Samsung S4 New Diamond Pixel Layout

Samsung new S4 comes with a 1080 super AMOLED display.Over 2million pixels are aggregated into the screen that is about 5inches long diagonally.This attribute makes the display glow with a pixel density of 441ppi,which is a milestone and makes Apple's Retina Display look like a toy.During the unveiling of the S4 on March 14th, at Time square, USA, Samsung unveiled a new flagship phone with a cutting edge display.

If you did not understand the sophistication of the above paragraph,perhaps you would understand this one,the new S4 display panel does not make use of the standard RGB layout common on most displays,rather it uses the RGBG Pentile display whose subpixel have been tweaked.

From the above diagram,notice that in the standard RGB display, there is an equal amount of red,blue and green subpixels and the subpixels are the sam size.This is what we see in all LCD displays and the S2 Super AMOLED+ display.On the right,checkout the standard Pentile display where the pixel layout switches between red, green,blue and green resulting in 50% less red and sub pixels, thus saving space on the display and increasing efficiency because it maintains a higher number of more efficient subpixels.
This display enables Samsung to pack more useful subpixels in the same area by reducing the dead space between subpixels by increasing their geometric efficiency.

Tuesday, April 30, 2013 | 0 comments | Read More

Motorola XT912 Leaked – Not the “X-phone”

A few weeks ago Google’s CFO told us that Motorola won’t release any products that will “wow us” by Google’s standards, as the company is still stuck with its old pipeline of products, that were planned since around 18 months ago. And now we get this leak about a new Motorola phone that looks much like a Nexus-styled smartphone with round edges.

The phone’s codename seems to be XT912, and it seems very unlikely that it would be the X-phone. While I think the phone doesn’t look too bad (I’d buy it if it came with Android 5.0, and I was going to buy a new phone soon), there’s also not much that unique about it. It also seems to be made out of regular plastic, and I’d prefer if it was made out of some kind of metal, or at the very least polycarbonate (unibody) or (very) hardened glass.

The phone is supposedly going to have an S4 Pro processor with Adreno 320, or possibly even an S600 (I would hope so because S4 Pro is getting old), 2 GB of RAM, and “only” a 720p AMOLED display that could be 4.3″ or 4.5″, which makes me think that the phone isn’t really meant as Motorola’s flagship device for this year, but more of a mid-range phone, or some kind of “intermediary” flagship.

The OS looks a lot like stock Android, which makes me happy, because I think this is exactly the thing Motorola needs to do to get back on track, and be loved by the Android community once again. Google should put stock Android on all of Motorola devices from now on. All of Motorola devices should be Nexus-like devices. The phone does look to have some extra Motorola widgets, but I wouldn’t mind that so much. I think it’s a very good way to differentiate without changing the core of Android.

I would also expect these devices to get at least 18 months of updates, just like the Nexus devices, although I really wish Google would make the upgrade cycle 24 months. That should mean about 4 major upgrades instead of just 3, like for Nexus devices. Since they are owned by them and not by others, it should be easier to do that, too. The only question is if they will want to support them for that long.

Wednesday, March 13, 2013 | 0 comments | Read More

Google hit by $7m Street View fine in US

Google has agreed to pay a $7m (£4.6m) fine for collecting people's personal data without authorisation as part of its Street View service.In a settlement with 38 US states, the internet giant agreed to destroy emails, passwords, and web histories.

The data was harvested from home wireless networks as Street View cars photographed neighbourhoods between 2008 and 2010.

Google said it was pleased to have resolved the issue.

"We work hard to get privacy right at Google. But in this case we didn't, which is why we quickly tightened up our systems to address the issue," the firm said in a statement.

"The project leaders never wanted this data, and didn't use it or even look at it. We're pleased to have worked with Connecticut Attorney General George Jepsen and the other state attorneys general to reach this agreement."

New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman announced the legal settlement.

"Consumers have a right to protect their vital personal and financial information from improper and unwanted use by corporations like Google," he said.

"This settlement addresses privacy issues and protects the rights of people whose information was collected without their permission."

