Telepathy Between Couples: Is It Real?

When Julie Beischel met Mark Boccuzzi at a conference and agreed to participate in an experiment on telepathy, she didn’t immediately tell him about the powerful connections she’d felt to him; after all, they were strangers.

Now married, however, Beischel and Boccuzzi credit telepathy for helping them meet and fall in love.

“It was like nothing I had ever encountered,” Beischel said.

VIDEO: Smooching Across Cultures

The data from the experiment backed up her perception, however, and the couple eventually asked Dean Radin, senior scientist at the Institute of Noetic Sciences (IONS) that conducted the summer study program, to marry them. Now, they are co-writing a book, Psychic Intimacy: A Handbook for Couples, that will highlight practical applications of telepathy for couples. In fact, they’ve suggested that Radin turn the experiment into a dating service.

The field of parapsychology can be tricky for scientists to navigate. At best, they’re known as a fringe group; at worst, they’re lumped together with astrologers and fortune tellers. NIH funding is hard to come by. People were often surprised that Beischel, a “hard-core” scientist with a PhD in pharmacology and toxicology, wrote a book about mediums.

But Beischel, Radin and many others are confident in their ability to answer most skeptics’ question affirmatively: Is telepathy real?

Radin tells the story of Hans Berger, the German who recorded the first human electroencephalogram (EEG) in 1924, who fell while riding a horse and was almost run over by a team of horses racing down the road inches from his head. His sister, many miles away, sensed the danger and insisted that her father send a telegram to find out what was wrong. She had never sent a telegram before, and the experience left Burger so curious that he switched from studying math and astronomy to medicine hoping to discover the source of that psychic energy.

About 100 years later, the explanation is still largely a mystery, but about 200 published experiments reveal mental connections that are “way beyond chance,” Radin said. Not knowing how it works, though, is uncomfortable for many scientists.

“Looking at the experiments and the data, it’s very clear something is going on,” Radin said. “There is doubt because we don’t have a good explanation for it yet.”

Still, even his most skeptical friends have shifted their thinking; while they may not believe it’s real, they no longer feel as strongly that it’s not, Radin said.

Read More

Samsung Galaxy S4 Active review

Why isn’t this the Galaxy S4? Usually, in an intro, we’ll explain the history of a product and tease whether it’s good or not. Not today. The Galaxy S4 Active is a fantastic phone, but we’re a little upset that it’s only available on AT&T and a lot of people are going to be stuck buying a regular Galaxy S4. Unless you buy your phones strictly for vanity, The Galaxy S4 Active is possibly the best-designed high-end phone we’ve ever used. It has all the amenities you’re used to on an Android phone, but it’s more durable and waterproof. And it doesn’t cost any more, either. Our biggest problem is that only a third of you will be able to buy it, and most of you will be confused as hell about its name, or what it is. What the hell, Samsung?

Looks great, feels like any other S4

The Galaxy S4 Active doesn’t look a whole lot different from the Galaxy S4 – at first. It’s slightly thicker and taller (a millimeter or two), but it’s still comfortable to hold by anyone who can get their mitts around a Galaxy S3 or S4. It has the same 5-inch screen on it, same button layout, same everything. The difference is that the S4 Active looks like a Galaxy S4 with a thin plate of armor on it. We like armor.

The Active has a thicker polycarbonate (durable plastic) shell than the standard S4, but not by much. To help use it underwater, because, you know, it’s somewhat waterproof; Samsung has swapped out touch navigation buttons for the real thing. We found it refreshing to press an actual Home, Back, and Menu button for once. The buttons are easy to press and have a good click to them. (We’re sure you were dying to find out how easy it is to press the Home button. That’s why you clicked on this review, right? If so, you’re going to love that the Power and Volume buttons are easy to press, too.)
The Active is as comfortable as any phone. Samsung isn’t reinventing or rocking the boat with this one, and that’s fine with us. We do really like the aqua-tinged blue coloring. We recommend it over the gray.

Waterproof and dustproof, but not shockproof

The best feature of the Galaxy S4 Active is its IP67 rating. Like a few rugged phones on the market and the Sony Xperia Z, the Active is dust and water resistant. Nothing is completely waterproof, but the Active can be completely submerged in up to 3 feet of water for up to 30 minutes without any problem. Though it’s always nerve wracking to test out, we submerged the Active, took it in the shower, and covered it in crazy things like soap and dirt. None of it phased the phone. It still works fine. The water stayed out of the phone’s innards and the dust, well, washed right off.

The Galaxy S4 Active isn’t a “rugged” phone, though the rubbery edges and rivets Samsung pasted on the back may make you think it is. If you drop it, it may still break. But we can tell you that it appears to be at least a little more durable than a standard Galaxy S4.

The S4 Active looks like a Galaxy S4 with a thin plate of armor on it. We like armor.

Durability and ruggedness elude the S4 Active, but we can’t express how freeing it is to have a phone that’s mostly waterproof. Smartphones are so delicate, but now you have one less thing to worry about. Go ahead; take out your phone when you’re stuck in the rain. Take it in the shower if you need to check your mail. Accidentally drop it in the toilet. It isn’t going to die; you aren’t going to have to buy a new phone. The feeling is liberating. We can’t wait for this type of technology to reach more devices.

It works just as well as a Galaxy S4

We will direct you to the Galaxy S4 Review to learn more about the software on the Active. It’s identical. This phone is almost identical to the S4 in every way, and that’s mostly a good thing. Samsung does tend to go overboard, and shove in as many features and apps as it can (it really wants you to like it more than its competitors, so much so that the S4 Active was actually created seemingly because of Sony’s waterproof Xperia Z), but you need only ignore what you don’t want. We recommend you skip Samsung’s Hub and instead use the Google Play Store to download your apps.

The Active runs the newest version of Android, version 4.2 Jelly Bean, modified to look a little different from other phones. This helps make it one of the most responsive and fast Android phones on the market. We have few major qualms with Samsung’s TouchWiz user interface, and it adds some cool features like eye tracking and motion control, should you choose to enable them. There were moments during testing when we wished there was a Galaxy S4 Active Google Edition – maybe someday.

It’s just as powerful as a regular S4

The interface is the same, and so is the underlying power. The S4 Active runs on the same 1.9GHz quad-core Snapdragon 600 processor (Geek specs: Qualcomm MDM9215 + APQ8064pro) found in the Galaxy S4, has 2GB RAM, 16GB of internal file storage (with MicroSD slot for expansion), and a 5-inch 1080×1920 pixel Super AMOLED screen. The screen continually stands out as one of the most responsive, pixel dense, and vivid in the industry; it looks good. The only weakpoint of the Galaxy S4 Active appears to be its rear camera, which clocks in at 8-megapixel instead of 13, like the S4. Honestly, this didn’t bother us.

This is about as powerful a phone as you’ll find in mid 2013.

In the Quadrant benchmark test, the Active performed slightly better than its predecessor with a score of 12,500. The S4 got a 12,200. What does that mean? Nothing much. The difference is negligible. Both phones perform much higher than most rival phones, save for the HTC One, which also cracked the 12,000 mark. This is about as powerful a phone as you’ll find in mid 2013. Expect it to remain a good phone for at least a year, like the Galaxy S3.

Camera

There is nothing standout about the Galaxy S4 camera, except that you can use it underwater. Don’t expect shots to come out particularly lovely when you’re submerged, but it’s possible. As mentioned, you’ll be stuck with 8 megapixels on the S4 Active versus 13 megapixels on the regular S4 and many of the its competitors. Still, he camera performance was on par with top phones of late 2012. It doesn’t reach the quality of the iPhone 5, but it should perform well in most circumstances.

