well as the ability to use it without having to turn on the screen would be great.

A 10MP Camera

If there is one thing Apple can be commended on is that they have never really played the megapixel race. Smartphone manufacturers and even camera manufacturers love to advertise megapixels simply because it is a number that people can relate to. Having more megapixels is not a bad thing, but it doesn’t necessarily mean that it is a good thing either and it definitely does not translate into better photographs, as things such as software, lens, image processor, and so on all play a factor in determining photo quality as well.

That being said, the rumors have suggested that Apple could be looking to upgrade the iPhone 6′s camera to that of the 10MP variety. Previously the rumors claimed that Apple would be retaining the 8MP camera found on the iPhone 5s which isn’t a bad thing. However apart from the rumored upgrade to a 10MP sensor, Apple is also said to be increasing the aperture of the camera from f/2.2 to f/1.8 which should make it more decent under low-light conditions. The iPhone 6′s camera is also said to utilize a new filter that is thinner and lighter and will produce clearer photos, so that is something worth looking forward to.

Upgraded Front-Facing Camera

The rumors are also claiming that the front-facing 3.2MP camera will be kept, although hopefully Apple will work towards increasing the quality of the front-facing camera to match the rear-facing one. While we doubt the front camera will match the back camera, it could see an increase in quality as rumors are suggesting that Apple could be dropping OminVision in favor of Sony to provide the front-facing cameras as well. Sony has provided sensors for Apple’s rear-facing cameras, like that in the iPhone 5 and iPhone 5s, so it will be interesting to see what results from their efforts.

Siri

Siri has been improved on an ongoing basis, and we can only assume that it will get better over time. In terms of responsiveness, Google’s own voice search appears to still be more intuitive and more responsive, but perhaps by the time the iPhone 6 rolls around, we might see some drastic changes.

iOS 8

Apple typically releases a major update to the iOS platform on an annual basis. We expect that we will learn more about iOS 8 come WWDC 2014 which will be taking place in the middle of the year. So far we don’t know what to expect from iOS 8 since iOS 7 pretty much overhauled the operating system along with a new UI design. In fact iOS 7.1 is expected to introduce a couple more UI tweaks and features and improvements, so in reality it is anyone’s guess as to what iOS 8 could bring to the table.

Battery

Battery life has always been something of a contentious issue with iPhone owners. While Apple constantly claims to have made improvements on battery life, there are many iPhone owners out there who probably feel that battery life on their iPhones could be better. This is why it is hardly surprising to see iPhone users with battery cases and external battery packs to charge their phone while on the go.

As it stands the iPhone 5s has a 1,560mAh battery which definitely pales in comparison to Android smartphones whose battery sizes can get as big as 3,300mAh. Of course one can argue that the smaller display would require less power, thus there is no need for such a large battery, but a big bump to battery would definitely be appreciated by iPhone users.

Other Specs

Apple has never really been one to boast about clock speed, RAM, and so on, but based on the iPhone 5s, we can at least look forward to 1GB of RAM, storage options ranging from 16GB up to 64GB as per Apple’s usual configuration. However there were rumors that the iPhone 5s could come with 128GB although that never really materialized, but perhaps Apple could bring that option to the iPhone 6. Other specs we can expect include Bluetooth, WiFi, and 4G LTE which made its debut in the iPhone 5.

Availability & Pricing

Assuming Apple keeps to their schedule of a late 2014 announcement, we can look forward to the iPhone 6 being announced in September 2014, give or take a couple of weeks. Prior to this Apple used to make their iPhone announcements during WWDC which is in the middle of the year, but did away with that timetable with the iPhone 4S.

Pricing should also be kept the same, which means that it will cost $649 for the 16GB model, $749 for the 32GB model, and $849 for the 64GB model.

 

 

Source from:  http://www.ubergizmo.com

 

Strong iPhone sales lift Apple as iPad stagnates, new product categories coming in 2014

iPhone lifts Apple

UPDATE: During the conference call following the earnings announcement, Tim Cook revealed that Apple will enter a new product categories.

Speaking to investors he said: “[There is] significant opportunity ahead of us in both current product categories and new ones. We believe that we can use our skills in building other great products that are in categories that represent areas we do not participate in today. We’re confident in that.”

