There isn’t a dearth of third party apps which support Instagram. Just to name a few, we have – Insta Frame, Insta Greeting Card, Insta Collage Effect, Insta Photo Fx, Insta Editor, and Insta Split Cam – the list goes on.
We sort through the mess and round up the top apps you should download. They will definitely make you the most Insta-saavy person around.
Pixsta
Sometimes we feel that the creators of Instagram purposely made the app with certain restrictions. We can’t think of a reason why they’d only allow us to access our accounts via mobile devices. The desktop version is only useful if you want to scroll through your newsfeed. You can download Pixsta to access it better. Drawbacks? Compared to Instagram, the interface is quite cluttered and they still haven’t figured out a way for us to post pictures.
Instasize
We get it, the sole idea of Instagram was to click and share instantly – the style and idea reminiscent of the Polaroid Kodak. But what about all the pictures that have already been clicked in the 4:3 aspect ratio. The kinds we need for Throwback Thursday, Flashback Friday or Way Back Wednesday? This distinctive feature, which restraints us to the square shape, has annoyed us on several occasions. We refuse to stay within the box! Insta Size helps beat the crop box, by re-sizing images.
Flipagram
You threw a party and can’t wait to share what an amazing time you had. Instead of boring your followers by posting all the pictures separately, use this app to create a quick video slideshow. You have an option of choosing the speed of the pictures and titles can also be included. It’s the easiest way to tell your story, without the countless posts. Depending on the feel of your party, you can even select your soundtrack.
Afterlight
Instagram filters are great and have a knack for making everything more beautiful. But you have to see the adjustment and options that Afterlight has to offer – it gives you further options which make your images look more artistic. You have a varied choice between filters, textures, frames, cropping and transforming tools. A paid app, but worth every penny spent.
We have so much to thank Smartphones for! They help us keep tabs on our friends, emails, daily events and pictures. If we ever have a random doubt, thanks to 3G, an answer is ready within seconds. Since now we can look up anything, anywhere and at anytime – it has led to the death of debates.
As much as it has made our lives simpler, too many hours are wasted on it as well. At iGyaan, with the million things we do daily, staying on top of the online world is a skill we’ve perfected over time. The aim is to spend the least amount of time scouring through junk and get straight to what’s important. Here are our picks of the top apps which will make you the most digitally organized person around:
Social Media Mania
1. Pixable
After being on Facebook for years, it’s easy to accumulate friends who now hold no significance in your life. You couldn’t care less about who, when and why, the girl you met at a conference in 2008 is getting married to today. Even though unimportant newsfeed annoys us daily, deleting these “friends” is not an option. Here is where Pixable steps in. The app gathers all the pictures shared by your friends, and customizes it to show you only the profiles you choose. It compiles your Twitter, Instagram and Facebook feed, and organizes into sections according to relevance personalized by you. Some of the useful sections include – Top Photos of the Day, New Profile Pics, and Most Recent Photos.
2. Socialgiri
It could be to stay in tune with the entertainment industry or the need to know which teenager James Franco tried to pick up lately on Instagram. We all have specific celebrities we like to keep track of (read: stalk) via social media. There are times when we’ve considered getting rid of the constant updates, but we secretly love being a part of the drama in their lives. This app helps you create a separate timeline solely dedicated to your chosen celebrities, consequently tidying up your Instagram, Facebook and Twitter. Socialgiri users can choose from over 500 social media celebrities from Bollywood, Hollywood, music, sports, fashion and politics. So, in a single flow you’ll see Critiano Ronaldo’s tweet about where he’s eating lunch, which would be followed by a perfectly Instagrammed picture of his dish. It also gives you an option to be able to like or comment through any of your three accounts. Available on Android and iOS, it recently launched its iPad Version.
Daily Reading
3. Flipboard
We can’t speak about aggregating feeds without mentioning Flipboard. It is the one-stop destination to stay in clue about what’s happening in the world. You can combine your favourite media portals and search for any news you might be interested in. Its clean interface reminiscent of a print magazine makes this our favourite way to browse through everyday stories. The action of flipping through news pieces, attempts to recreate the experience of physically using a print publication. You can also add your personal networks such as Facebook, Twitter and share stories directly through the app.
4.Pulse
Another one similar to Flipboard is Pulse. Like its competitor it collects and organizes news to suit your needs. Created by Stanford graduates Ankit Gupta and Akshay Kothari, the app got rave reviews for its slick interface. The display is more image-based, making it faster to get through articles. The key feature which gives it an edge above Flipboard is that it can load previously read stories even when you’re stuck without internet.
How To Never Miss An Email
5. Mailbox
This handy app promises to make your inbox light, fast and mobile-friendly. It helps you combine your Gmail, Google Apps and iCloud accounts into one single app. Some of its significant functions which should be utilized: You can snooze emails and get back to them later, mute conversations which aren’t important and it also automates your common actions. The mailbox swiftly recognizes what’s important and what’s not.
The end of every winter always makes us wonder where our summer wardrobe disappeared. Once the jackets and sweaters have been stored away, the empty closet space seems to require replenishment. But let’s face it, when it comes to picking out sartorial choices, life is hard. Depending on the occasion and after combing through our closets that one tough decision needs to be made Every. Single. Day. – what variation of t-shirt and blue jeans should you wear today?
After slogging all week at work, the last thing you want to do is waste your precious weekend braving through overcrowded markets. Luckily a large part of the internet is now a digital mall. Not only is online shopping convenient, but the stores we found sell t-shirts with original designs at amazing prices. We can’t be the only ones sick of mass-produced brands with replicated styles and overused logos. Here’s a list of stores where you can buy cool t-shirts online:
We’d pick Redwolf as our favorite find. It is an indie clothing brand which we’d solely recommend for its vast collection of expressive t-shirts. Each design is original and the printed quotes are clever. Many of which have popular culture references from Game of Thrones, Harry Potter, and Big Bang Theory. The t-shirts are 100% cotton fabric; perfect for the sultry season. Follow their Facebook page for discounts and coupons.