As well as agreeing to delete all the harvested data, Google has also been required to launch an employee training program about privacy and data use which it must continue for at least ten years.

It must also launch a public service advertising campaign to educate consumers about how to secure their information on wireless networks.

Wednesday, March 13, 2013 | 0 comments | Read More

Facebook facelift! Social network launches new version of News Feed

The social networking company unveiled a redesign that allows users to control what types of posts will appear in the feeds. The new feed will also have space for more photos and videos.

 Facebook Inc introduced a visually richer, mobile device-oriented “newsfeed” on Thursday, in the most significant changes to date for the social network’s most recognizable feature. The changes to the newsfeed, whose look and feel has remained largely unchanged since its inception, include a division into several sections, with separate areas for photographs and music.

 They will begin rolling out in limited fashion from Thursday. The overhaul, which standardizes the feed across mobile devices and desktop computers, is designed to keep users active and interacting as well as appeal to advertisers, as Facebook battles Google Inc for Internet market share. CEO Mark Zuckerberg had singled out the feature as in need of a makeover as recently as January, when the company introduced “graph search” to address inadequacies in allowing users to trawl for information across the world’s largest social network.

 Facebook’s newsfeed, an ever-changing stream of photos, videos and comments uploaded from friends, is the first page most users see upon logging in. It is one of three “pillars” of the service, along with search and user profiles. The last major update to the feature occurred in September 2011.

 Since then, the company has incorporated ads directly into the feed and has shifted its focus to creating “mobile-first experiences,” because more people now access the social network from smartphones and desktops than from desktop computers. 

 The addition of advertising, however, prompted complaints from users who preferred an unblemished stream of personally relevant comments, underscoring the difficulty in balancing advertiser-friendly formats - such as larger images - with keeping its 1 billion-plus members engaged.

Friday, March 08, 2013 | 0 comments | Read More

The Smart Toilet That You Can Flush From Your Phone

The Japanese who are renowned for their technological developments especially in hi-tech toilet developments, having pioneered heated seats, musical playback and built in washing and drying systems, have added another major milestone to that repertoire of technologies – a toilet that can be controlled from a smartphone.

The toilet, designed and developed by Lixil, can be completely controlled by a smartphone app, which can also track user’s bowel movements. The app, which will be available for selected Android handsets, will go on sale in January or February 2013 and works with three of the firm’s new range of lavatories.

Using the My Satis Android app, toilet users will be able to control the Bluetooth-equipped bathroom fitting with their smartphone.

Every features including flushing, lifting the toilet seat and sprays can be controlled from the phone. Users can as well record their own preferred settings, and even play back music through the toilet’s speakers.

HOW IT WORKS

The toilet uses Bluetooth to communicate with the mobile phone app.

It can then control all of the toilet’s functions, and even play music through speakers built in to the toilet’s base.

Tuesday, December 18, 2012 | 0 comments | Read More

Woman photographs herself unlocking stolen iPhone

A woman unwittingly took a photograph of herself as she tried to unlock an iPhone that had been stolen from a nightclub.

The iPhone was stolen from the Coalition nightclub in Brighton, East Sussex, earlier this month.

But the owner had installed an app that takes a picture of anyone trying to unlock it and then sends the information back to them via email.

When the woman tried to unlock the iPhone her picture was taken and sent to the owner. It was then passed on to Sussex Police. It is thought the app used is iGotYa, which is activated when an incorrect passcode is entered into the keypad.

Pc Gavin Crute from Sussex Police said the app photographs anyone trying to unlock it, maps their location and sends the information back to the owner. “We know where and when the photo was taken and it appears to be in a vehicle with quite a large sunroof.”

“We don’t know that the woman is the person who stole the camera, but she obviously has had some connection with it in the meantime and I’d like to speak to her about it.”

Friday, December 14, 2012 | 0 comments | Read More

Google Apps Setup Gets Easier with New Domain Registrar API

In an effort to make it easier for users to configure domains to work with Google Apps email, Google has launched an API for domain registrars.

