Facebook Messenger App Not a Requirement to Keep on Chatting

The Facebook Messenger app has taken a lot of heat over the last couple of days but it is not a requirement to keep on chatting. In fact, there are many myths surrounding the idea of Facebook forcing smartphone users to download the app after announcing the removal of messenger from the main app.

Privacy concerns are evident. To use the app, users are being asked to allow Facebook to use their cameras and even have access to control the phonebook. For those really concerned, this was also a requirement for the main app if the terms and conditions were looked into carefully.

The main way to get around these privacy issues is to not download the apps at all. But does that not mean that there is no option to communicate with friends or use Facebook? Not at all! For those who prefer the main app and refuse to download the Facebook Messenger app, there is also a way to still use this part of the social media site to keep in touch with friends.

It is still possible to access the messaging system through a desktop. For those on the go, it is also possible to go to the mobile site through an internet app and access everything on the site through there. The change has only happened to the Facebook app for smartphones, and means that the Facebook Messenger app is not a requirement to keep on chatting privately.

There have been calls to get rid of some of the scary requirements. Having access to the microphone and camera could mean that the social media giant is able to record someone without them knowing. That is not the reason for this part of the terms and conditions. It is so that Facebook can let you use the microphone and camera for the video chat function. Without access to these, it would affect the quality and value of the free app.

The access to the phone book and the ability to send text messages is not to communicate with people you do not know. It is not designed to put your safety at risk. This is in place for those who add contact numbers through messages. Facebook is able to contact a user via text to make sure this is correct.

The main app does have access to the phone book too. Facebook users are automatically added to a person’s phone book to make communication much easier. It is possible to have phone numbers of Facebook friends if they share them on the social media site, which can turn out extremely useful when on the go.

This is not a new app that is designed to affect privacy. There are some very good reasons for access to various parts of the phone. There are also ways around the situation by using the mobile site or just refusing access to the social media site completely from a smartphone. The Facebook Messenger app is certainly not a requirement to keep on chatting, but does make chatting on a smartphone much more convenient.

Intel: Small Changes Big Impact

For years Intel has been a well-known name in the technology world, but now with the advent of  a new, even smaller microchip technology, a small change could have a huge impact. Most people know that technology continues to get faster and faster. However, most are unaware of the reasons why, or even how that is possible. Understanding the basic design behind the technology consumers use every day, may go a long way in really appreciating the amount of effort being put into making everyday life a little easier.

Manufacturers may be able to pop out a new phone every couple of months like its easy as pie, but only because of the efforts of major chip companies like Intel. Many may not realize the obstacles that must be overcome in order to bring about that Note 4 or iPhone 6. Intel’s new 14 nm(nanometer) technology had to overcome the same obstacles as many before it. The main problems usually tend to center around power and space. Just so that it is understood, a nanometer is about how much a human nail grows per second, and a piece of paper is about 100,000 nm thick in comparison. While the understanding of what exactly this measurement refers to in relation to a microchip has been a bit blurred over the last few years, clarification is still possible. Basically, the smaller the measurement in nanometers, the more transistors can be fit on to any given chip.

Much of the smartphones and tablets in use today are using 22 to 28 nm technology. While Intel has not been involved to a very large degree in creating chips specifically for mobile technology in the past, following this small change to 14 nm technology, the tech giant could start to be seen far more often as the immense impact is felt around the technological world. This new technology draws half the power of current standard chips, not to mention half the space as well. This means that far more technology will be made available to each handset, tablet or other mobile device. Many flagship phones today run on quad-core processors, it is possible however that octa-core processors could become the new norm. This new technology is not simply limited to the mobile world however. Data servers, home desktops, Ultrabooks and many of the upcoming IoT (Internet of Things) technologies will no doubt be running on this new standard as well.

Intel will be making this new advancement available in new devices by the end of 2014. While billions await their new phones, tablets and many other devices, it remains important that the details are known about the trials that companies like Intel go through in order to bring about the “next best thing.” So perhaps in the future consumers will be able to appreciate just what went into making the Note 5, iPhone 7, and so on. As time goes by and mankind requires even more advancement in science and technology, companies like Intel will still be there making all the precise little changes that will have a big impact.

Microsoft Surface Attacks MacBook Air

Today Microsoft made a somewhat major attack with its new ads for the Surface Pro 3, coming up against what some consider to be the reigning “King of Ultrabooks,” the MacBook Air. Perhaps Microsoft figured that they would spice things up a bit by taking potshots at Apple, just like the good old days(2006-2009, Google “Get a Mac”). Showing great confidence in their new Surface Pro 3, Microsoft released three new ads titled “Crowded,” “Head-to-Head,” and “Power.” In each instance the tech giant did not waste any time in making the Mac user feel stupid. The Mac user might as well of not even turned on his Ultrabook.