The highlight of the Bhane shopping experience is the website itself. The images showcasing the clothes have used Indian faces and real people posing street style-esque, wearing original designs. With a easy and clean layout, their website is a refreshing change from the rest. Bhane promises clothes made with all-natural materials, classic cuts and low prices. One minor setback: when we visited the site, they had only six options to offer for men. We wish their collection wasn’t so limited, but on the other hand, less choices means quicker decisions.
All their designs are “crowd sourced”, which only means that t-shirts on sale have original and exclusive designs licensed from artists and designers all over the world. The idea is to offer buyers t-shirts which reflect a variety of ideas, thoughts, cultures and styles. Each t-shirt description includes information about the artist, including links to their work. If you’re wondering about its strange name – the acronym K.Y.S.O stands for ‘Keep Your Shirt On’. The only complaint we have is that their website layout is messy. Disorganized clothes simply thrown on racks puts off even the biggest shopaholic; the same theory applies for online shoppers.
This online retail store has the largest collection of clothes for men in India. They are a collective store of various brands as well as their in-house Koovs label. Koovs is bang on trend and frequently updates its collections. Like any typical high street label, their stuff is young, hip and cheap. This is the store to visit if you dress to stand out. Koovs also gives you full thirty days to think over your purchase and an option to pay cash on delivery.
The Pepsi IPL 2014 flagged off in Abu Dhabi with a grand ceremony. It had everything worthy of a typical flashy IPL event – beautiful fireworks, Sunil Gavaskar delivering a passionate speech against corruption in cricket (ahem ahem), and of course, performances by Shah Rukh Khan and Deepika Padukone providing some Bollywood masala. Since most of the matches are being played abroad, this season the level of excitement in India has been comparatively low. But as the tournament progresses, slowly and steadily everyone is bound to catch a slight IPL fever.
There is no dearth of cricket applications online, infact the myriad of choices available are overwhelming. However, upon closer inspection we found most were copies of each other. Hence we decided to scour through the options and list out a few you must download:
Divided By Teams, United By Cricinfo
For every fan of the sport, the first one to download is The ESPNCricinfo Cricket App. This useful application gives you all the information you need to stay on top of the game. Some of the useful tabs include match schedules, results, points, latest news, graphs, player profiles, videos, team member descriptions and general team information. It’s a one-stop app for all sorts of cricket requirements. The most handy feature would be the option of live game coverage with ball by ball commentary. Its glossary section gives in-depth description about each of the players, which includes the matches they’ve won in the past, and their personal score of number of runs and wickets. If you want to keep up with the happenings of the IPL, this app is the simplest way to go to.
You Win Some, You Lose Some
From day one, IPL has been more about the drama and excitement than about enjoying a true game of cricket. So it isn’t surprising that every season we feel the keen pain of being deprived of the thrill of some harmless betting. Maybe it’s a fruitless attempt to keep the IPL clean, but recently there has been a surge in the number of legal betting websites and apps. They use points or virtual money to attract gamblers. The Big Toss: Cricket app is the one we’d place our bet on. Upon registering, you are awarded 1000 karma points, and a further 100 for every team you select as a favourite. What we liked best about it was that you can “virtually” bet on anything – from who the winner might be or the expected number of runs taken in the first over. You’re then on your own to maintain your karma points. Also, go ahead and have a look at the forum created for news. The Big Toss links you to articles written all over the world. Cricinfo, Pakistan Observer, Deccan Herald and many more are listed under the same forum.
East or West, IPL is the Best?
And the award for the strangest IPL app goes to ‘The Loudest Cheer’. Blogmint launched this app in an attempt to make the Indian audience feel closer to those matches taking place in foreign countries. Its basic function is to help the audience cheer every time their favourite team scores. Audio cheers are available under the following categories – Ace Catch, Great Shot, Great Run, Ace 4, Ultra 6 and Big Wicket. The app also allows users to create their audio or video cheer that will be showcased on digital channels such as YouTube. By numbering up on cheers, participants can win prizes.
Let’s Make it Official
Anticipating interest this season, most of the teams have launched their official apps just in time. If you’re an avid fan of a specific team or player then these apps are made for you. Using the Kolkatta Knight Riders one as an example: you can use it to set up alerts solely for KKR matches and track their team activity. Furthermore, you can even customize it to follow one single (knight) player. The feature we’d vouch for, is the tab that integrates their different social media feeds, combing twitter and facebook updates and bringing them to one single portal.
With ever growing marketing drives and commercialization, trade shows and other large scale events are slowly becoming a common occurrence now.
There are events for everybody – music festivals for those fond of music, auto expos for automobile aficionados and technology shows, launch events for the techies – like the recently concluded Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.
More often than not, people attending shows are lost in the magnitude of them. After an entire day(s) of walking, they still end up missing important bits and pieces. So, here we present to you some tips on surviving large scale events like tradeshows.
1. Plan
Procrastinators could find themselves left in the dust. One of the most common rookie mistakes is the attendee failing to plan for the event in advance.
Read over the schedule of events prior to attending the trade show or conference so you know what to expect before you get there. Smartphones have excellent calender apps that let you fill in important events and appointments. Pre-plan your itinerary so that you have an idea of the time you will spend at the event.
If you are someone who is going to have difficulty relaxing and sleeping with even minimal noise and/or lights, you are going to want to pack along an eye mask and some noise-cancelling headphones or earplugs for the trip, as these events may not necessarily be in the city/country you reside in.
2. Pack
This part is even more important if the event is outside your hometown. Make a list of things you’ll need throughout the event and buy them if you don’t have them already – they are just an investment for further events as well.
For example, if you were to be going to CES in Las Vegas, you should have a main camera, a secondary camera, a pair of memory cards, an adjustable tri-pod etc. packed at least a week advance.
Besides your professional gear, your personal belongings should be packed and stocked in advance as well. Make sure you include medicines and healthcare stuff in your inventory as well.