We had some trouble with low-light shots, but no matter the phone camera, we always have trouble with low-light shots. Samsung’s filters are good, and its camera app is robust. Don’t buy this phone if camera quality is your number one concern, but if a “good camera” is a check on your list, go ahead and tick the box. 1080p video recording is also present and works as advertised.

Call quality is good

Though we read a few negative reports about call quality, we’ve had no issues with the Galaxy S4 Active’s call quality. We made a number of calls and had no trouble hearing or being heard. The Active’s volume gets a little louder than some handsets making it easier to hear if you’re a little hard of hearing (as I can be). A conference call using the S4 Active went well.

Battery life is meh

Though it has a large 2,600mAh battery in it, like most phones these days, there is nothing impressive about the battery life of the Galaxy S4 Active. If you use the phone more than moderately, you’re going to have trouble holding a charge for a full day and evening. When we started downloading podcasts and hitting the LTE network hard, the Active’s battery drained itself with the haste of a frightened horse. Luckily, the battery is removable, so you can buy extras if you are going on a long trip. We recommend you buy them from Samsung.

Conclusion

Like we said in our introduction, the Galaxy S4 Active is one helluva phone. With almost no sacrifices and no price increase, you’re getting a Galaxy S4 that is water and dust resistant. These are two features that don’t sound like a big deal, until you have them. It’s reassuring to know that a few rain droplets can’t ruin your $650 phone. The S4 Active is mess proof, and that’s great. Why Samsung decided spin this feature off as a separate phone, only available to AT&T users, we do not know and aren’t happy about. But if you are on AT&T, it’s hard not to recommend the Galaxy S4 Active. It has everything other phones have, and it’s waterproof. This is the AT&T phone to buy.

Highs

• Waterproof and dustproof
• Beautiful 1080p screen
• Fast, smooth performance
• Comfortable, attractive design
• Tons of features

Lows

• Mediocre battery life
• Rear camera is weaker than S4 (8MP)
• TouchWiz interface has cartoony design

Read More

Researchers use Wi-Fi signals to see through walls

If you could have any super power in the world, which one would it be? Would you want to shoot lasers out of your eyes? Perhaps you’d prefer the ability to read a person’s thoughts? Or maybe seeing through walls would be more your thing.
If you answered the latter of the three, you may be able to get your wish sooner than you think. Dina Katabi, a professor for MIT’s Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences, along with graduate student Fadel Adib, are working on a means to do just that, using low-cost Wi-Fi technology.
The technology, which Katabi has dubbed Wi-Vi, works sort of like sonar; using the device the two created, they can send out two nearly identical, modified wireless signals which are then reflected by the presence of any human body and bounced back. When the signals hit a static object, like a wall, they’re canceled out. “If the person moves behind the wall,” explained Adib, “all reflections from static objects are canceled out, and the only thing registered by the device is the moving human.” Once the device has canceled out all static objects, it can then focus on tracking the moving object.
So it may not be exactly like having X-Ray vision, but it’s pretty darn cool. And there’s practical use for it. This sort of technology could help speed up rescue efforts for anyone trapped in the rubble of a building after a damaging earthquake, for example. It could be used as a safety precaution for anyone nervous about walking alone at night. And Katabi says that it could even could be used for gesture-based controlling, whether it’s shutting off the lights or playing a video game.
Katabi plans to formally introduce the technology this August at the Sigcomm conference in Hong Kong. How long it will take before this technology starts being used has yet to be determined, but it’s already gotten the attention of Microsoft, as a possible means of stepping up its gaming abilities.

Read More

The top 5 reasons to upgrade to Windows 8.1

The Windows 8.1 preview is here, giving us a first-hand glimpse at the fruits of Microsoft’s newfound rapid-release religion. Remolding an operating system in eight scant months is a tall task indeed, and while Windows 8.1 is still far from perfect, Microsoft managed to craft a fairly capable reimagining of its new-look OS in the short time since Windows 8 debuted last October.
Steve Ballmer said it well: Windows 8.1 refines the blend, making the core modern UI experience far less jarring than before. Don’t dig all the Live Tiles? Windows 8.1 even tosses several sizable bones to desktop aficionados.
Here, folks, are the five most enticing reasons to upgrade to Windows 8.1 when the final version becomes available. Microsoft has said the official release is slated for 2013, but hasn't announced a firm release date. If you’re feeling adventurous enough to run beta software—preferably on a secondary computer, for precaution's sake—you can install the Windows 8.1 preview today, but be sure to back up your data first.

1. A better desktop experience

 

Hey, this is PCWorld, not TabletWorld, and while the times they are a-changing, the vast majority of computers found in the wild don’t rock the touchscreens that really take advantage of the modern UI. Microsoft seemed to forget that point with the original Windows 8 release, but fortunately the Windows 8.1 preview packs a bevy of improvements that make using it much more palatable to keyboard jockeys.
After some mild tweaking, you won’t have to jump through hoops to largely eliminate the modern UI from your computing life. Windows 8.1 reintroduces boot-to-desktop, and if you pair that with the ability to configure the returned Start button to jump to the Start menu-esque All Apps screen, you may rarely, if ever, see a Live Tile.
Assuming nothing incredibly major changes between now and the time the final release appears, Windows 8.1 still isn’t compelling enough to coax staunch Windows 7 lovers to upgrade, but it does make the transition much easier if you do decide to switch to Microsoft’s modern vision.

2. More seamless overall

Speaking of transitions, one of the major complaints about Windows 8 was the disjointed way that the desktop and the modern UI interacted. All too often, they felt like warring, totally separate universes, and the OS was all too eager to rip you out of one to dump you unceremoniously in the other—a disorienting (and frustrating) experience.
Windows 8.1 smooths that feeling over quite a bit. The walls are definitely still there, and you’ll occasionally find yourself whisked from one UI to the other, but overall, the experience is far less intrusive. With the addition of the revamped Start button, the ability to carry your desktop background over to the Start screen, and the fuller-fledged modern PC Settings, the Windows 8.1 preview gives you a greater feeling of control over the UI. Now, if Microsoft would only introduce a modern-style file explorer app…

3. Versatile app snapping

Another big plus in the Windows 8.1 preview is its more-flexible Snap function, which allows you to have multiple modern-style apps open at once. In Windows 8 vanilla, you’re limited to having two apps open simultaneously: One fills 75 percent of the screen, while the other is relegated to the last quarter. That seriously cramps Snap’s usefulness.
Windows 8.1 shatters its predecessor’s artificial barriers. Depending on your display’s resolution, you can have as many as four apps snapped on a single screen, and you can now dynamically alter the size of snapped windows. Being able to dedicate half the screen each to two apps seriously boosts Windows 8.1’s productivity chops.
The Snap changes may sound minor, but they add up to a huge usability improvement—especially when paired with the newfound ability to open the modern version of Internet Explorer 11 in multiple windows at once.

4. Cohesive search results

Windows 8’s Search charm was pretty helpful, but Windows 8.1’s Smart Search blows it out of the water. Rather than separating search results into distinct Apps, Settings, and Files categories, Windows 8.1 pools everything into a single cohesive search results page, complete with results from other apps, including SkyDrive, Bing Web search, and the Video and Music apps.