Could we finally see the iWatch, Apple iTV next year?

Original story continues below…

Apple sold 33.8 million iPhones in the last three months en route to strong quarterly profits of £4.6 billion, the company revealed on Monday.

In its fourth quarter (fiscal) earnings call, the company beat the expectations of Wall Street, with the sales of the iPhone up 26 per cent on the previous year.

Those sales include the first month of iPhone 5S and iPhone 5C sales, suggesting interest in the latest Apple handsets is as strong as ever.

The news was less impressive in the iPad department, however. Sales barely rose year on year from 14m during the same period of 2012 to 14.1m during the last three months. That haul missed estimates of 15 million

With more folks snapping up tablets than ever before, Apple’s stagnation seems to indicate the rise of more affordable Android tablets from the likes of Google, LG, Samsung, ASUS and Amazon.

During last week’s keynote address, Apple CEO Tim Cook played down the importance of market share as he pointed out 81 per cent of tablet usage originates from iPads.

So, by Apple’s rationale, its grip on the market is slipping, but it doesn’t matter because iPad owners are getting way more use out of their slates. Apple will also hope that the launch of the Retina Display-toting iPad mini 2 and the slimmer and lighter iPad Air will boost sales going forward. Alongside the iPad slide, shipments of Mac computers dropped to 4.6 million from 4.9m a year ago.

Apple’s announcement also marks the first time in over a decade, the company’s profits have slowed over the course of an entire year.

As usual the man in the CEO seat was full of optimism: “We’re pleased to report a strong finish to an amazing year,” he said.

“We’re excited to go into the holidays with our new iPhone 5c and iPhone 5s, iOS 7, the new iPad mini with Retina Display and the incredibly thin and light iPad Air, new MacBook Pros, the radical new Mac Pro, OS X Mavericks and the next generation iWork and iLife apps for OS X and iOS.”

Read more at http://www.trustedreviews.com/news/strong-iphone-sales-lift-apple-but-ipad-stagnates-against-android-competition#JIRsDw2cZpy4jpbT.99

Source from:  http://www.trustedreviews.com

Tapered iPhone 6 Concept in Larger Sizes Shows New Home Screen Possibilities

A new rendering of the iPhone 6 presented in multiple sizes has been released by Italian designer Federico Ciccarese. The concept images give an accurate size comparison of the existing iPhone 5s next to a 4.7-inch iPhone and a 5.5-inch iPhone, two sizes that have been rumored for Apple’s next-generation smartphone.

iPhone 6 4.7″ 750×1338 px Aspect ratio 16:9
iPhone 6 5.5″ 878×1568 px Aspect ratio 16:9
iPhone 5S 4″ 640×1138 px Aspect ratio 16:9

Ciccarese does take some liberties with the look of Apple’s next iPhone, however, incorporating both a tapered back and an almost bezel-less display. While early iPhone 6 rumors indicated the iPhone would have a curved design, more recent rumors from The Wall Street Journal have refuted that claim, and no mention has been made of a tapered design. As far as the bezels go, there have yet to be any indications that Apple is planning on an edge-to-edge display.

Though the iPhone renderings incorporate app icons that are similar in size to the icons of the existing iPhone 5s, it remains unclear how Apple will handle icons on a larger display. It is possible that rather than allowing a huge number of icons on a screen, Apple will instead increase the spacing of the icons as it has done on the iPad and the iPad mini.


Apple has been experimenting with a range of screen sizes for the next-generation iPhone since early 2013, with size rumors varying from 4.7 to 5.7 inches.

It is widely believed that Apple has plans to release two separate phones in that size range, continuing with the dual-iPhone lineup it introduced with the iPhone 5s and the iPhone 5c. One phone may be on the smaller end of the spectrum near 4.7 inches, while the second could enter “phablet” territory at a size above five inches.

While Apple has plans to stick with a dual-iPhone lineup, The Wall Street Journal has said the company will not continue producing a plastic-shelled phone like the iPhone 5c. Instead, both iPhone 6 models will include metal outer casings similar to the iPhone 5s and neither will include a curved display.

 

Source from:  http://www.macrumors.com