3. Get To Know The Battleground
The annual Consumer Electronics Show offers a mobile application to help attendees navigate it. Getting familiar with maps of the trade show and the area will save plenty of time because often there are multiple dropoff points along the way.
Keep a hard copy of the map with you at all times. Identify places that you will need to visit frequently – like the restrooms and the cafeterias. If it is a multi-day event, plan what areas of the showfloor you will be covering on each day. Mark them according to priority and importance.
4. Enjoy, but Behave!
Trade shows can be both fun and profitable. The key to being sure that your trip stays within the bounds of what is acceptable is to remember to keep all things in moderation.
Beware of alcohol. While drinking alcoholic beverages may loosen you up and make interacting with strangers easier, it is wise to keep this to a minimum.
Several events are typically crammed into a short period, which can make for some very long days. It is crucial to allow yourself some down time in order to get the most out of the event. At the end of the day, once you’re all done with your work, head out into the city for a nice meal and a little bit of sightseeing, if you’re in another city.
5. Learn
If it’s your first trade show, you will probably end up making mistakes and end up with the feeling that you could have probably done better.
The most important part of trade shows is that you make sure that you come back with something valuable. This doesn’t necessarily mean that you come back with the freebies that they hands out at stalls, but that you come back with ideas.
Large scale events are the excellent opportunity to learn more about the topics you’re interested in, so make sure to look around and take notes.
6. Take Care of Your Belongings
Once you’re wrapped up with all your work and are ready to leave, check all your belongings. Tally each item with the list you make before leaving the place. Crowded events are like a hunting ground for pick-pocketers.
Keep your expensive belongings like smartphones and wallets at places where you feel they will be safe. Also, don’t keep all your money in one place.
7. Keep Your Cards Handy, Make Contacts
Trade shows and other large scale events are the perfect opportunity for you to make new contacts for yourself or your company. Talk to people, find out what they do – it might just turn out to be relevant for you or your company. Engage with them and at the end, hand out your business card so that they know how to get to you and discuss future opportunities.
Ask the presenters or vendors if they have written information you can take back to the office with you.so that you have formal details of their products or ventures when you need them.
In this festival season if you want to spend some money on your loved ones, here we bring you the recommended list of tablets that you can gift to your near and dear ones.
BSNL Penta IS701C:
The BSNL Penta IS701C is a budget tablet which is available for 3950 INR. The device features a 7 inch Multi touch TFT screen and runs on Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich. The Tablet is powered by a ARM Cortex A8 1 GHz Processor which is coupled with a 512 MB DDR3 RAM and 4 GB inbuilt memory -expandable memory upto 32 GB. The device has a 0.3 MP primary camera and it is a 3G tablet which is packed with a 3000 mAh battery.
Intex I-Buddy 7.0 Tablet:
The Intex I-Buddy 7.0 Tablet is available in WiFi only and also in calling support individually. The Wifi Only version is available for 6300 INR. The device features a 7 inch Capacitive Touch Screen and runs on Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich. The Tablet is powered by a Boxchip A13 1.0 GHz Processor which is coupled with a 512 MB DDR3 RAM and 4 GB inbuilt memory -expandable memory upto 32 GB. The device has a 0.3 MP primary camera and it is a 3G via dongle tablet which is packed with a 2350 mAh battery.
iBall 6318i Tablet:
The iBall 6318i is a 7 inch tablet which is available for 5395 INR. This tablet is powered by a 1.2 GHz ARM Cortex-A9 Processor and runs on Android 4.1 Jelly Bean. The device features a 2 MP primary camera and a VGA secondary camera. The Tablet is packed with a 1 GB of DDR3 RAM and 4 GB of inbuilt storage which is expandable to 32 GB, the device has a 4000 mAh battery and supports 3G via dongle.
Lenovo A2107 Tablet:
The Lenovo A2107 is a 7 inch tablet which is available for 5395 INR. This tablet is powered by a 1.2 GHz ARM Cortex-A9 Processor and runs on Android 4.1 Jelly Bean. The device features a 2 MP primary camera and a VGA secondary camera. The Tablet is packed with a 1 GB of DDR2 RAM and 16 GB of inbuilt storage which is expandable to 32 GB, the device has a 3550 mAh battery.
Nexus 7 Tablet (1st and 2nd generation):
Nexus 7 1st generation is already available in the Indian market from a long time now, while the second generation Nexus 7 will supposedly be available in India by the month of November.
Samsung Galaxy Tab 3:
The Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 T211 features a 7 inch touchscreen and is priced at 16250 INR. The device sports a 3 MP rear camera and a 1.3 MP front camera. The device is powered by a 1.2 Ghz dual core processor and has 1 GB of RAM, the tab has an expandable storage option of upto 32 GB.
Sony SGPT211IN/S:
The Sony Sony SGPT211IN/S is a foldable tablet which has a 5.5 inch screen and is priced at 15999 INR. The device runs on Android Honeycomb. The sony Sony SGPT211IN/S sports a 5 MP primary camera and a 3 MP secondary camera. The device is powered by a ARM Cortex Dual Core Processor.
Apple 16 GB iPad Mini with Wi-Fi:
The Apple iPad Mini runs an a relatively older, Apple A5 chip that has a dual-core 1GHz cortex A9 processor and 512MB of RAM. The tablet sports a 7.85-inch IPS display that has a resolution of 768 x 1024 pixels (roughly 162 ppi) which was one of the biggest downers of the iPad Mini when it was announced, as it lacked a retina display. If you consider, you can actually wait for the upcoming iPads, the iPad mini retina display.
Lenovo Idea Tab S6000 Tablet:
The Lenovo Idea Tab S6000 Tablet has a 10.1 inch screen and is priced at 22499 INR. The device runs on Android 4.2 and is powered by a 1.2 Ghz processor. Lenovo Idea Tab S6000 Tablet sports a 5 MP main camera along with a VGA secondary camera.