The issues with these two companies go back decades, so it is no surprise that eventually one of the two would try to pin a sticky note on the other’s back. However, a large question seems to sit awkwardly in the minds of the viewer after watching each of these commercials. Is Microsoft really in a position to pose these attacks on Apple? After all there is something to be said for friendly, healthy, competition. Before this question can really be answered, however, examining the hardware in question may help some.

The 13 inch screen on the MacBook Air was not designed for touch, and the 12 inch screen on the Microsoft Surface Pro 3 was, which gives one advantage to the Microsoft product.  The next point to consider is each device’s screen resolution. The Surface Pro 3 boasts an amazingly vivid 2160 x 1440 pixel (px) display, with the MacBook Air coming in at 1440 x 900 px without the famed IPS display.  Moving down to the keyboard, the MacBook Air has the point here because of having an integrated, and backlit, keyboard. While the keyboard on the Surface Pro 3 is backlit, many users may find it difficult to get used to the somewhat cramped surface-area, pun intended. Not to mention that the keyboard is not included in the purchase of a Surface Pro 3, consumers must pay an additional $130 USD for it. Being detachable may not be a great enough feature to convince the average consumer to buy one. Although, in an office environment the story may change a bit, but more on that later. Microsoft Surfaces attack on the MacBook Air so far is one for one.

Considering that the Microsoft Surface Pro 3, without the keyboard, is in fact a tablet; having a full size USB 3.0 port as well as a Micro HDMI port for attaching external displays, is quite a feat. However, being compared to a full Ultrabook like the MacBook Air, that may not be enough. With the Ultrabook sporting two USB 3.0, as well as a one Thunderbolt port, the Microsoft Surface Pro 3 finds itself arguably out gunned in the port department. Continuing on to the internals of these giants of industry, hard drive space is always important. Both of these devices have the same high-end capacity of 512GB SSDs, although the SSD inside the Surface Pro 3 is just a bit slower. The average user, however, is not going to be doing a side-by-side comparison, and so most likely will not notice the difference. While comparing the highest end versions of these devices it should also be mentioned that both come with 8GB of RAM maximum.

Processor speed is one of the most important specifications to consider when choosing which device to purchase and these two devices are no different. The Microsoft Surface Pro 3 comes with an Intel i7-4650U processor clocking in at 1.7 GHz, with a turbo clock of 3.3GHz. The MacBook Air has the exact same processor as well as clock speeds. Rapping up, both have 802.11 b/g/n/ac wireless capabilities, as well as Bluetooth 4.0. Without the keyboard attachment the Microsoft Surface Pro 3 reaches $1949 USD, while the MacBook Air runs $1749 USD.

Microsoft has always had the lions share when it comes to business users. While Apple has made large strides in this area, and no doubt many businesses may solely rely on Macs, there is little debate as to who is reigning in the business world. Because of the prevalence of both Microsoft Windows and Office in the workplace many companies will no doubt choose the Surface, so there is no need for additional training. In addition, running full versions of Photoshop, for example, with the Surface Pen is quite the game changer.

While much more can be said, and no doubt will be said, about these two devices, the fact remains that they are not really much different from one another in terms of hardware. Being a good sport will always be important in the “Big Tech” business, but until Microsoft pushes past living in 2006 there may not be too much more innovation in the industry. The Microsoft Surface Pro 3 is a powerful tool, but it should be used to innovate and create more options for consumers, not attack Apple’s MacBook Air.

10 awesome Google features you should be using

BY Varun Raj

The reason the Google home page is so bare is that, way back when it was just starting out in a Silicon Valley garage, no one working there knew how to program a web page to make it look pretty.

In fact, even the word Google was a mistake. The founders really wanted “Googol” – the digit 1 followed by 100 zeroes.

Of course, Google is now a noun, a verb and a massive global company loved as much for its innovation as it is hated for its user tracking. It has many tricks and products that you don’t need to spend money on, some of which will make your life easier, and others that will just blow your mind.

Let’s take a look at 10 of them:

Google Flight Search

Need to find the best price on a flight? Google Flight Search is one of the easiest price-comparison sites around. Pick your start point and destination – or destinations – on the map, and then pick your dates. When you pick the dates, be sure to pay attention to the prices on each date and Google's graph of days with the cheapest tickets.

Then you can filter the results by flight length, airline, price, stops and more. When you find a flight you like, you can book it directly on the airline's site. Click here to learn three more secrets to getting the lowest airfare.

Atari Breakout

Need to take a quick break? Thanks to Google, you can play a version of the classicAtari Breakout game on your computer whenever you want. Simply go to the Google Image Search page – www.google.com/images – and search for "Atari Breakout." Then wait for the fun to begin.