According to a post on Google Apps Developer Blog on Tuesday, there are nearly 20 domain registrars around the world that will simplify the Google Apps setup through the API over the next few months.

The RESTful API allows users to verify and transfer their email in three steps – down from 10 – and users no longer have to leave the Google Apps signup flow to complete domain registration.

Eliminating steps in any sign-up process is a good thing, and automating the DNS setup process may increase the likelihood that a customer won’t abandon the transaction.

This announcement comes a few weeks after Google added additional storage and compute capabilities and cut its Google Cloud prices by 20 percent.

While individuals that use Google Apps do so through a free account, the Google Apps for Business tier is increasingly used by government, educational and enterprise organizations.

A recent study by CloudLock analyzed a year’s worth of its mid-market and enterprise Google Apps clients, to get a better idea on how its customers were using their Google Apps domain. The research showed that the average enterprise has over 250,000 Docs/Sites on their domain, and that number will grow to 750,000 in 2013.

According to Gandi, a web host and registrar that has partnered with Google to offer the automated DNS change service, if users wanted to use Google Apps with their domain in the past, some specific MX records needed to be added to their DNS zone file. Now, users can configure the domain for Google Apps with the “touch of an authenticated button.”

“The fact that you can economically use Google for company email and collaboration, including Google Docs, as a paid SaaS (Software as a Service) offering has made it a vital competitor to in-house offerings from Microsoft like MS Exchange and MS Sharepoint,” Gandi chief operating officer Thomas Stocking said in a blog post last week.

Wednesday, December 12, 2012 | 0 comments | Read More

Facebook helps the FBI bust cyber-criminal ring that stole £525million and...

Facebook has helped the FBI to bust an international criminal ring said to have infected 11million computers with spyware and stole more than £525million from unsuspecting users.

Agents working in concert with the social network arrested 10 people who allegedly infected computers with software that stole credit card numbers and bank details.

Facebook's security team helped the FBI after the so-called 'Yahos' malware targeted its users between 2010 and October 2012, the agency said in a statement.The social network helped identify the criminals and spot affected accounts, it said.

Its 'security systems were able to detect affected accounts and provide tools to remove these threats,' the FBI said.According to the agency, which worked also with the U.S. Department of Justice, the accused hackers employed the 'Butterfly Botnet'.

Botnets are networks of infected computers that can be used in a variety of cyberattacks on personal computers and legitimate online networks and websites.Hard data is tough to come by, but experts say cybercrime is on the rise around the world as PC and mobile computing become more prevalent and as more and more financial transactions shift online.

Because of the global networks of criminals involved and the remote nature of the crimes, police, cybersecurity professionals and targeted corporations increasingly hard-pressed to spot and ward off attacks.

The FBI's release recommended users to update their operating systems and applications regularly, use anti-virus software and disconnect computers from the Internet when not in use to ward off future cyber attacks.

Wednesday, December 12, 2012 | 1 comments | Read More

Why Only Samsung Builds Phones That Outsell iPhones

For the first time in years, one single handset model has reportedly outsold the iPhone. Strategy Analytics says that more Samsung Galaxy S III phones than Apple iPhone 4S handsets were sold in third quarter of this year. 

Samsung Electronics (005930) moved 18 million such handsets, while Apple (AAPL) sold 16.2 million during the three-month period, says the research firm. It should be noted that Samsung’s figures represent shipments, not actual sales, but there’s a bigger point to be made here: Samsung is currently the only company that can even come close to competing with Apple when it comes to smartphones.

 Before explaining why, here’s a closer look at the data. Apple’s figures represent actual sales, while Samsung’s numbers reflect the shipments of Galaxy S III handsets to carriers. That means if a carrier has an unsold Galaxy S III on the store shelf, it counts in this comparison. As a result, the Samsung figures of actual sales are lower than shipments. And if you were to count the 6 million iPhone 5 shipments in the Strategy Analytics report, Apple would outpace Samsung: 26.2 million to 18 million.