Sony (SGPT111IN/S) Tablet S:
The Sony (SGPT111IN/S) Tablet S sports a 9.4 inch screen and is priced at 22900 INR. The device is powered by a 1 GHz ARM Cortex-A9 Dual Core processor and runs on Android Honeycomb. It has 1 GB of RAM along with a 16 GB of inbuilt storage.
Apple 16GB iPad with Retina Display and Wi-Fi (4th Generation):
The Apple 16GB iPad with Retina Display and Wi-Fi (4th Generation) features a beautiful 9.7 inch screen and starts with a price tag of 31900 INR. The device runs on latest iOS from Apple and is powered by A6X Chip with Quad-Core Graphics. You might want to wait for the newly launched iPad Air to hit the Indian Market!
Samsung Galaxy Note 800:
Samsung Galaxy note 800 and Samsung Galaxy note 10.1 both are great value for money, the Note 800 is priced at 35490 INR which can be reasonable to some compare to 49990 INR for the newly launched Galaxy Note 10.1 2014 edition. Both tablets share the same screen size and the S Pen support.
Sony Xperia Z Tablet:
The Sony Xperia Z Tablet features a 10.1 inch display and is priced at 41499 INR. The device runs on Android 4.1 and is powered by a 1.5 GHz Quad Core Snapdragon S4 Pro Processor. The device sports 8.1 MP and 2.2 MP primary and secondary cameras respectively.
These are few recommended tablets, there could be many others as well. If you have any tablet we missed on which you think can be a best gift and great value for money, you can leave your valuable inputs in the comment section below.
The Samsung Galaxy Note 3 was launched in India for a price of Rs. 49900 (roughly translated to “more than most can afford”) and is now available throughout India. The Samsung Galaxy Note 3 features a new design over its predecessor boasting a soft-touch, leather like back, along with many hardware changes that put it right in line with many flagships out there. But, at the price at which it has launched, should you go in for the Galaxy Note 3? or should you get the Galaxy Note 2? Here is where we break it down for you.
Aesthetics
The Note 3 is actually slimmer and thinner than the Galaxy Note 2 despite getting a larger 5.7-inch full HD 1920 x 1080p display. The Note 3 also appears to be squarish from the front and has a slightly raised bezel, as opposed to the roundish bezel on the Galaxy Note 2.
The new leather look back panel on the Note 3 definitely adds a lot more premium appeal to the previous plastic and poorly constructed look. Which however, does not change the fact that the phone is still completely plastic, now its just plastic hidden behind faux leather-appearing plastic.
Hardware Comparison
Apart from the obvious differences in the specs, the major changes on the new Note 3 worth noting are, the aforementioned Full HD display, a new Exynos 5 chipset vs Exynos 4 on the Note 2 which offers an effective 1.9 GHz on Quad cores (with full octa-core functionality by December.). You also get 3 new temperature, humidity and gesture sensors, along with an additional gigabyte of RAM.
A 16GB bump in storage capacity makes the basic variant (and the only one available in India) a 32GB variant. A slightly larger 3200 mAh battery and 13 MP camera finish off the changes on hardware. Check out a comparative below.
Specifications
Galaxy Note3
Galaxy Note 2
Display
5.7 inch full HD Super AMOLED display with a resolution of 1920 × 1080 pixels (386 ppi)
5.5 inch Super AMOLED display with a resolution of 1280 x 720 pixels (267 ppi)
13 MP with smart stabilization and high CRI LED flash
8 MP with image stabilization and LED flash
Video
Full HD @60fps
Full HD @30fps
Secondary camera
2 MP, Full HD
1.9 MP
RAM
3 GB
2 GB
Internal Storage
32 GB
16 GB
Connectivity
Bluetooth 4.0, NFC, Infrared booster and USB 3.0
Bluetooth 4.0, NFC and USB 2.0
OS
Android 4.3 Jelly Bean
Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean
Colors
Black, White and Blush Pink
Titanium Gray, Marble White, Amber Brown, Ruby Wine, Pink, Blue
Battery
3200 mAh
3100 mAh
Dimensions
151.2 x 79.2 x 8.3 mm
151.1 x 80.5 x 9.4 mm
Weight
168 grams
183 grams
Price
49,990
30,000
Software
Despite most attempts by the company, most of the new features of the Galaxy Note 3 will be available on the Galaxy Note 2. Including the new Action command feature which can be executed from the S Pen.
With not a lot of difference for the end user, one would consider going for the Note 2 as it would mostly achieve all the features that one would require from a smart phone with pen functionality.
The Galaxy Note 3 is the latest flagship from the company while the Galaxy Note 2 did really well in the past and offers most of the features for the Note 3 at a considerably low price. If you really need to get the most for your money’s worth, the Galaxy Note 2 is still an impressive piece of hardware with a lot going on under the hood, it is still capable of handling every app in the Google Play store, and whatever you can throw at it. If the latest is what you must get, then consider spending a lot more for the newest Note 3.
We live in a world where technology evolves every minute, heck, every second. Even before you’ve got the hang of something, it is replaced by something newer, better.
The other day while I was watching an episode of “The Big Bang Theory”, I was intrigued by something I hadn’t heard of before – 3D printing.
While the “Third Dimension” had crept into virtual space quite some time ago – 3D games, 3D movies etc. – I never really imagined it being introduced into print any time soon (though it has been available and used by companies in automobiles sector for the past 8-10 years).
So the first thing I did after the episode was to switch on my computer and, as is the norm these days, turn to the tried and trusted Google Search to enlighten me on this topic.
What is 3D printing? – An Overview.
Imagine a future in which a device connected to a computer can print a solid object. A future in which we can have tangible goods as well as intangible services delivered to our desktops or highstreet shops over the Internet. And a future in which the everyday “atomization” of virtual objects into hard reality has turned the mass pre-production and stock-holding of a wide range of goods and spare parts into no more than an historical legacy.
Such a future may sound like it is being plucked from the worlds of Star Trek. But lo and behold, 3D printing. The medium which can help us achieve these.