Google Public Data Explorer

Google's normal search site is great for most searches, but Google has more specialized search sites as well. For example, the Google Public Data Explorer is a treasure chest full of information on public statistics.

Go to the Google Public Data page and type in a topic. Keep your searches simple, like "Unemployment in the U.S." Google will return results from sources like the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. You'll end up with an easy-to-read graph, and you can even tweak it with options like gender, age and state.

Google translations

Need a quick translation of a word? Go to the normal Google search page and type in "translate (word) to (language)" in the search bar. For instance, you could type "translate apple to French."

Google will let you know in less than a second that "pomme" is the French word for apple. It also includes a small speaker icon that will let you hear the word if you aren't sure how to pronounce it. For longer translations, check out Google Translate.

Google nutrition comparison search

What's healthier, an orange or a banana? Type "compare" into Google's search bar, along with the foods you want to look at, such as "compare broccoli and asparagus." Google will do the rest.

Google definitions

When you don't know what a word means, don't reach for the dictionary. Type "define (word)" into the Google search bar, such as "define tintinnabulation" and you'll have the definition instantly (it's "a ringing or tinkling sound," if you were wondering).

You'll also get pronunciation and part of speech, and you can click the gray arrow for more information, including word origins.

Google Conversions

Whether you're cooking or helping your child with math homework, odds are you're going to have to convert units of measurement. On the Google search page, enter a search like "convert eight ounces to cups" or "convert 10km to mi." You'll have your answer instantly, and you can even tweak the numbers and units after the fact.

Google nGrams

Google nGrams is a great research tool that lets you search how many times specific words occur in more than 5 million books written since 1800. You can see how words get more or less popular over time.

You can put in multiple words separated by commas to compare two or more words at once. Google lets you adjust the time period and language of the books, and you can see what books contain the words.

Google Sky

If you think Google Earth is great, then Google Sky is going to blow your mind. It lets you search the heavens and see images of stars, planets and galaxies taken from telescopes, probes and satellites.

It includes infrared and microwave images as well as a historic map of the stars made by Giovanni Maria Cassini in 1792. If you don't know where to start, the site has some suggestions that you'll love.

Apple Inc. Expected to Release Smartwatch With iPhone 6

Apple Inc. is expected to follow Samsung’s release plan by making the smartwatch, the iWatch, available at the same time was the iPhone 6. Both are expected to be released next month but these are still rumors as the tech giant has still not confirmed anything.

At the end of last year, Samsung decided to release the Galaxy Note 3 at the same time as its Gear smartwatch. This move certainly made sense as the two were designed to work with each other. Some people were even excited about the idea and pre-ordered the two together. It is a move that the company is expected to continue with the release of the Galaxy Note 4 and the Gear Solo later this year.

The iWatch from Apple Inc. has been long awaited for. There is constantly updates with rumors, but there has still been nothing concrete about it. According to Apple enthusiast, John Gruber, the name has not even been finalized yet. The smartwatch has just been dubbed the iWatch to work with the iPhone and iPad naming.

It does seem like the new wrist wearable will be mainly for those fitness enthusiasts. This will certainly make sense as the iPhone is reportedly getting larger. People want something that is small, that they can communicate with and play their music from while they are moving around; especially while they are training.

The news that Apple Inc. is expected to release the smartwatch with the iPhone 6 comes from Gruber. He continually looks into the different companies to see what they are up to and how Apple will be able to respond. He looked into the chances of the iWatch being released because Motorola is expected to release its own smartwatch, the Moto 360.

Gruber is usually correct with his predictions for Apple products, so many expect him to be correct with this. However, there have been times in the past that people who have been correct before are suddenly completely wrong. Google Nexus devices were continually expected over the course of the end of last year and the start of this year, and predictions came from tech bloggers that are usually right. So far, nothing has been released.

These recent predictions contradict others that have come before Gruber. Re/Code is another site that continually predicts Apple Inc. news well, but has already said it expects the iWatch to make an appearance in October rather than September. This will give the company more time to hype up the new device, rather than possibly overshadowing it with the iPhone 6. The new smartphone is already highly anticipated.

Some have even speculated that the device will not be available until November. There is also no guarantee that the iPhone 6 will be released in September. Some speculate that the smaller version of the phone will be released then, with a larger version not available until the very end of the year.

An iWatch is expected but the tech giant is still staying quiet on a release date. Right now, bloggers expect the watch to be released by the end of the year, with one expecting Apple Inc. to release the smartwatch with the iPhone 6.

iPhone vs. Android: Who sexts more?