Windows 8.1’s Smart Search pools local and Web-sourced data into one collection of search results, like this aggregate on Queens of the Stone Age

That makes Windows 8.1’s search incredibly versatile and incredibly helpful. Searching for the band Queens of the Stone Age, for example, popped up an eye-catching picture of the group, a couple of documents where I’d mentioned them, biographical info, the ability to stream their songs using the Music app, Bing search results, and recommendations for a couple of apps that could provide more info about the group.

Windows Smart Search also scooped up a barrel o’ data on Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer with impressive ease.

Searching for Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer, on the other hand, also revealed some local documents, but his results included numerous videos, related search topics, and a lot more.
If Microsoft had added only Smart Search to Windows 8.1, it would’ve been enough to convince me to install the update. Yes, it’s that good.

5. New features in every corner

Windows 8.1 includes support for 3D printers. How cool is that?

The Windows 8.1 preview is also jam-packed with all kinds of hidden features. From Miracast streaming to 3D printer support to Photosynth-style panoramas in the Camera app to the veritable cornucopia of new features buried in the revamped PC Settings menu, there’s something new and interesting in every nook and cranny. (And that’s not even counting the deep bench of new and updated native apps, like the vastly improved Windows Store.)
You could spend several days discovering all the tweaks Microsoft stuffed into the Windows 8.1 preview. Few of them can be classified as all-star additions, but all are welcome extras nonetheless—and it’s kind of exciting never knowing what you’ll find when you dive into an unexplored corner of the OS.

A must-have for Windows 8 adoptees

Now, don’t get me wrong. Windows 8.1 won’t do anything to soothe your concerns if you hate the very premise of the core Windows 8 experience. The Live Tiles and modern UI aren’t going anywhere. (You can read our in-depth impressions of Windows 8.1 here.)
But with the Windows 8.1 preview, Microsoft has shown that it’s willing to compromise a bit on its post-PC push to nudge along the desktop diehards. The raft of changes—refinements—in Windows 8.1 soften some of the bumps in the migration path for newcomers. And if you’re already aboard the Windows 8 bandwagon, there’s no reason not to upgrade to Windows 8.1 whenever it becomes officially available.

Read More

Nerds dressed head to toe in wearable tech are going to ruin it for everybody

Wearable tech is, at the risk of going all Derek Zoolander. It’s so hot right now, it seems nothing can take away its coolness. Nope, not even that shower picture. However, there’s a reason for this: it’s because there are only a few examples we can all buy. Once all the tech giants get their acts together and start releasing wearable tech products – and there will be a lot – the cool factor is in danger of disappearing very quickly.

The trouble is, tech fans are a vulnerable lot, and when we see shiny new gadgets, it’s tough not to want (no, need) them.

Why? Because we don’t know when to stop. Think about it, you can look cool with a Nike Fuelband or a Fitbit Flex on your wrist. You look sporty and concerned with your health, plus you’re showing your geeky side. But what about your Pebble? Hmm, you’ve got another wrist, so that’s fine. Fast forward to early 2014, and Google Glass is about to go up for pre-order. You struggle through Google Play’s inevitably painful ordering process, and a few weeks later, a computer is resting on the bridge of your nose.
But the Fuelband and the Pebble are still on your wrist, aren’t they? That’s three devices, and they all connect to your smartphone, adorning your body. Apart from the effect it’ll have on your phone’s battery life, all of a sudden you’ve gone from being sporty, health conscious, and a bit geeky, to a tragic nerd. Nobody will want to speak to you because they know you won’t be paying the slightest bit of attention. This scenario is based only on the hardware we know about today, not what wearable horrors tomorrow holds.

Marketing teams want your body…

While we want to believe no-one will do this, manufacturers are fully aware the space on our bodies is limited, so expect all sorts of cunning tricks to make you put on fifteen different pieces of connected rubbish every morning. Right now, in a conference room somewhere there are teams of marketers figuring out all the places where else a gadget can be strapped to, worn, or even hung from (steady). Let’s face it, the battle for your wrist and your face is already seen as half over.

We’ve been given a couple of hints this activity is already going on. A Samsung trademark reveals it’s planning a range of wearable technology products under the name “Samsung Gear.” Gear is a worrying word, as it instantly brings to mind the things motorcyclists who’re keen to stay in one piece have to wear. Helmets, gloves, massive great big jackets, waterproof romper suits, and more; and all could be on Samsung’s list of things to make into ‘smart’ gadgets.
For proof that things are about to get weird, even Dell is exploring wearable tech. Yep. Dude, some people could be wearing a Dell.
The news Apple has hired former Saint Laurent Paris boss Paul Deneve is also a concern, especially for those with a weakness for Apple products. He’s apparently going to work on, “special projects,” and given his background – he’s also worked for Courreges, and Nina Ricci – it could be the iWatch or other luxury wearable products. What’s to worry about, you may ask? At one time or another, this man presumably thought these glasses (Courreges Vintage Eskimo sunglasses, in case you were wondering) were a good idea, and made a living out of convincing people of the fact. If you’re an Apple fan, you don’t stand a chance.

A tech fan’s guide to wearing wearable tech

So what’s to be done? We’ve all got to sit down and work out a plan. Wearable tech isn’t like buying, and being satisfied with, a single laptop or smartphone – it’s too closely aligned with the fashion and jewelry industry for that – the temptation to wear too much will be palpable. It could sneak up on you, too. One day you’re checking your watch for notifications, and the next your sneakers are telling you to speed up, your helmet’s warning you you’re about to miss your turn, your boss is trying to Hangout on Glass, and your mom’s sending your jacket a hug.

To avoid this nightmare situation, and the fashion faux pas which would go along with it, we propose some kind of unofficial guide to keep us safe from accidentally becoming instantly unattractive to the opposite sex, and lessen the chance of being cruelly beaten and robbed on a regular basis. For example, a smart watch on its own is fine, but shouldn’t be complimented by smart glasses, but glasses and a fitness tracker would be acceptable. Smart body wear could go with one gadget, but not two or more.
The trouble is, tech fans are a vulnerable lot, and when we see shiny new gadgets, it’s tough not to want (no, need) them. This way, we can still buy all the wearable tech we want, but the rules on which ones to wear at one time will be clear. Tech land is already crossing over into the fashion world, so we need to learn one of their own rules to survive – that accessorizing well is an exercise in subtlety.

Read More

Haswell is here, but is it the right time to buy a new laptop or tablet?

The launch of a new processor line is unlike the launch of any other product. Production is complicated, and quality control must meet exacting standards. This is why Intel’s 4th-gen processors (code-named Haswell), though officially launched, are available in just a handful of systems.
This scarcity places consumers in an uncomfortable place ahead of the important back-to-school and holiday shopping seasons. Laptops are popular items, yet many don’t have the new processors. Are systems with 3rd-gen Intel Core parts still worth your money? Let’s take a look.

What Haswell brings to the table

We’ve already covered Haswell’s new features, but we’ve had the opportunity since then to test some systems with 4th-gen hardware and put them through both our performance and battery benchmarks. What are the results?
Compute performance is, relative to the 3rd-gen processors – almost at a standstill. Though there’s been some improvement, it’s quite minor, and we’ve noticed 4th-gen processors coming in just behind their predecessors. The Core i7-4702HQ in the Razer Blade, for example, does not out-perform the Core i7-3635QM in the Samsung ATIV Book 8 or the Core i7-3630QM in the Lenovo IdeaPad Y500.