[pullquote_left]Charles Hull is the inventor of the modern 3D printer and originator of de facto standard technologies. The first published account of a printed solid model was made in 1981 by Hideo Kodama of Nagoya Municipal Industrial Research Institute.[/pullquote_left]
There are a variety of very different types of 3D printing technologies, but they all share one core thing in common: they create a three dimensional object creating it layer by successive layer, until the entire object is complete.
Each of these layers is a thinly sliced, horizontal cross-section of the eventual object. Imagine a multi-layer cake, with the baker laying down each layer one at a time until the entire cake is formed. 3D printing is similar, but just a bit more precise, and scientific if you may, than 3D baking.
Two particular technologies are used in 3D printing – fused deposition modeling (FDM) and PolyJet.
FDM printers essentially use thermoplastic ABS filament, that is fed into the printhead which melts the material and then deposits it layer by layer to build up the object.
PolyJet printers, on the other hand, are more similar to regular inkjet printers, but instead of jetting drops of ink on paper, a PolyJet 3D printer deposits droplets of liquid photopolymer which is then cured (or hardened) by exposing it to ultraviolet (UV) light.
Each 3D-printed object begins with a digital Computer Aided Design (CAD) file, created with a 3D modeling program, or which was scanned into a 3D modeling program with a 3D scanner. To get from this digital file into instructions that the 3D printer understands, software then slices the design into hundred or thousands of horizontal layers.
The 3D printer reads this file, and proceeds to create each layer exactly to specification. As the layers are created, they blend together with no hint of the layering visible, resulting in one three dimensional object.
What can we do with 3D printing?
The answer to the above question is simple yet complicated – anything.
Once a science-fiction fantasy, three-dimensional printers are popping up everywhere from the desks of home hobbyists to Air Force drone research centers. The machines, generally the size of a microwave oven, cost from $400 to more than $500,000.
From bicycles, toys, accessories to Nuclear warheads, guns and buildings. Anything and everything.
Recently, a baby was afflicted with a condition that blocked his ability to breathe, professors at the University of Michigan developed a 3D-printed splint that saved the child’s life.
A 3D printed splint helped cure this baby’s breathing problem.
Companies are continuing to reap the benefits of 3D printing, a decades-old technology that has increased in popularity over the past few years as the prices of printing machines and materials have come down.
A 3D printed guitar
The Wall Street Journal recently took a look at how three major U.S. manufacturers — Ford, GE and Mattel — are using 3D printing to cut costs and production times during the prototyping phase.
Thanks to 3D printing, production time for one type of cylinder head, used in its fuel-efficient EcoBoost engines, is cut down from four to five months to three, shaving 25% to 40% off production time.
The Side Effect
[pullquote_right]The effect of 3D printers falling into the wrong hands can be catastrophic.[/pullquote_right]
New South Wales Police Force, the largest in Australia recently issued a public warning video about the ‘emerging worldwide threat’ of 3D printable weapons.
In a YouTube video highlighting the dangers 3D printable guns, Andrew Schipione, the commissioner for New South Wales Police, urges the public not to download the Computer Aided Design (CAD) files for the gun, known as the Liberator.
A 3D Printed Gun
He explained how his ballistics team had acquired a 3D printer, downloaded the blueprint for the weapons and assembled two possible future application is in the use of 3D printers to create replacement organs for the human body. This is known as bioprinting, and is an area of rapid development.pistols at a cost of just £22.
When fired, a bullet from one of the guns penetrated almost seven inches into a solid resin block resembling human flesh, deep enough to kill any human. The other weapon fell apart when it was fired.
Though some fear it is already too late.
A May 21 Department of Homeland Security bulletin distributed to several law enforcement agencies across the country, and obtained by Fox News, basically states that there might be nothing that can be done to stop people from downloading and printing plastic guns. “Limiting access may be impossible,” the memo states.
What Lies Ahead
A possible future application is in the use of 3D printers to create replacement organs for the human body. This is known as bioprinting, and is an area of rapid development.
A 3D printed jaw.
Instantly printing parts and entire products, anywhere in the world, is a game changer. But it doesn’t stop there. 3D printing will affect almost every aspect of industry and our personal lives.
3-D printing is a disruptive technology of mammoth proportions, with effects on energy use, waste, customization, product availability, art, medicine, construction, the sciences and of course manufacturing. It will change the world as we know it. Before you know it.
[With valuable inputs from Explaining The Future, Wikipedia and 3dprinter,net]
The festival season is just around the corner and you want to spend some money on your loved ones. Here we bring you the recommended list of Headphones and Earphones that you can gift to your near and dear ones.
1- Sennheiser MX 170
The Sennheiser MX 170 are in the ear type headphones, with a ear bud design on them. These are budget friednly headphones and are priced at 459 INR. The device has a 22 Hz – 20000 Hz Headphone Frequency Response, 32 ohm Headphone Impedance, 109 dB/mW Headphone Sensitivity at 1 kHz and the device has a standard 3.5 mm jack. The cable length is 1.2 meters.
2- Skullcandy S2DUDZ-003:
The Skullcandy S2DUDZ-003 headphones are in ear style headphones and have a bud design. The device gives stereo sound and enhanced bass, it has a neodymium magnet. It features a standard 3.5 mm jack and a 1.3 meter long cable.
3- JBL Tempo:
JBL Tempo are in ear type headphones available in the market for a price of 1040 INR and are in ear canal-phone type. The device has a 20 Hz – 20000 Hz Headphone Frequency Response and a Gold Plated Connector 3.5 mm jack.
4- Sony MDR-XB30EX Extra-Bass
The Sony MDR-XB30EX Extra-Bass are in ear canalphone designed headphones. The device features a 100mW of max power input with a neodymium maget, 4 Hz – 24000 Hz headphone frequency response with 16 ohm headphone impedance and a standard 3.5 mm jack.
5-Sennheiser CX 180
The Sennheiser CX 180 are in ear canalphone designed headphones that are priced at 1313 INR. The device features 20 Hz- 20000 Hz frequency responce, 16 ohm headphone impedance, 110dB/mW headphone sensitivity at 1 kHz. The device has a 3.5 mm jack along with a 1.2 meter cable.