BY Varun Raj

iPhone users are twice as likely to sext as their Android counterparts, according to the latest research from activity monitoring company Retina-X Studios.

The survey of 4,800 people also revealed a sexting surge on Mondays and Tuesdays. Peak hours, however, occurred between 10 a.m. and noon on Tuesday mornings.

“I don’t think any of us expected to discover that Tuesday mornings were the peak sexting time, however, if you think about it, people may be getting back on the horse after a weekend that fell short or perhaps have gotten past the Monday rush and have a spare minute,” said Ivory Thompson, Retina-X Studios’ operations manager, in a statement emailed to FoxNews.com. “Whatever the case may be, it’s certainly surprising that it occurs during the work day as opposed to the weekend.”

A separate study by Retina-X Studios has also highlighted parents’ fears about teenage sexting. The research, compiled from the company’s sales data, reveals that up to 70 percent of concerned parents find that their teenager is sexting.

“The majority of teenagers have cell phones, and they are unaware of the emotional, social, and legal repercussions of getting involved in sexting,” said Thompson. “Parents are becoming aware of these issues and are taking charge by monitoring their children’s online/phone activity.”   

Earlier this year a study found that more than one in five middle-school aged children with behavioral or emotional problems had recently engaged in sexting.

iPhone 6 Rear Apple Logo Might Not Light-Up for Notifications: Report

Apple is likely to announce its next iPhone model, rumoured to come in two screen sizes - 4.7-inch and 5.5-inch, at an event on September 9, which is less than a month from now. But the leaks related to the device just don't stop coming in.

The latest in the series of leaks comes from a Taiwanese publication that posted images of the Apple logo likely be fitted on the rear panel of the alleged iPhone 6.

Gforgames in a report, citing the Taiwanese publication, notes the image shows a number of Apple logos that will supposedly be fit on the anticipated iPhone 6. The logos appear to be plain, with no signs of LEDs or other connectors linked to them. The report also suggested that the Apple logos seen in the leaked image were not meant for emitting any light.

The current leak contradicts an earlier report that had claimed that Apple logo placed at the back panel might light-up for notifications. Earlier leaked images of the alleged iPhone 6 rear shell with the Apple logo had also showed the interior, which was covered with a translucent plastic material said to allow the light to pass through.

We remind readers however that nothing is official yet, and that all such leaks must be taken with a pinch of salt.

Last week, images allegedly showing the retail box of the rumoured iPhone 6 also made their way to the Internet.

Reports have been tipping that the anticipated iPhone 6 will come in two models - with 4.7-inch and 5.5-inch displays - that would also see a difference in their processors and touch modules. Apple was also rumoured to debut a 128GB storage variant for its next iPhone. However, it was said that the 128GB storage variant would be limited to the bigger variant of the rumoured iPhone 6, and the alleged 4.7-inch iPhone 6 will offer the conventional 64GB as its maximum storage variant.

These New iPhone 6 Photos Are '100% The Real Deal,' According To Leaker Sonny Dickson

Sonny Dickson, the prolific Apple product leaker from Australia, posted some new alleged photos of the next-generation iPhone on Twitter Tuesday morning.

He said these photos are "100% the real deal. Just wait and see." See for yourself.

The photo shows the back panel for what is likely the iPhone 6, even though it's been scuffed and dented to a severe extent. As Apple Insider's Neil Hughes points out, the new iPhone model appears to feature a new antenna design, hopefully to allow for better reception through the phone's aluminum shell. 

In the iPhone 5 and iPhone 5S, Apple used glass cutouts for its antennas, but the alleged iPhone 6 appears to use a different kind of material for the antenna cutouts. We've reached out to Dickson to learn more about the material's composition and we'll update this story if we hear back.

The alleged part also shows one other design change from the iPhone 5S: The pill-shaped flash appears to have returned back into a normal circle, which means Apple may have figured out how to create a "True Tone" flash in a smaller module, likely to allow more room for other camera components.

Since this alleged part doesn't have any branding or regulatory information printed on the phone's exterior, it's possible this is an older prototype. And if that's the case, the final iPhone 6 may look a bit different than the damaged model Dickson is showing off here. We'll know for sure on September 9, which is when Re/code says Apple will unveil its eighth-generation iPhone. 

iPhone 6: Leaked Details About Apple's HealthKit Rollout

Apple is expected to unveil its iPhone 6 and iOS 8 in less than a month, and more details about the signature health care software—Apple’s new HealthKit—are beginning to leak.

For example, Mayo Clinic is testing a service to alert patients when their Apple apps detect abnormal health results, and help schedule them for follow-up visits, Christina Farr reports for Reuters.