Graphics performance is another matter, however. While we still haven’t been able to test Intel’s high-end Iris and Iris Pro graphics, we have thoroughly reviewed Intel HD 4600 and, since that review, played with HD 4600 on two additional laptops. Benchmarks consistently show the new integrated graphics processor to be far ahead of its predecessor. Apple’s latest MacBook Air, for example, produced a 3DMark Fire Strike score of 774, while 3rd-gen Ultrabooks struggle to crack 500 in the same test.
And then there’s Haswell’s most hyped feature: battery life. The new MacBook Air offers almost seven hours of heavy Web browsing, and the new Razer Blade almost cracks five hours in spite of its quad-core processor. An average 3rd-gen Ultrabook scores four hours and thirty minutes in this same test, so the 4th-gen processors are truly a boon to portability.

Worth the wait?

Obviously, there are advantages to the new 4th-gen processors. Though they aren’t much quicker in compute tests, they blow the doors off the previous generation in 3D graphics and battery life. Yet these benefits probably won’t find their way to all laptops until at least the end of this year, and some new models still have last-generation technology. Lenovo’s newly released Yoga 11S, for example, debuted with a 3rd-gen rather than 4th-gen processor.
The decision to buy or wait ultimately comes down to what type of system you intend to buy.

Desktops: Buy

The old-fashioned desktop PC obviously isn’t the focus of Haswell and is the option which benefits the least. With no major performance increase, and battery life not a factor, the new processors have little to lure desktop buyers. Even the graphics improvement is somewhat trivial, as most modern desktops paired with a 1080p monitor and HD 4600 graphics, despite its improvement, can’t handle many games at that resolution. The story may be different with Iris and Iris Pro, but those IGPs aren’t found on most 4th-gen desktop processors.

Quad-core laptops: Wait
Minimal gains in compute performance may lead you to think the new processors are unimportant for large laptops … but not so fast! While it’s true that a 3rd-gen processor will be about as fast, it will also offer less battery life and inferior graphics performance. Laptop with 4th-gen quad-core processors are coming to market more quickly than their dual-core counterparts, as well, so the wait is unlikely to extend beyond a few months.
Standard dual-core laptops: Buy

Intel has historically given parts with the largest profit margin priority, so basic dual-core laptops will be the last to see widespread distribution of the new architecture. Budget and mid-range systems may not even see widespread adoption of Haswell before the holiday shopping season is over. If you have a laptop already in your sites, go ahead and buy it. The wait may not be worth the benefits.

Ultrabooks: Wait
Intel’s new processor keeps performance on par while drastically reducing power consumption and bumping up graphics performance, all of which makes for a better Ultrabook experience. Currently just a handful of systems, such as the MacBook Air and Sony Vaio Pro, have a 4th-gen processor, but more systems should see a refresh over the coming months, and the improvements will be well worth the wait.
Tablets and 2-in-1s: Wait

Along with Intel’s announcement of new processors also came the creation of new terminology: the “2-in-1,” formerly known as a convertible laptop or dockable PC. Intel’s Haswell press release promised that about fifty new devices in this category will arrive in the latter half of 2013, so consumers should wait to see what these products can offer. There may be new designs that out-class anything on the market today.

Bargain shopping: Older doesn’t always mean better value

Those looking for a good deal are no doubt starting to circle the Internet, waiting for price drops on 3rd-gen laptops. This is not a bad tactic, but consumers should have reasonable expectations.
Intel laptops don’t have a history of massive price-cuts when a new generation is announced. What you’ll usually see is a modest reduction, perhaps 10 to 20 percent, and the older model might sell alongside its newer brethren for months. In some extreme examples, laptops with old technology can sell for years; you can still buy a Zenbook with a 2nd-gen Core processor for $580.
Don’t’ forget to compare the prices of old laptops against new systems, however. That 2nd-gen Zenbook looks nice at first glance (it’s almost half the price of a 3rd-gen version!), yet it doesn’t compare well to the IdeaPad U310, which has a 3rd-gen processor for $530.
What do you plan to do? Buy now, or wait for Haswell to make its way into more PCs? Let us know in the comments below.

Read More

Why Nokia needs to end its marriage to Microsoft with a Google Edition Lumia

Last week, Pierre Ferragu, an analyst working for Bernstein Research, had some cutting things to say about the state of Nokia’s business, most of which concerned the firm’s finances. However, Ferragu also had something to say about Nokia’s dependance on Microsoft’s Windows Phone platform, and the rapidly diminishing feature phone market. He claimed that “Both could cost Nokia a lot of cash in the near term” and that it “could be too late” to turn back and fix this in a few years. His solution: Nokia should “take the pill” and make a few Android phones before it’s too late; low-end Android phones could come by the end of the year.

Swap out Windows Phone for Android Jelly Bean, and there you have it: the Lumia 925 Google Edition

Ferragu saying Nokia should adopt Android or die isn’t news either. It has been discussed by analysts, shouted across rooms in fanboy arguments, and endlessly rolled out in forums and comment threads all over the Internet ever since Nokia chose Windows Phone in 2011. Many seem to believe that the moment a Nokia phone with Android installed goes on sale, the company’s woes would be over, and it would be back at the top of the charts in the blink of an eye. That’s not the case, but that doesn’t mean we aren’t drooling at the thought of a slick Nokia smartphone with Android installed. Until recently, the chances of it happening seemed as remote as Apple doing the same thing, but one particular development may have given Nokia the chance it needs to experiment with Android, without the need to spend millions in development. We’re talking about a Lumia Google Edition.

Beautiful Nokia hardware, smooth stock Android

A Google Edition phone, in case you’re not familiar with the term, is one which has stock Android installed, without any manufacturer user interface over the top. They’re a bit like Nexus phones, but based on existing devices. Samsung was the first on the scene with a Google Edition of the Galaxy S4, which was quickly joined by the HTC One. Sony and Huawei may also launch Google Editions of the Xperia Z and Ascend P6, respectively.
Nokia’s hardware is good. The Lumia 920 may be a bit of a beast, but it’s one solid, beautiful smartphone. The Lumia 925 is the perfect evolution – lighter and more attractive. It’s the ideal base for Nokia’s Google Edition experiment. Swap out Windows Phone for Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean, give the shell an exclusive color scheme, and there you have it, the Lumia 925 Google Edition. Nokia can even leave the spec alone, as the screen is wonderfully bright, and the processor perfectly capable of dealing with Android and its apps. Who wouldn’t want to play with the 8.7-megapixel, Carl Zeiss-lensed PureView camera?
A custom user interface is the elephant in the room when discussing Nokia’s adoption of Android. Companies like Samsung, HTC, Motorola, and LG modify the icons, themes, and features of Android to make their phones stand out. If Nokia adopted Android outright, it would want to have it’s own custom user interface. Unfortunately, they cost money to develop, and time to produce, both of which are scarce at Nokia, according to the doom-mongers. But by introducing the Google Edition brand, Google has opened the door for Nokia to make an Android phone without investing in the platform. The resulting device would instantly join a showcase of established, desirable Android phones already on the market.

So, let’s say it does this, it probably won’t want to produce a boatload of Android Lumia phones in advance, so how about (rather ironically, really) taking a leaf out of Jolla’s book and put up a Kickstarter-style pre-order campaign, where the phones are essentially built-to-order. Throw in a t-shirt and we’ll call it Christmas. We know we’re dreaming here, but we want to see Nokia survive and succeed, and this could be a way of it giving Android a shot with the minimum of financial exposure.