6- JBL Tempo J04W :
The JBL Tempo J04W are over the ear/head designed headphones available at a price of 1995 INR. The device features 20 Hz – 20000 Hz frequency response, 32 ohm impedance, a 30 mW of max power input.
7- Skullcandy S6HSDZ-072 Hesh 2.0
The Skullcandy S6HSDZ-072 Hesh 2.0 are over the ear circumaural headphones and are priced at 3274 INR. The device features an over the ear design with, 35 ohm impedance and 105 dB/mW sensitivity at 1 kHz.
8- Sennheiser CX 680 Sports
The Sennheiser CX 680 Sports are in ear canalphone designed headphones, priced at 4349 INR. The device features 18 Hz – 20000 Hz frequency, 16 ohm impedance and a standard 3.5 mm jack. These headphones undoubtedly gives a sporty look.
9- Sennheiser HD 280 PRO Over-the-ear :
The Sennheiser HD 280 PRO are over the ear/head Circumaural headphones priced at 7189 INR. The device features 64 Ohm, 102 db/mw, 8 – 25000 Hz and a maximum power of 500 mW.
10- Sony MDR-XB900/C E:
The Sony MDR-XB900/C E are on the ear type headphones, priced at 7791 INR. The device sports a 50 mm driver units, neodymium magnet, 3000 mW maximum power input, Supra-aural closed headphone, frequency response of 3 Hz- 28000 Hz.
11- Sony MDR-XB920
You can check out our own review for these over the ear headphones.
The Sennheiser PxC 310 are over the ear closed headphones priced at 19799 INR. The device features a neodymium magnet, 15 Hz – 22000 Hz headphones frequency, 590 ohm impedance and a 107 dB/mW sensitivity at 1kHz.
The festival season is just around the corner and you want to spend some money on your loved ones. Here we bring you the recommended list of Headphones and Earphones that you can gift to your near and dear ones.
1- Sennheiser MX 170
The Sennheiser MX 170 are in the ear type headphones, with a ear bud design on them. These are budget friednly headphones and are priced at 459 INR. The device has a 22 Hz – 20000 Hz Headphone Frequency Response, 32 ohm Headphone Impedance, 109 dB/mW Headphone Sensitivity at 1 kHz and the device has a standard 3.5 mm jack. The cable length is 1.2 meters.
2- Skullcandy S2DUDZ-003:
The Skullcandy S2DUDZ-003 headphones are in ear style headphones and have a bud design. The device gives stereo sound and enhanced bass, it has a neodymium magnet. It features a standard 3.5 mm jack and a 1.3 meter long cable.
3- JBL Tempo:
JBL Tempo are in ear type headphones available in the market for a price of 1040 INR and are in ear canal-phone type. The device has a 20 Hz – 20000 Hz Headphone Frequency Response and a Gold Plated Connector 3.5 mm jack.
4- Sony MDR-XB30EX Extra-Bass
The Sony MDR-XB30EX Extra-Bass are in ear canalphone designed headphones. The device features a 100mW of max power input with a neodymium maget, 4 Hz – 24000 Hz headphone frequency response with 16 ohm headphone impedance and a standard 3.5 mm jack.
5-Sennheiser CX 180
The Sennheiser CX 180 are in ear canalphone designed headphones that are priced at 1313 INR. The device features 20 Hz- 20000 Hz frequency responce, 16 ohm headphone impedance, 110dB/mW headphone sensitivity at 1 kHz. The device has a 3.5 mm jack along with a 1.2 meter cable.
6- JBL Tempo J04W :
The JBL Tempo J04W are over the ear/head designed headphones available at a price of 1995 INR. The device features 20 Hz – 20000 Hz frequency response, 32 ohm impedance, a 30 mW of max power input.
7- Skullcandy S6HSDZ-072 Hesh 2.0
The Skullcandy S6HSDZ-072 Hesh 2.0 are over the ear circumaural headphones and are priced at 3274 INR. The device features an over the ear design with, 35 ohm impedance and 105 dB/mW sensitivity at 1 kHz.
8- Sennheiser CX 680 Sports
The Sennheiser CX 680 Sports are in ear canalphone designed headphones, priced at 4349 INR. The device features 18 Hz – 20000 Hz frequency, 16 ohm impedance and a standard 3.5 mm jack. These headphones undoubtedly gives a sporty look.
9- Sennheiser HD 280 PRO Over-the-ear :
The Sennheiser HD 280 PRO are over the ear/head Circumaural headphones priced at 7189 INR. The device features 64 Ohm, 102 db/mw, 8 – 25000 Hz and a maximum power of 500 mW.
10- Sony MDR-XB900/C E:
The Sony MDR-XB900/C E are on the ear type headphones, priced at 7791 INR. The device sports a 50 mm driver units, neodymium magnet, 3000 mW maximum power input, Supra-aural closed headphone, frequency response of 3 Hz- 28000 Hz.
11- Sony MDR-XB920
You can check out our own review for these over the ear headphones.
The Sennheiser PxC 310 are over the ear closed headphones priced at 19799 INR. The device features a neodymium magnet, 15 Hz – 22000 Hz headphones frequency, 590 ohm impedance and a 107 dB/mW sensitivity at 1kHz.
The festival season is just around the corner and you want to spend some money on your loved ones. Here we bring you the recommended list of Headphones and Earphones that you can gift to your near and dear ones.
1- Sennheiser MX 170
The Sennheiser MX 170 are in the ear type headphones, with a ear bud design on them. These are budget friednly headphones and are priced at 459 INR. The device has a 22 Hz – 20000 Hz Headphone Frequency Response, 32 ohm Headphone Impedance, 109 dB/mW Headphone Sensitivity at 1 kHz and the device has a standard 3.5 mm jack. The cable length is 1.2 meters.
2- Skullcandy S2DUDZ-003:
The Skullcandy S2DUDZ-003 headphones are in ear style headphones and have a bud design. The device gives stereo sound and enhanced bass, it has a neodymium magnet. It features a standard 3.5 mm jack and a 1.3 meter long cable.