And major health systems like Cleveland Clinic and Kaiser Permanente are currently testing apps in the HealthKit beta, too. (Kaiser also reportedly wants to strike a partnership with Apple.)

And HealthKit, which is a new developer framework that Apple has created for iOS 8, is a “lynchpin” of Apple’s strategy, Farr reports. The software is being positioned as an opportunity for entrepreneurs to take advantage of sensors in the iPhone 6 and the company’s anticipated “iWatch,” which is likely to be unveiled this fall, too.When Apple announced its big push into health care this summer, industry watchers expected that this kind of innovation—and these name-brand partnerships—would quickly follow.

Apple is counting on HealthKit to help it grab a major foothold in the $9 billion-plus mobile health care market — a business opportunity that company leaders think they have a “moral obligation” to pursue.

How Apple is positioning HealthKit.

Perhaps the most important details in Farr’s report are related to Apple’s plan to sync its apps with providers’ electronic health care records: Apple is telling health systems that HealthKit will soon automatically integrate its data with MyChart, Epic’s personal health record portal that’s used by millions of patients.

If it works, that could be transformative for mobile health strategy. The Apple-Epic partnership, which also was announced this summer, brought together two titans in different industries: Epic already commands more than 40% of the hospital EHR market, and Apple’s iPhones are roughly as ubiquitous in the smartphone market.

And as Modern Healthcare‘s Darius Tahir has observed, bringing together two market movers could set Apple’s strategy apart from previous, failed attempts to capture health care data, centralize it, and share it with providers.

Specifically, if Apple can solve the “data collection problem“—if HealthKit, Epic, and an iWatch sensor can seamlessly integrate—the mobile health market would be dramatically changed, and Apple likely ends up as a hub for health care data.

(And Apple may not be boxing itself in to a partnership with Epic, either: The company is reportedly in talks with Allscripts, one of Epic’s chief competitors.)

More health care transformation: Are you ready for Walmart to be your doctor?

But Farr hints that Apple’s rollout of HealthKit might be a little more bumpy than some of the company’s other product launches.

“Everybody is knocking on the door,” said Morgan Reed, who leads a lobbying organization for mobile health developers called ACT. “But I doubt that HealthKit will merge with all the existing systems.”

And importantly, any health care-oriented deal opens Apple up to health care’s complex regulatory environment.

• Partnering with Nike to collect running data doesn’t mean Apple needs to abide by HIPAA rules, a former top official at HHS’s Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT tells Farr.
• But an arrangement where Apple is storing clinical information on behalf of hospitals does, and that raises new challenges for the company, perhaps on a partnership-by-partnership basis.

Meanwhile, another Apple alliance—the company’s recent deal with its former archrival IBM—could lead to an influx of health care mobile apps. That’saccording to my colleague Meg Aranow, who helps lead the Advisory Board’s research into health IT and wrote on this a few weeks ago.

“The announcement indicates that IBM will develop more than 100 applications for iPad and iPhone,” Aranow suggested. “This bodes well for health care, as it’s one of several vertical markets the partnership is targeting for ‘industry-specific solutions.’”

More Apple iPhone 6 images leaked by Spigen

More Apple iPhone 6 protective cases by Spigen appeared online. The Korean designer and manufacturer of mobile accessories has created a dedicated product page for the hotly anticipated smartphone.

In addition to showing off the company’s creations for the yet to be revealed iPhone 6, Spigen’s dedicated product page contains a couple of juicy renders of the handset. Unsurprisingly, they fall in line with past leaks.

This is not the first time we catch a glimpse of the iPhone 6 thanks to Spigen. Roughly a month ago, an Amazon listing also showcased the upcoming device.

The 4.7” Apple iPhone 6 is expected to hit the shelves at some point in mid-September. The device’s actual announcement is expected to take place on September 9.

50 Best Apps and Websites for Travelers

There's an app for just about everything, from making the most of an extended flight delay to tapping into local culture. Here are the best digital tools for travelers, all tested by T+L's tech correspondent.

Everyone has an airport horror story. But you can make the most of a bad situation with apps like Flight+, which will keep you abreast of the latest delays and gate changes. And if you need a shower, unlimited Wi-Fi, or a work space during your extended layover, LoungeBuddy will alert you as to which free and pay-as-you-go lounges are available.

These are just two of the digital tools that can improve your experience on the road—among the 100,000-plus travel apps on the market. No need to feel overwhelmed, though. We spent the past year travel-testing apps and websites, everywhere from airplanes and buses to airport lounges, cars, and remote camping sites across the globe. The resulting list represents the best of the best, with runners-up in categories where the competition is fierce.

Google certainly makes an appearance, given the search giant's strengths in navigation (Google Maps), translation (Google Translate), photo management and storage (Google+), booking (Google Flight Search), and communication (Gmail and Google Hangouts).