Nokia should still stick with Windows Phone

A Google Edition Lumia phone probably wouldn’t make Nokia rich, but it would let it see how the public would react to a Nokia Android phone, potentially opening up an important additional revenue stream; something no one should argue against if they’ve seen Nokia’s balance sheet.
We say additional, because Nokia should keep Windows Phone as its primary smartphone OS. It’s by far the most successful Windows Phone manufacturer, and figures have shown the operating system is slowly growing in popularity. No, its not an Android killer yet, but who knows.
Nokia would be foolish to dump Windows Phone and marry Android. The idea is almost unthinkable. Aside from the money, time, and effort needed to make another major transition, Nokia would burn bridges and risk collapse in the process. And to get where? To be in the same position as Acer, selling a million phones a year? Or HTC, an established Android manufacturer with plenty of support and a great phone, but still struggling to get by? No, Windows Phone is what makes Nokia different at the moment, but releasing a Google Edition of its coolest Windows Phone device would make it more different still, potentially awarding it an army of new fans, and giving the company’s management a glimpse of a rosy, multi operating system future. The marriage with Windows Phone needs to end, but they can still remain close.
Go on, Nokia. Make a Lumia 925 Google Edition. It would be a hit phone; we have foreseen this. It is your destiny.

Read More

iPhone takes hit in European market as Android pushes ahead

 

 

Android’s share of the smartphone market in western Europe continues to rise, according to the latest data from research firm IDC, while Apple’s iOS has taken a hit.
In the first quarter of this year, Android’s share of the OS market increased to 69 percent from 55 percent a year earlier. Apple’s iOS, by contrast, fell from 25 percent to 20 percent.
IDC said that despite smartphone shipments in western Europe increasing year on year by 12 percent to 31.6 million units, the market showed its lowest growth rate since the research firm started tracking the mobile phone market in 2004.
The low growth was attributed to the poor condition of the economies in the region, with disposable income hit hard as a consequence. But two other factors highlighted by IDC could prove problematic for Apple – firstly, that smartphone penetration in northern Europe is reaching tipping point, with most users unlikely to replace their existing handset until the contract ends or the device breaks, and secondly, owners of feature phones making the switch to smartphones are more likely to opt for a lower-price handset than a high-end model, such as the iPhone.

‘No need for a smartphone’

IDC’s Francisco Jeronimo said that while the first wave of smartphone adoption in the region was driven by consumers searching for the best devices in terms of performance and user experience – devices they didn’t mind paying a premium for – the second wave, which we are entering now, is being driven by consumers “with no need for a smartphone.”
“These new users are looking to replace their current feature phones with another feature phone, as smartphones are fancy gadgets that they don’t feel the need to have,” Jeronimo said. “However, when they go to a phone shop most of the options available are smartphones only….and the cheapest smartphones they note are most likely to be as low in price as the last feature phone they bought.” Feeling no need for a ‘fancy’ smartphone, they’ll simply buy one of the cheapest models, Jeronimo said.
With a forecast like that, Apple may feel increasing pressure to look to emerging markets for revenue with a budget iPhone – a device about which the rumor mill has been merrily turning for many months now. But even a move of this nature is no guarantee of success, with a Times of India report this week revealing that domestic smartphone makers such as Micromax are enjoying increasing support from local consumers. On top of that, Android is currently riding high in the country with an astonishing 90 percent of the smartphone market, while Apple fell out of the top 5 in terms of Q1 unit sales.

Read More

The new Google Chrome browser

Good news for Google Chrome users! Google has updated the Stable channel to 27.0.1453.93 for Windows, Linux, Mac and all Chrome OS Devices.
According to Chrome team, this build contains a number of new features, bug fixes and security improvements.

Highlighted features:

• Web pages load 5% faster on average
• chrome.syncFileSystem API to save and synchronize data on Google Drive
• Improved ranking of predictions, improved spell correction and numerous fundamental improvements for Omnibox predictions

This build also contains a new Adobe Flash build.

You can download the new version using following link:
Download Link

Read More

Why is Windows 8 a big failure?

After Microsoft announced that Windows 8 has failed to reach his goals all people start comparing windows 8 to Windows Vista.

No doubt that Windows 8 had officially failed, however windows 8 is actually way better than windows 7 but the problem is that people did see any difference between the two operating systems, in today's world marketing is very important, and why windows 8 failed ? because Microsoft didn't spent enough money to advertise the new system.

True, on the desktop, Windows 7 still ranks as the top operating system with 44.85-percent of all PC users, followed by the still popular Windows XP with 37.74-percent. Vista—yes the never-loved Vista—comes in at third with 4.51 percent. Despite the fact that finding and buying Windows 7 PCs has become increasingly more expensive and difficult, just try finding one in a retail store, Windows 8 share is growing but still comes in last at 4.27 percent.
Worse still, Windows 8's month-over-month growth rate is lagging further and further behind Vista's dreadful 2007 adoption numbers. When comparing the operating systems when they were first launched, Windows 8's adoption rate in its first month trailed Vista by just over half-a-percent among PC buyers. Now, in their 8th month out, Vista's market-share numbers now lead Windows 8 by 3.64 percent. Needless to say, both lag far behind XP and Windows 7's numbers at similar points in their product life-cycle.

Read More

what new on 4th generation Intel processors Haswell

Its been almost a year since Intel announced the 4th generation of processors, Haswell processors are  finally available on the market.

Its important to notice that the new processors is not compatible with old motherboards "socket 1155", you have to buy a new motherboard 1150.

 

Haswell features:
On the brand new processors Haswell you no longer have 6 USB 3.0 ports instead of 4 on the Ivy Bridge, also 6 ports of SATA 6Gb/s.
One of the best features Intel has announced is the energy economy witch make laptop's battery  like MacBook Air and Vaio Pro  last longer.

Performance

Compared to Ivy Bridge:

• Approximately 8% better vector processing performance.
• 4%-6% IPC (instructions per clock) increase.
• 3% faster single-threaded performance.
• 5% faster multi-threaded performance.
• Non K models are completely locked and cant be overclocked at all unlike Ivy.
• Haswell is around 10°C-15°C hotter than Ivy Bridge when overclocked and does not seem to break the 4.2-4.4 GHz mark nearly as easily.Haswell draw around 30w more under load than ivy)
• A 4% increase in sequential CPU performance (eight execution ports per core versus six).
• Up to 25% performance increase over the integrated HD4000 GPU (Haswell HD4600 vs Ivy Bridge's built-in Intel HD4000).
  
  

Read More

Side-by-side comparison Instagram, Vine, Viddy

You have more options for social video than ever! In the wake of Instagram’s video update, battle lines are being drawn. So where are you going to cast your allegiance? If you need help deciding (and can’t imagine being dedicated enough to use multiple platforms – no shame, that sounds horrible) here are how three of the major social video apps stack up against each other.

Filters

Instagram
Video for Instagram comes with 13 new filters (new meaning different than the stills filters). According to Instagram, they were created with help from artists who specialize in creating filters for video.
Vine
N/A
Viddy
Viddy features 15 filters, as well as the option to shoot your video with the flash on the entire time you’re recording. Here are Instagram (R) versus Viddy filters (L).

Timing

Instagram
Videos can be as long as 15 seconds; you also have the option to film a video in clips to create a “collage” effect.
Vine
Part of Vine’s fame is tied to its 6-second rule. Videos loop for a GIF-like effect, and you can also apply the “hold-and-release” method to make a video that features a set of individually recorded moments.
Viddy
Viddy puts both Instagram and Vine to shame (if longer video is what you’re looking for): Viddy has a max length of 30 seconds. Like Instagram and Vine, you can hold-and-release to take individual segments that are strung together for the video.