3- JBL Tempo:
JBL Tempo are in ear type headphones available in the market for a price of 1040 INR and are in ear canal-phone type. The device has a 20 Hz – 20000 Hz Headphone Frequency Response and a Gold Plated Connector 3.5 mm jack.
4- Sony MDR-XB30EX Extra-Bass
The Sony MDR-XB30EX Extra-Bass are in ear canalphone designed headphones. The device features a 100mW of max power input with a neodymium maget, 4 Hz – 24000 Hz headphone frequency response with 16 ohm headphone impedance and a standard 3.5 mm jack.
5-Sennheiser CX 180
The Sennheiser CX 180 are in ear canalphone designed headphones that are priced at 1313 INR. The device features 20 Hz- 20000 Hz frequency responce, 16 ohm headphone impedance, 110dB/mW headphone sensitivity at 1 kHz. The device has a 3.5 mm jack along with a 1.2 meter cable.
6- JBL Tempo J04W :
The JBL Tempo J04W are over the ear/head designed headphones available at a price of 1995 INR. The device features 20 Hz – 20000 Hz frequency response, 32 ohm impedance, a 30 mW of max power input.
7- Skullcandy S6HSDZ-072 Hesh 2.0
The Skullcandy S6HSDZ-072 Hesh 2.0 are over the ear circumaural headphones and are priced at 3274 INR. The device features an over the ear design with, 35 ohm impedance and 105 dB/mW sensitivity at 1 kHz.
8- Sennheiser CX 680 Sports
The Sennheiser CX 680 Sports are in ear canalphone designed headphones, priced at 4349 INR. The device features 18 Hz – 20000 Hz frequency, 16 ohm impedance and a standard 3.5 mm jack. These headphones undoubtedly gives a sporty look.
9- Sennheiser HD 280 PRO Over-the-ear :
The Sennheiser HD 280 PRO are over the ear/head Circumaural headphones priced at 7189 INR. The device features 64 Ohm, 102 db/mw, 8 – 25000 Hz and a maximum power of 500 mW.
10- Sony MDR-XB900/C E:
The Sony MDR-XB900/C E are on the ear type headphones, priced at 7791 INR. The device sports a 50 mm driver units, neodymium magnet, 3000 mW maximum power input, Supra-aural closed headphone, frequency response of 3 Hz- 28000 Hz.
11- Sony MDR-XB920
You can check out our own review for these over the ear headphones.
The Sennheiser PxC 310 are over the ear closed headphones priced at 19799 INR. The device features a neodymium magnet, 15 Hz – 22000 Hz headphones frequency, 590 ohm impedance and a 107 dB/mW sensitivity at 1kHz.
The festival season is just around the corner and you want to spend some money on your loved ones. Here we bring you the recommended list of Smartphones that you can gift to your near and dear ones.
1- Samsung Galaxy Star:
This is a basic phone from Samsung which powered by a 1200 mAh battery and runs on a 1 GHz A5 chipset, along with 512 MB RAM and 4 GB of internal storage. The Galaxy Star also has a 2 MP camera at the back and a 3 inch capacitive touchsrceen in the front along with Bluetooth 4.0. This budget device is available for about 4875 INR. You can check ou the full specs here.
2-Sony Xperia E:
The Sony made Xperia E smartphone has a 3.5 inch screen and is powered by a 1 Ghz Qualcomm Snapdragon Processor, the phone also has a 3.2 MP camera and comes loaded with Android 4.1 Jelly Bean. The device is priced at 7799 INR. Watch our hands on here.
3- Nokia Lumia 520:
This is a budget Windows phone available at a price of around 8650 INR, the device comes up with 4 inch screen size along with a 5 MP camera. The device also comes up with 7 GB of skydrive storage and runs in Windows phone 8 OS. You can see our review here.
4- Micromax Canvas 2:
This device is one of the best sellers from Micromax, it comes up with a 4.9 inch display along with a 8 MP rear and VGA front facing cameras. The Canvas 2 runs on Android 4.0 is powered by a 1 Ghz dual-core processor. Watch our unboxing here.
5- Samsung Galaxy Core:
This device has a 4.3 inch display and works on Android 4.1 Jelly Bean, Galaxy core is powered by 1.2 GHz Dual Core Processor and features a 5 MP main and VGA secondary Camera, the device is available for 13240 INR. You can see the detailed specs here.
6- HTC One V
The HTC One V has a 3.7 inch screen and is powered by a 1 Ghz processor, the device has a 5 MP primary camera and is capable of doing HD videos. It is priced at 13990 INR. You can watch our unboxing here.
7- XOLO Play:
Xolo play is high on specification if compared to the same priced phones, as this phone comes with 4.7 inch HD screen, and is powered by 1.5 GHz NVIDIA Tegra Quad-Core along with a 12-core NVIDIA GeForce GPU. The Xolo Play also has an 8 MP Primary and 2 MP secondary Camera, the device runs on Android 4.1. Watch our unboxing and hands on here.
8- Samsung Galaxy Grand Quattro:
This Dual SIM device from Samsung has a 1.2 GHz Cortex-A5, Quad Core processor, the device has a 5 MP primary and VGA Secondary camera. Grand Quattro is priced at 15499 INR. You can see our Unboxing and Hands on here.
9- Nokia Lumia 720:
This Windows phone from Nokia has a 4.29 inch screen and is powered by a 1 GHz Dual Core Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Processor. Lumia 720 has a 6.7 MP primary and 1.3 MP secondary camera. Watch our full review here.
10- Sony Xperia SP:
The Xperia SP runs on Android 4.1 and comes with a 4.6 inch HD display. The device is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Pro Processor and has a 8 MP primary and VGA secondary Camera. Xperia SP is priced at 22490 INR. Watch our full review here.