Still, there are plenty of areas that shine brighter in other companies. RouteHappy's flight ratings guide you to the most stress-free flight; Booking.com's stellar customer service delivers an actual human on the other end of the help line; and Flickr offers a whopping 1 terabyte (TB) of free photo storage.

Read on for more innovative apps and websites that will help you every step of the way: planning your vacation, getting there, exploring, and sharing trip photos and stories after you return home.

Bring On the 5.5-inch iPhone

After three months with gigantic smartphones, it's hard to go back.

This isn’t a new trend, or one that’s unique to extra large phones. Studies have shown that most teens and young adults rely largely on their phones for Internet use, and industry sales figures show that tablet sales are stalling while smartphones keep climbing. Meanwhile, as the speed and display technology of smartphones has improved, displacing the tablet has gotten easier. (In an especially prescient piece from 2010, Brian Lam had already ditched his less-than-year-old iPad for the iPhone 4 and its crisp Retina display.)In the course of reviewing Windows Phone 8.1(on a Nokia Lumia 1520), the OnePlus One and the LG G3, almost all of my smartphone use since mid-May has been on screens measuring 5.5 inches or larger.

The experience has been transformative enough that I’m not looking forward to reactivating my personal handsets, an original HTC One (4.7 inches) and an iPhone 5 (4 inches). Painful as it is to say — mostly because of the grating nomenclature — I’ve become addicted to phablets.

Basically, I’m living the trend in which my smartphone replaces much of what I used to do on a tablet. When I want to glance at my e-mail, scroll through Twitter or look at some funny GIFs on Reddit, it takes less time to pull out my phone than it does to look for my iPad or wake up my Surface Pro 3. And unlike those larger devices, I can use my phone with one hand and stash it back in my pocket to carry around the house.

Oversized phones have amplified this phenomenon, or at least made it more sensible to me. The main reason is obvious: The bigger screen feels like less of a compromise for reading, watching videos and playing games. But just as importantly, nearly every phablet I’ve used has a humongous battery inside, allowing me breeze through a day of heavy use with plenty of juice in the tank. Always having an Internet connection at no extra charge — even if Wi-Fi is unavailable — helps as well.

The biggest drawback with larger phones is that they’re harder to use with one hand, but improvements in hardware and software make this less of a problem than it used to be. The LG G3’s narrow bezels make it easier to reach across the device with your thumb. It also uses on-screen buttons for Home, Back and Recent apps, so your fingers don’t have to travel off the screen. When you’re watching a video or playing a game, these buttons fade out of view until you swipe them onto the screen again. Windows Phone has its own clever trick: Because most apps have all their menu buttons on the bottom of the screen, you rarely have to reach all the way to the top, out of thumb range.

The other issue is that these phones tend to leave a larger impression in your pocket, but I think that’s more of a psychological problem than a practical one. A lot of people have asked me how I could possibly carry an oversized phone like the Lumia 1520, but I’ve yet to wear a pair of jeans in which my phone won’t fit. Most of the time, I don’t even think about it.

All of these factors have in turn primed me for the rumored 5.5-inch iPhone, even with a 4.7-inch iPhone widely expected to launch in September. I don’t know whether it’s going to happen — there’s still a lot of conflicting information on the timing and the specifics — but I’m willing to wait it out.

Now that my iPad is in neglect, an iPhone seems like my most practical point of entry into Apple’s ecosystem and all the interesting features in iOS 8. I want that experience to be as tablet-like as possible.

Panasonic launches Eluga A smartphone at Rs 9,490

Panasonic India has launched Eluga A, the second smartphone in its Eluga range, at Rs 9,490. The phone will be available for purchase starting August 15 in black and white colour variants. 


Based on Qualcomm reference design, Eluga A sports a 5-inch IPS FWGA (480x854p) display. The phone is powered by a 1.2GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 200 quad-core processor and 1GB RAM, and comes with 4GB internal storage. The phone comes with a microSD card slot that supports cards up to 32GB capacity. 

The phone runs Android 4.3 Jelly Bean with Panasonic's Fit Home UI that facilitates single-hand usage,. 

Panasonic Eluga A sports an 8MP autofocus rear camera and a 1.3MP front facing camera. It comes with a 2000 mAh battery. 

The Eluga A offers features like Qualcomm Audio+ audio enhancement technology, Voice+ voice enhancement technology, Qualcomm's BatteryGuru for efficient power management, and Quick Charge for up to 40% faster charging, as per the company. 

Eluga A also features support for major Indian languages allowing users to browse the web, chat and navigate the phone menu in their local language. 

The dual-sim phone supports 3G, Wi-Fi 802.11b/g/n, Bluetooth 3.0, A-GPS and FM radio.