 In the big picture, however, that doesn’t matter. Back in 2010, I noted that Samsung was taking an Apple-like strategy for its smartphone business. At the time, Samsung offered the first Galaxy S handset running Google (GOOG) Android and Samsung’s own TouchWiz user interface. Instead of multiple handset models offered, Samsung decided to focus on one handset for its flagship phone. Others, such as Motorola (MMI) and HTC (2498), for example, opted for a slew of handsets, each similar but yet different. With one phone model—just like Apple—Samsung benefits from production scale, common components, and similar experience for its Galaxy phone owners.

 I revisited this topic again a year later when Samsung was about to surpass Nokia (NOK) as the top seller of smartphones worldwide. I explained why Samsung was about to become the new smartphone king, pointing out even more reasons for the company’s rapid smartphone success. Samsung then introduced a successor flagship phone, the Galaxy S II, and it set a sales record: 1 million sales in the first 70 days of launch. Here’s the thing: Inside the Galaxy S, the Galaxy S II, and now the Galaxy S III are various hardware components manufactured directly by Samsung.

 The company makes its own chips to power phones, Super Amoled handset displays, and flash memory for internal storage. Apple controls its iPhone hardware as well but not directly: It designs the chips for iOS devices, for example, which someone else builds, and it often invests billions of dollars in component manufacturing plants in return for good pricing and primary production capacity. Aside from Samsung and Apple, who else can manage the component supply chain this well? Not Nokia, Motorola, HTC, LG Electronics (066570), or any other smartphone competitor I can think of. Apple is using that manufacturing edge to produce more units with each new iPhone as well. That’s important, because it helps Apple introduce its smartphone in more countries and on more carriers as soon as possible after launch. 

Guess what: When Samsung introduced the Galaxy S III this year in May, it said it would begin sales in Europe with 145 additional countries soon after. Not two weeks later, five U.S. carriers launched the device—a vast difference in the Galaxy S II launch, where the U.S. didn’t see the phone for six months or more. With each Galaxy smartphone iteration, Samsung continues to follow the Apple-like approach of controlling its own destiny as much as possible. 

Other competitors simply aren’t equipped to do so. So while Apple may have created the playbook for smartphone success, Samsung has replicated it more so than any other in this market. That actually shouldn’t surprise you if you’ve followed the Apple v. Samsung trials: The courts have already found in favor of Apple for Samsung’s replication of certain smartphone design, features, and functions. Again, we can bicker over the definitions of sales and shipments, but I’m not sure that matters unless you want to declare a real “winner” today. More important to me is that Apple finally has some real competition in the market, even though it looks to be just one true competitor.

Saturday, November 10, 2012 | 0 comments | Read More

Whoops! BlackBerry rep shows off secret phone

Someone forgot to tell a BlackBerry rep in Mexico that the company's newest L-Series phone is supposed to be a secret.

 The rep demoed the phone to Mexican site Hola Telcel, which posted a video online. During the clip (below), the rep shows off features of the new BlackBerry 10 operating system like the ability to virtually "rewind" a photo taken with the device to settle on an expression you most prefer.

 The video isn't the first leak about the device, with photos and video showing up last month.

 RIM is counting on the new devices to help it better compete against Apple and the Android handset vendors, particularly Samsung.

 The company hasn't provided many specifics about the device thus far, but the L-Series is expected to hit stores early next year.

Saturday, October 13, 2012 | 0 comments | Read More

Apple's iPad mini unveiling reportedly set for Oct. 23

The drumroll in advance of the so-called iPad mini is getting deafening.

 John Paczkowski -- who is rarely wrong about these things -- reported Friday that "people familiar with Apple's plans" tell him that the company will introduce a new, smaller version of the 9.8-inch iPad on Oct. 23 -- nearly a week later than we had predicted.

 According to Paczkowski, the unveiling will occur at an invitation-only event, probably at the Apple's (AAPL) Town Hall auditorium in Cupertino. Beyond that, he says, details are slim: "Sources say the iPad's diminutive sibling will feature a 7.85-inch liquid-crystal display and a Lightning connector.