Features and editing

Instagram
In addition to the filters, Instagram includes a feature called Cinema, which drastically improves the stability of the video. Handheld video, being what it is, can be very shaky. However, we’re noticing that videos with the effect appear somewhat modulated, sort of blurred around the edges on the finer details if you will.
Cinema is automatically on and you have to toggle it off, for the record.
Last but not least, you can individual trash clips you don’t like. If it’s a straight, one-shot take, then this is a no-go, but if you took individual clips and strung them together, these separate clips can be trashed as you see fit.
Vine
Vine is what it is: Meaning, beyond holding your thumb down over the screen to capture moments to be looped into eternity, there’s not much else you can do with your posts. There’s no real editing included. The one option: You can flip to the front-facing camera.
Viddy
While Vine might be sparse, and Instagram fairly simple, Viddy pulls out all the stops: You can add a frame to your camera to keep things level; you can rotate flip to the front-facing camera; you can leave your flash on – and that’s all just while you’re shooting. In addition to filters, you can add music or trim the video.

Search and discovery

Instagram
Video for Instagram functions the exact same way as stills do in this regard: If you open up the explore tab, you can see a host of popular, much-liked photos, or you can search by users or hashtags. You won’t be prompted with anything here, except for hashtags you’ve recently used.
You can, of course, also hit hashtags showing up from users in your own feed.
When it comes to Web, you’ll have to rely on a third party app like Statigram or Webstagram for discovery; Instagram doesn’t have any such built-in functionality.
Vine
Vine nearly puts Instagram to shame when it comes to hashtagging the bejesus out of content, so that’s probably one of the easiest ways to find different types of Vines. The Explore tab is also quite useful, divided into “Editors picks,” “Popular now,” and “Trending” categories.
You can also go off on your own and search by users or tags – you might find some incredibly lewd content, however. Or some just plain weird stuff.
As far as Web goes, Vinecrawler is probably the best app that gives you control over what you’re looking for. Vinepeek is fun, though totally pulling up Vines at random.
Viddy
Under Viddy’s Explore tab, you’ll find a bevy of options. You can search Viddy by the “Featured,” “Popular,” “Who to follow,” “Newest,” “Recommended,” “Celeb,” or “Funny” tabs. Actually, there are way more than that – a few popular hashtags are in there, like #dogsofviddy and #summer as well. The list goes on; suffice it to say that Viddy is doing a lot to help you find what it is you’re looking for (even if you don’t know what that is yet).
You can, of course, also click on hashtags within your feed to find something as well. Viddy doesn’t have a Web client, though, so there’s no search effort online.

Read More

How to speed up YouTube videos? its not that hard

Most people have quick internet connection but they face problems watching YouTube videos, we are going to show you how to YouTube faster than ever.

People wonder why videos on YouTube load so slow, the truth is that every time you load a video YouTube  use a temporary server to load the video witch make the video so slow if there is so many people watching the same video, so what we are going to do is make force the video to be loaded from the original server .

First press windows logo +R then type cmd a black screen will show up copy and paste the follownig code

 netsh advfirewall firewall add rule name="YouTubePerformanceHack" dir=in action=block remoteip=173.194.55.0/24,206.111.0.0/16 enable=yes

 

 

and press enter .

if you faced any problems after this changes you can undo the above by pasting the following code in the same screen (cmd)

netsh advfirewall firewall delete rule name="YouTubePerformanceHack"

Read More

Using linux and missing IDManager? 4 substitute softwares for a better donwload

Most people who just move to Linux OS they immediately miss Internet Download Manager, we are going to show you some alternatives for a better download under Linux OS.


1- DownThemAll:
It's not really a software its just a add on for Firefox, it work perfectly with Linux, giving you high speed download, this add-on could be used for windows user too.



Download from HERE

2-FlareGet
Its a powerful software that increase download speed and help splitting files and download each , it also resume downloads and work perfectly with all browsers, and many more features.




Download HERE 

3-Axel
A small but powerful program that deliver all Internet Download Manager features but without a graphic interface, its perfect for console users under Linux.



Download HERE

Read More

How to cool down your laptop

It's summer time , and most people have problems with laptops increasing heat. For those how cant afford to buy a new fan we are going to show you some tips to avoid high computer temperature .


1- Always place you laptop on a solid surface , putting laptops on beds is bad idea.

2- Make sure you laptop's fan is clean, dust is one of the most common reasons of fan's decreasing performance.

3-Don't use your laptop for a long time, specially at day time, its recommended to use laptops at night .

4- Use software like  SPEEDFAN to monitor laptop heat and increase fan's speed when its necessary.

5- whenever you feel the laptop is too hot, open task manager ( Alt+Ctrl+Supr then choose task manager )  and kill all the processors that use too much memory , some times after using the laptop for a long time the task "explorer.exe" take too much memory , stop it then go to aplication tab on the task manager and click on start new task and type "explorer".


6- Don't play games that need high graphics at day time for a long time, save the games for the late night.

You can Download SpeedFan from the official site its a freeware : SpeedFan 4.49

Read More

Siri for the smart home, meet the ivee Sleek Wi-Fi voice assistant

Already surpassing fifty percent of a $40,000 funding goal on Kickstarter in the first day, the ivee Sleek is a Wi-Fi connected device that’s designed to provide voice control for common tasks within a smart home. Moving beyond the company’s lineup of bedside alarm clocks with voice activation, the ivee Sleek can connect to smart devices within the home like a Nest thermostat or a Lockitron deadbolt door lock. Rather than accessing an application on your smartphone or tablet to control the home’s functions, you would simply use a voice command to change the temperature or turn off all the lights in the home.
In addition to providing voice control for the smart devices within the home, the ivee Sleek also acts as a personal assistant similar to Siri on the iPhone. The ivee Sleek can tell you about the current weather conditions, recommend leaving early for work due to a reported accident on the road, provide up to the minute stock prices and even wish you a happy birthday. In addition, users can set reminders for later in the day as well as alarms. Within the admin interface, the user can add their mobile phone number to receive text notifications for those reminders.

If the ivee Sleek is moved into the bedroom, it can also be used as a traditional alarm clock with LCD display. In addition to providing FM radio for music, the ivee Sleek can play relaxing sounds that will help you fall asleep like the constant waves of an ocean. Also useful for the kids, the ivee Sleek can read a bedtime story out loud as they are falling asleep.
In order to relay a voice command to the ivee Sleek, the user first says “Hello ivee” to listen for the user’s voice. The microphone array within the device makes it possible to silence ambient noise in the area and focus on the user’s voice up to 15 feet away. There are also light and temperature sensors within the hardware to take note of the nearby ambient light as well as the current temperature in the room. Internally, the hardware includes a 400 MHz ARM9 processor, 128MB of RAM, 256MB of flash storage, a 45mm speaker, a 4.3″ LCD display and 802.11 Wi-Fi b/g connectivity. Similar to any mobile device, the ivee Sleek includes a USB connection for charging the battery.

As more people start to use the ivee Sleek, the development team will be able to make the device smarter over time. In addition to smart thermostats, locks and lights, the ivee Sleek will be able to control smart vacuums, scales, blinds, plugs, pedometers and health monitors as well. Regarding price, the device will eventually retail for $199, but the current price for early Kickstarter backers is $179. Assuming the project is heavily funded, the team will be working on additional functionality at launch including movies times, Internet radio and a calendar function.
According to the Kickstarter project page, the team is targeting a four-month time frame to launch with the first batch of ivee Sleek devices heading out to backers by October 2013. As with all projects on Kickstarter, be aware that manufacturing issues can cause significant delays in the launch of a new product. However, it’s likely that this will be less of an issue with the ivee Sleek due to the company’s history with the production of a similar product line.