Samsung claims it’s still on top in India in reaction to ‘Micromax is No. 1′ claims

Just a week back, a research firm announced that Samsung India had lost its spot as the leading mobile phone maker in Q2 2014 to Micromax. Well, the company hasn’t taken the information lying down and has responded stating the claims to be untrue and that it still holds the top position in the mobile market.

Samsung’s President and Chief Executive for South-West Asia, BD Park, has disclosed this information to The Economic Times and has also stated that the company still holds a market share of almost 50%. And in the smartphone category, it apparently has a market share that’s twice the amount of the next competitor’s, which is obviously Micromax.

This information shared by BD Park was based on the company’s internal research and data form an undisclosed firm. He also went on to suggest the possibility of there being ‘some business motive behind release of such kind of data.’ The report which was published by Counterpoint Technology last week disclosed that Micromax managed to earn the top spot in India for Q2.

Also see: Micromax ranks second in Indian smartphone segment, may soon dethrone Samsung

However, CMR (CyberMedia Research) disclosed that the South Korean conglomerate was still in the lead, but the gap between it and the second place holder was slowly closing. While this data is highly contradictory, both research companies are sticking to their findings. Then there’s the India-based GfK which disclosed that Samsung possessed a smartphone market share of 42.5% with the overall total being 40.5%.

Even if Samsung India continues to reign supreme in the Indian smartphone market, Micromax and other OEMs are still trying their best to overtake the giant. And who knows, we might even see that happen in the near future with the Korean company slowly losing its pace.

Idea Ultra+ and Fab 3G smartphones launched for Rs 8,300 and Rs 4,999

To further push the adoption of 3G Internet in the country, Idea has launched two affordable smartphones with special plans on its network. The Idea Ultra+ and Idea Fab have been launched for Rs 8,300 and Rs 4,999 respecitvely. Both are aimed at first-time smartphone buyers.

The Idea Fab a basic dual-SIM smartphone, featuring a 4-inch display with a decent resolution of 800 x 480 pixels. It packs a 1.2GHz dual-core processor with 512MB of RAM. There’s an outdated 3.2 MP main camera and no front camera, so picture quality might not be at par with the more expensive phones in this segment. Idea claims that the phone’s display is protected with Gorilla Glass, so it should be pretty resilient to scratches and minor drops. The Idea Fab runs on the Android 4.2 Jelly Bean operating system. Even at a budget price, it includes all the necessary connectivity features such as 3G, Wi-Fi and GPS.

The Idea Ultra+ comes with more features compared with the Ultra Fab. It’s a dual-SIM smartphone with a faux-leather finish on the back. Powered by a 1.3 GHz quad-core processor and 1GB RAM, it features a 5-inch display with a resolution of 854 x 480 pixels. There’s a 8MP camera and it packs a larger 2000 mAh battery. Like the Idea Fab, the Ultra+ lacks a front-facing camera. Internal storage is limited to just 4GB, though you can expand it up to 32GB with an external memory card. The Idea Ultra + also runs on the older, Android 4.2 Jelly Bean operating system.

Idea users get additional 3G data benefits such as 1.6 GB of free 3G data and free Idea TV for 3 months. Existing subscribers can sign up for the plan at Rs. 259 , while new subscribers can buy it for Rs 261.

Sony has sold 10 million PS4s since launch

SONY HAS ANNOUNCED that as of 10 August it has sold a cumulative 10 million Playstation 4 (PS4) games consoles.

This is a big number for Sony, and it is the most consoles that it has sold in such a short time. Predictably, the firm is rather thrilled.

"The responses we have received for the PS4 system's unique gameplay experiences powered by the network, along with its vast game portfolio has been phenomenal, and I am absolutely delighted that PS4 was able to reach this commemorative milestone in less than 9 months," said Andrew House, group CEO and president of Sony Computer Entertainment.

"We're so grateful for the enormous support from Playstation gamers worldwide, and we look forward to bringing even more exciting content and services in the months ahead."

It is not just gamers that have aided the Sony cause and the firm also blew kisses to its developer community and the sheer volume of games that have been release and sold for the PS4.

The firm said that this games developer support has created a software market that racked up some 30 million sales.

While Sony has released information on its PS4 sales, Microsoft has revealed only the number of Xbox One games consoles it has shipped. This means that not all of those might have all made their way into homes yet.

Microsoft's most recent numbers put Xbox One shipments at around the six million mark. In July Sony crowed over the news that the PS4 was the biggest selling games console for the sixth month in a row.

Samsung makes metal-bodied Galaxy Alpha official: Is this the Apple iPhone 6 killer?