 It will also probably be thinner. And that's about it." Meanwhile, Topeka's Brian White, who is wrapping up a tour of Apple's Asian component suppliers, reported Friday that he has held what he believes to be a prototype of the iPad mini.

 He writes: We uncovered over twenty suppliers that showed us accessories for the iPad Mini (some already have the accessories boxed, labeled and ready for order) and we actually had the opportunity to play with a pilot iPad Mini used by one of the vendors.

 This 7.85-inch iPad Mini fit our hands like a glove and we were easily able to tuck the device in our sport coat, offering consumers a more mobile iPad experience for certain use cases.

 Last week, we highlighted the improved aesthetics of the new device and we believe consumers will like this improved feel to the back casing.

 Also, the fatigue factor is less of an issue given the lighter weight and smaller size.

Saturday, October 13, 2012 | 1 comments | Read More

Mobile use 'topping six billion'

There are almost as many mobile phone subscriptions in the world as people, a United Nations telecom agency has said.

 A report by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) said there were about six billion subscriptions at the end of 2011.

 There are nearly seven billion people on Earth.

 Almost one billion subscriptions were in China, the study found. The report, called Measuring the Information Society 2012, looked at 155 countries, assessing their access to and use of information and communication technology (ICT).

 The head of the agency's data division, Susan Teltscher, said: "We count Sim cards, not the number of devices or people, so if one person has two Sim cards in one device, it counts as two subscriptions; and we count monthly subscriptions as well."

 Sim cards used in a tablet or to access the internet on a laptop computer had not been taken into account, she added.

 The Geneva-based agency also said almost two billion people - about one-third of the world's population - had been internet users by the end of 2011.

 In developed countries, 70% of the population was online, compared with 24% in developing regions, it said.

 There were almost twice as many mobile broadband subscriptions globally as fixed broadband ones, said the agency.

 The director of ITU's Telecommunication Development Bureau, Brahima Sanou, said: "The surge in numbers of mobile-broadband subscriptions in developing countries has brought the internet to a multitude of new users.

 "But despite the downward trend, prices remain relatively high in many low-income countries.

 "For mobile broadband to replicate the mobile-cellular miracle and bring more people from developing countries online, 3G network coverage has to be extended and prices have to go down even further."

 On 14 October, leading names in the ICT industry will gather at ITU Telecom World 2012 - a global networking and knowledge-sharing event in Dubai.

 Some 300 global leaders are expected to attend the conference, including heads of state, ministers, regulators, academics, and representatives of such companies as Cisco, Kaspersky Lab, Huawei, Verizon, Qualcomm, Ericsson.

Saturday, October 13, 2012 | 0 comments | Read More

Toyota to recall 8,700 units of Corolla and Camry due to faulty power window switches

Car-maker Toyota has decided to recall 8,700 units of its Corolla and Camry models in India so as to rectify faulty power window switches.

Reportedly, the Japanese automaker will recall Corolla Altis manufactured between July 30 to December 31 in 2008 and Camry's models manufactured from September 1, 2006 to July 31, 2008. The recall is a part of a global exercise and will start from next month.

 

The firm is reportedly going to recall around 2.47 million vehicles in the US, 1.40 million vehicles in China and 1.39 million vehicles in Europe. Moreover, Toyota will also recall 650,000 vehicles in Australia and Asia and around 490,000 vehicles in the near and Middle East.

 

The recall comes on the back of news that the company reported a dip in September sales by 48.9%, YoY, in China. Toyota’s decision to recall its vehicles is the second biggest single recall since Ford Motors pulled back 7.9 million vehicles in 1996.

Thursday, October 11, 2012 | 0 comments | Read More

Toyota recalls 240,000 vehicles in Canada

 Toyota is announcing another massive recall.This one involves 7.43-million vehicles around the world—including nearly 240-thousand in Canada—for a faulty power-window switch.

The recall by the Japanese auto giant affects more than a dozen models produced from 2005 through 2010.

Toyota says the switch on the driver’s side didn’t have grease applied evenly during production, causing friction and sometimes smoke.

No crashes or injuries have been reported.

Wednesday, October 10, 2012 | 0 comments | Read More