Read More

How to Add “Scan with Windows Defender” Option in File Context Menu in Windows 8?

Microsoft's new OS Windows 8 comes with "Windows Defender" preinstalled which is an anti-malware utility to improve your computer security. Windows Defender is a free product released by Microsoft in past which has been now replaced by another advanced tool "Microsoft Security Essentials (MSE)". Microsoft Security Essentials can also be downloaded separately for other Windows version.
Windows Defender in Windows 8 has all features of MSE so most of the times you'll not need to install any other security software in your system. But it lacks one important feature which is an option to direct scan a file using Windows Defender.
Almost all security software add a new option in files/folders context menu (right-click menu) to allow you to scan those files/folders for virus quickly and easily. You just need to right-click on desired file and select the option to scan the file using your security software.
But Windows Defender doesn't add any such option in files context menu. Whenever you need to scan a file for virus, you have to launch Windows Defender and then you can select the file using browse dialog box. It requires lots of steps and many times it becomes quite frustrating.
Wouldn't it be great if you could manually add such option in files context menu? Whenever you want to scan a file using Windows Defender, just right-click on the file and choose the scan option.
Today in this topic, we are going to share a free software to solve this issue. "Windows Defender Status Manager" is a freeware which automatically adds a new option "Scan with Windows Defender" in all files context menu. It also shows a new icon in Taskbar notification area (system tray) to show the current status of Windows Defender whether the program is working fine or not.

You just need to run the setup of the program and it'll ask you whether you want to add the option in context menu? Just click on yes button and complete the installation. Once the installation completes, it'll add the Windows Defender status icon in system tray and a new option "Scan with Windows Defender" in all files context menu.

Its a very useful software for those who want to use the built-in security program in Windows 8 and don't want to install any extra 3rd party antivirus or anti-spyware software. With the help of this small software you can make Windows Defender a perfect security program.
It supports both 32-bit and 64-bit editions of Windows 8.

Read More

How to Disable Protected View in Microsoft Office While Opening Email Attachments or Downloaded Files

If you are using Microsoft Office 2010 or Office 2013 versions, you might have noticed this problem. Whenever you try to open an Office document (Word, Excel or PowerPoint file) which was downloaded from Internet or was attached in an email, Microsoft Office program opens it in Protected View which is also known as Read Mode or Restricted Mode.
In this mode, the file is opened as read-only. You can't edit the file until you click on "Enable Editing" button as shown in following image:

In Protected View you also get a message bar at the top of the window containing messages similar to following:

• This file originated from an Internet location and might be unsafe
• This file originated as an e-mail attachment and might be unsafe
• This file was opened from a potentially unsafe location
• Editing this file type is not allowed due to your policy settings
• Editing this file type is not recommended due to your File Block settings in the Trust Center
• Office has detected a problem with this file. Editing it may harm your computer

Protected View mode was introduced in Office 2010 version which is present in the latest Office 2013 version as well. It was designed to provide better security as the files downloaded from Internet or attached in emails might contain viruses and can be dangerous for your computer system. Protected View protects your computer from being infected by these suspicious items automatically.
But if you are sure about the file and if you know that the downloaded file is absolutely safe, then this Protected View might become annoying for you. Every time you try to open such a file in an Office program, you'll need to click on the enable editing button each time to edit the file.
Don't worry! Here is the solution. Microsoft Office comes with an option to disable this built-in Protected View feature in any desired Office program.
If you also want to turn off Protected View feature in Office 2010 or Office 2013 version, check out following simple steps:
1. First launch any Office program such as Microsoft Word and then click on File menu present in the ribbon.
2. Now click on Options tab present in the left sidebar.
3. It'll open Options window. Now click on "Trust Center" tab given at the end in left-side pane and then click on "Trust Center Settings" button.

It'll open a new window to customize Trust Center settings.
4. Click on "Protected View" tab and in right-side pane, you'll see following options:

• Enable Protected View for files originating from the Internet
• Enable Protected View for files that are located in potentially unsafe locations
• Enable Protected View for Outlook attachments

5. All options are enabled by default. Disable the desired option or disable all given options to turn off Protected View completely and click on OK button to save the changes.
6. Close the Office program and now whenever you open a file downloaded from Internet or attached in an email, it'll open normally instead of Protected View.
NOTE: You'll need to follow the same procedure for each Office program such as Word, Excel, PowerPoint separately.

Read More

Windows 8.1 Features List

Many of us know that Microsoft is working on Windows 8.1 (codenamed Windows Blue) which is an update for Windows 8 and Windows RT. Windows 8.1 will try to fix issues and annoyances which many Windows 8 users are facing such as missing Start button, annoying hot corners, inability to customize Metro stuff, etc.
Windows 8 is considered as a 2-in-1 OS which was made for Desktops as well as touch-enabled devices such as Tablets. Windows 8 seems one of the best OS for Tablets but it failed to attract and satisfy Desktop and Laptop users. The new touch-oriented features such as Start Screen, hot corners, Metro apps, etc don't seem to work perfectly on computers.
Also the removal of Start button and a few other classic components disappointed many Windows users and new users found it difficult to operate Windows 8 computers.
But since when Microsoft started posting about Windows 8.1 features, it seems that Windows 8.1 will help Microsoft in making Windows 8 a perfect OS for both Desktops as well as Tablets.

Now it seems that Microsoft is listening to users feedback and they are fixing Windows 8 issues in Windows 8.1 to make all Windows users happy.
In this article, we are going to list all new and exclusive features which Microsoft is going to put in Windows 8.1. It'll help you in understanding the difference between Windows 8 and Windows 8.1 and you'll be able to know about all new stuff present in Windows 8.1.
So without wasting time lets share the complete features list of Microsoft's upcoming OS Windows 8.1:

NOTE: We are trying our best to list all known features present in Windows 8.1. We'll update this article whenever a new feature found in Windows 8.1 so keep checking this topic regularly.
1. Windows 8.1 will come with good old Start button in Taskbar. It'll launch Start Screen upon clicking. Currently Windows 8 users need to use 3rd party software to get Start button and Start Menu back.
2. Windows 8.1 will allow users to direct boot into Desktop. Users will be able to select whether they want to go to Start Screen or Desktop after login. Windows 8 users need to use extra software for such essential functionality .
3. Windows 8.1 will allow users to set All Apps view as default on Start Screen. Once you enable this option, Windows 8.1 will always show App view instead of Start Screen homepage as soon as you launch Start Screen using WIN key or other methods.
4. Windows 8.1 will allow users to disable hot corners such as Charms Bar and recent app switch list. These hot corners stuff appear when you move your mouse cursor to top-left or top-right corners of screen. Windows 8 users can use 3rd party software to disable hot corners
5. Windows 8.1 will allow users to set current Desktop wallpaper as Start Screen background image. There will be many new Start Screen background images available to choose. Also users will be able to choose moving (similar to animated) background for the Start Screen.
6. Windows 8.1 will come with new tile sizes on Start Screen. Users can select from 2 new tile sizes: Large and Small.
7. Windows 8.1 will allow users to bulk organize tiles on Start Screen such as selecting more than one tile and resizing, moving or uninstalling them in one step.
8. Windows 8.1 will come with many new touch screen gestures such as swiping from bottom on Start Screen to access All Apps view page, slide to shutdown, etc.
9. Windows 8.1 will allow users to set multiple images slide show on Lock Screen.
10. Windows 8.1 will come with refreshing and redesigned Store.
11. Windows 8.1 will come with new Metro apps such as Alarm, Calculator, Sound Recorder, etc.
12. Windows 8.1 will come with new updated versions of existing Windows 8 apps.
13. Windows 8.1 will come with improved Snap functionality. Users will be able to resize apps to any desired size. Windows 8.1 will also allow snap functionality on screen resolutions lower than 1366x768.
14. Windows 8.1 will come with a complete PC Settings app (aka Metro Control Panel). Users will be able to access almost all classic Control Panel options from new PC Settings page.
15. Windows 8.1 will come with new Internet Explorer 11 (IE11) web browser.
16. Windows 8.1 will come with new SkyDrive app to manage your SkyDrive account.
17. Windows 8.1 will come with improved Search functionality and users will have access to Search feature almost from everywhere.
18. Windows 8.1 will come with Broadband Tethering feature which will allow users to turn their PC into Wi-Fi hotspot so that they can share the Internet connection with other devices. Windows 8 or previous Windows version users can use 3rd party apps such as Wi-Host to enable such feature in Windows.
19. Windows 8.1 will come with support for fingerprint authentication for enhanced security. It'll also allow users to use their thumb impression to lock folders or the whole Windows 8.1 PC.
20. Windows Defender in Windows 8.1 will include network behavior monitoring feature which will help computers in detecting and stopping execution of known and unknown malware.
That's all for now. If you know about a feature present in Windows 8.1 which was not covered in this topic, feel free to share it in your comment and we'll add it to the above list.