It’s hammer time as Samsung has just made the much-awaited Galaxy Alpha official, it’s much-anticipated rival in the battle against Apple.

As expected this is the first high-end Samsung phone to sport a metal design. Samsung says the Alpha represents “the evolution of Galaxy Design”,  with a metal frame, more rounded corners, and by-now Samsung standard tactile back. The Galaxy Alpha will be rolled out to over 150 countries starting in September, but no official pricing is out yet.

The Galaxy Alpha is seen by many as the company’s rival to the iPhone 6 and it mirrors closely the latter’s expected specs. firstly, there’s Android 4.4.4 KitKat out-of-the-box with the requisite customisations that come with a Samsung phone. It features a 4.7-inch HD (720×1280 pixels) Super AMOLED display, which is likely to be very similar to the one used in the Galaxy S3, though slightly smaller. It’s quite slim for sure at just 6.7mm in width and weighs a mere 115 grams, which is quite superb in this category.

In terms of cellular connectivity, expect the very best as the Galaxy Alpha has LTE Cat.6 support so it can go up to 300Mbps (peak download rates). Inside is an octa-core chipset, Samsung’s own Exynos SoC, though the exact model number is unknown. It’s a quad-core 1.8GHz and quad-core 1.3GHz, working in HMP mode, so all eight cores can run simultaneously, if required. The smartphone also comes in a quad-core variant with a clock speed of 2.5GHz, which could be the much-awaited Snapdragon 805.

What’s the same on either variant is the 2GB of RAM and 32GB inbuilt storage, which is non-expandable. We hope Samsung releases a higher capacity variant, because the phone looks quite sexy. Now, before anyone says that it’s an iPhone rip-off, we think Samsung has done enough to distinguish the Alpha. Things that stand out are the slight bulge on the top and bottom, which presumably is there for better grip, as well as the slightly extended bottom frame that adds a nice profile to the otherwise minimal back.

A dark silver variant

The Galaxy Alpha sports a 12-megapixel rear camera and also includes 2.1-megapixel front-facing camera. We expect all the bangs and whistles of Samsung’s custom camera software in the Alpha. It packs an 1860mAh battery, which does sound terribly lean, but we’ll have to see what kind of optimisation Samsung has managed to pack in and the display shouldn’t draw too much power either.

The Galaxy Alpha, much like we expect all future Samsung flagships to be, has a fingerprint scanner embedded in the home button. There’s no heart-rate monitor though, so at least one rumour has fallen flat. At Tech2 we love those exceedingly inane marketing names for colour variants, and the Galaxy Alpha will be available in Charcoal Black, Dazzling White, Frosted Gold, Sleek Silver (pictured above), and Scuba Blue colour variants.

Microsoft launches 'most affordable' Lumia 530 in India

Microsoft on Wednesday launched the Lumia 530 Dual SIM smartphone, the 'most affordable' Lumia to date, in India. The phone is priced Rs 7,349 and will be available in stores from August 14, 2014.

Lumia 530 comes with the latest version of Windows 8.1, with updates such as the one swipe notification from the Action Center and the World Flow keyboard. It comes with changeable cover shells in bright orange, bright green, dark grey and white. 

The phone has a 4-inch display with a screen resolution of 480 x 854 pixels. It has a 1.2Ghz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon processor. 

With a RAM of 512 MB, Lumia 430 has an on-board memory of 4 GB and expandable memory of up to 128 GB. Microsoft also offers an additional 15 GB of free cloud storage on its OneDrive, allowing users to sync, store, access and share files between Lumia 530 and computers, laptops and tablets.

The phone has 5 MP rear camera, but no front-facing camera or flash.

The Lumia 530's dimensions are 119.7 x 62.3 x 11.7mm, and it weighs 128 grams. It has connectivity options of GPRS/ EDGE, 3G, Wi-Fi (802.11 b/g/n), Bluetooth (4.0), GPS and Micro-USB. 

Microsoft is looking to target the youth with the Lumia 530 in the affordable smartphone segment.

“We, at Microsoft Devices, are committed towards helping people experience the uncompromised technologies and services that we offer on our Lumia devices. Lumia 530 builds on the legacy and success of Lumia 520 and will help us consolidate our position in this segment further,” said Viral Oza, Director-Marketing, Nokia India, a subsidiary of Microsoft Mobiles Oy.
 
“With its innovative design, the latest Windows Phone 8.1 and signature Lumia experiences, the Lumia 530 3G Dual SIM is the perfect device for those who are looking for a distinctive smartphone,” he added.

In India, the phone comes with special offers. Phones bought through the Windows Phone Snapdeal app will get Rs 3,000 off. Buyers can also win six free movie tickets from BookMyShow when they book seats to any show through the app.