Read More

Samsung Galaxy Express Review

When carriers offer a smartphone for free (or $1) on contract it often means that the device has some problems. It’s usually a warning sign to steer clear. That’s not always the case, though. Samsung’s Galaxy Express on AT&T is one of those nice, cheap exceptions to the rule. This compact 4.5-inch handheld has a lot going for it: good display, nice design, and decent camera. Plus, it runs Android 4.1. If you really want a smartphone but really can’t afford to plunk down $100 or even $50 to buy one, the Galaxy Express is worth a look.

Look and feel

The Galaxy Express is basically a smaller version of the Galaxy S3, and that’s not a bad thing. It’s light, slim, and comfortable to hold with a great screen. It’s better for people who have smaller hands or want a phone that is more easily used with one hand than the S3 or S4. Just like the flagship Galaxy S phones, the Express has a physical Home button flanked by capacitive Menu and Back buttons, a Micro USB port on the bottom, and the Power button and Volume rocker on the right and left sides. That placement can get a little awkward since it’s easy to accidentally press one of them while going for the other, but overall the Express is well designed. It also looks pretty good and doesn’t feel cheap despite the plastic casing. Under the removable back you get access to the battery, SIM, and microSD slot.

The 4.5-inch display isn’t exactly small, though it doesn’t make the phone itself feel huge at all. Instead, it feels more like a 4.3-inch, medium-sized phone; the extra fractions of an inch aren’t that noticeable, especially with a 800 x 480 pixel resolution. That’s nowhere near full HD but that’s fine for a handset that’s free. The Super AMOLED Plus display is at least bright and viewable in sunlight. Even with the lower resolution, icon edges are relatively sharp. Where you’ll notice the difference is in small text and high-resolution images, which can look pixilated. Viewing angles are wide enough that we didn’t notice any color or brightness distortion when playing games. At extreme angles the screen darkens, but in most use cases you won’t encounter this.

Android and Apps

As with all Samsung Galaxy phones, the Express runs Android 4.1 (which is 1 version off from being up to date), but the interface doesn’t look like Google intended. Samsung has its own extensive user interface/skin called TouchWiz. The TouchWiz skin offers some nice additions to Android and makes it a little easier to use for novices, though we’re not fond of the toy-like look or how it makes a few things more difficult (like creating a folder). We do like the toggles in the Notification shade and the timesaving features like Motion gestures. The feature set is just right for an inexpensive phone, even if it isn’t as extensive as the Galaxy S3.

Pre-loaded apps include a few from Samsung and a ton from AT&T. We appreciate Samsung’s MyFiles, the enhanced Clock app, and the MediaHub for music. Samsung Link is for connecting Galaxy devices with other Samsung devices, such as laptops and smart TVs and sharing the screen. S Voice, Samsung’s Siri competitor, is also on board. The voice prompts for S Voice aren’t as conversational as Siri’s, but the service is improving overall.
AT&T pre-loaded a lot of apps (12) onto the Galaxy Express. Some are necessary and useful, such as My AT&T, AT&T Family Map, and DriveMode. However, do we need two messaging apps (Messaging and Messages)? And there’s little need to pay for Navigator when Google offers that service for free; same with Locker. At least you can hide some of these apps you’ll never use.

Cameras

The 5-megapixel camera on the back takes surprisingly good pictures for an inexpensive phone. Outdoor shots are colorful and mostly accurate and the camera app includes several useful scene modes to help you get the best shot. Unfortunately, HDR is not included, so stay away from mixed shadow/bright light situations. Indoor shots have more noise and since the shutter isn’t very fast the pictures aren’t very crisp, especially the low-light ones. All of the resulting images are good enough for sharing online and on social networks, but they won’t look great when printed.

The front-facing camera is crisp enough for video chats and the occasional selfie and does a slightly better job of pulling in light for evening or night shots than your average low-budget phone.

Specs and Performance

Inside the Galaxy Express is a 1.5-GHz dual-core Qualcomm processor, 1GB of RAM, and 8GB of internal storage. This combo scored 5,106 on the Quadrant benchmark, around the same as the Galaxy S3 and a little less than the Pantech Discover. Our hands-on testing matches this – we found the Express snappy and smooth when doing everything from reading email to playing games. Even with quad-core phones dominating the horizon, it will likely be several years before you run into apps that are too much for a dual-core phone to handle, and many of those will be games.
The 8GB of internal storage isn’t much, especially for media hounds; good thing there’s a microSD slot that takes up to 32GB cards.

It’s light, slim, and comfortable to hold with a great screen.

Connectivity includes Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0, DLNA, NFC, and GPS. The Express is a quad-band GSM world phone with LTE capability. We saw very good speeds on LTE in New York City. SpeedTest.net recorded download speeds in excess of 20Mbps and upload speeds around 12Mbps even when the phone only showed three or four bars.
Call quality on our end was very clear through the earpiece. Whether talking to people on landlines or cell phones their voices came through sans static and we didn’t experience any dropped calls. Our voice didn’t always come through clearly on the other end, especially with medium background noise. The speaker on the back pumped loud volume for speaker calls and music, though the quality is tinnier and harsher than we’d like.

Battery Life

Since the 2,000mAh battery doesn’t have to power a high-resolution screen it’s no surprise that battery life is great. Even with heavy usage, we were able to get over 12 hours of use out of the Express without employing any battery saving tricks. This included long gaming sessions, watching video, talking for an hour, and lots of background downloading from email and social networking apps.

Conclusion

For a $1 smartphone, the Samsung Galaxy Express is fantastic. You get a decent display, comfortable and attractive design, good performance, and speedy 4G LTE. If you’re on a tight budget and really need to get a phone for next to nothing, the Express is not a bad choice. It’s not as great as the Galaxy S3 (now just $100 on contract), but is definitely better than its price would suggest.

Highs

• As powerful as a Galaxy S3
• Compact, lightweight design
• Bright, colorful display
• Long battery life

Lows

• Too many AT&T apps
• Low screen resolution
• Poor speaker quality

Read More