11- Samsung Galaxy Mega 5.8:
This device comes with a mega display of 5.8 inches and is powered by 1.4 GHz Dual Core Processor. The Mega 5.8 has a 8 MP primary and 2 MP secondary camera, the device runs on Android 4.2.2. Watch our hands on here.
12- BlackBerry Q5:
This Blackberry phone runs on BlackBerry OS 10.1 and has a 3.1 inch touch scren along with QWERTY keypad. Q5 has a 5 MP primary and 2 MP secondary Camera, the camera does full HD recording. You can see our review here.
13- Samsung Galaxy Note 2:
This device is powered by 1.6 GHz Quad Core Cortex-A9 Processor, Note 2 has built in stylus support- S-pen. The device has a 8 MP primary and 2 MP secondary camera, the device is priced at 30,000 INR. Watch our Unboxing here.
This festive season you might also want to pamper yourself with a smartphone, gift yourself with these latest premium phones:
14- Samsung Galaxy S4:
The S4 is the latest edition in the Galaxy S series after the S3, the device is lighter and thinner than the predecessor. The Galaxy S4 comes with a 13 MP main camera, and has a Full HD screen, Dual video recording along with Hand gestures support. The device is priced at 39000 INR. Watch our unboxing and hands on review here.
15- LG G2:
LG G2 is the latest flagship from the company, the device features a new layout of buttons at the back, which make it unique in terms of appearance. The device has a 5.2 inch screen and runs on Android 4.2.2. The G2 has a 13 MP primary camera along with 2.1 MP secondary camera. Watch our unboxing here.
16- Sony Xperia Z1:
Xperia Z1 is the latest flagship from Sony, the device has an amazing 20.7 MP primary and 2 MP cameras. The 5 inched device is powered by 2.2 GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 Quad Core Processor. This is also completely Water resistant and dust proof, the only phone in the category with these features. Watch our unboxing and hands on video here.
17- Samsung Galaxy Note 3:
Samsung’s latest flagship, the Note 3 features a 5.7 inch full HD Super AMOLED screen. The device has a 13 MP primary camera and does full HD recording, Note 3 is powered by Octa Core Processor by Samsung(1.9 GHz Quad + 1.3 GHz Quad) and 3 GB RAM. You can see our unboxing and quick review here.
For quite some time now, Patym has been one of the best websites in India as far as online recharging goes. Naturally, when they came out with an application for mobile recharging, it was met with high expectations. Does it live up to the brand name? We find out.
Compatibility : iOS, Android, Windows Phone and Nokia Asha
File Size : 2.3MB For Android, 4.9MB For iOS
The User Interface of the applications clearly follows on from the website. Three colours dominate the app windows, Blue, Yellow and Grey. The application isn’t cluttered and is easy to use and navigate, even for beginners.
As soon as you open the app, you’re met with the home screen which asks for your number and automatically detects your carrier and circle.
A bar at the top has 3 toggles, Recharges, Bill Payments and Bus Tickets. Recharges are further categorized into Mobile, DTH, Data Card and Toll Card.
For mobile recharges, Paytm has an impressive array of recharge packages. You can either entire the recharge amount yourself or go to the Special Recharges tab that provides you with various recharge options divided into 3G data, 2G data, Top-Ups and Special recharges that contain minutes packs and tariff reduction packages.
The drawback however, is that it does not offer the entire catalog of recharges that you would find at your local telecom shop.
Recharging is a simple process. Select your recharge amount and you’re taken into a tokens page from where you can select various coupons to choose from as a special bonus. The coupons range from eatery joints to clothing brands, both free and paid.
After you select a coupon or skip, you’re taken into the payments page where the app connects to the payment system that offers support for most credits cards and several popular banks for direct transfer.
If the payment goes through, you get notifications in the form of an SMS and an email. You can also store money in the app itself in the form of Paytm cash that can be used to recharge later. This is helpful as you do not need to carry your card with you at all places in order to recharge your accounts.
One thing to note however, is that the payment gateway opens up in an inbuilt browser that is somewhat choppy. It fails to establish connections from time to time which can be irritating for most.
The application offers recharges for most telecom operators across the country and within all the circles, making this app useful for any and all prepaid and postpaid users.
Conclusion : The Paytm app certainly lives up to its website standards. While the app itself, with a clean and easy to use UI, is nice, it would certainly have been better had their been more recharges available to the user.
What do you think? Which app do you use for mobile recharging? Let us know below!
Developers’ App Description
Paytm is the most preferred partner for prepaid mobile recharges, DTH recharges, postpaid bill payments and bus ticket booking in India. It is truly the fastest way to do recharge, in under 10 seconds, via Paytm Cash; our virtual wallet. In addition to the awesome recharge experience, Paytm provides the best in class customer care service with unwavering trust and support to keep customers 100% satisfied and always charged.
Download Paytm now and get the best online recharge and ticket booking experience on your iPhone.
What we offer:
* All payment options – credit card, debit card, net banking and IMPS as well * Prepaid recharge and Postpaid payment on ALL major operators * Data Card Payment available on ALL major operators * DTH Payment on ALL service providers * Toll Card Recharge service (Currently only for the Delhi-Gurgaon Expressway) * Landline payment option on select service providers * Latest prepaid and postpaid plan offers for Topups, SMS, Data (GPRS 2G and 3G) packs * Bus ticket booking covering over 1200 operators across the country * Exciting discount coupons with each recharge! The best ever.
Competition among browsers is more fierce than ever. Chrome and Firefox release 72 new versions every week for desktop versions, but their Android counterparts are equally, if not more competitive. As we all race to tablets and smartphones we’re being tempted with all kinds of alternatives to systems’ stock browsers.
But which are the best browsers for you and your Android device? Let’s find out.
1. Opera
Opera comes with an interface that has been easily adapted from Desktop version to mobile UI. It rose to fame because of its data compression algorithms which work whenever the user requests for a page. Its powerful server will compress the data which will make the page will load faster and use lesser data.
With the download manager, users can start, stop, resume, and rename media files. If you haven’t already, you can download Opera from the Google Play Store here.
2. Dolphin Browser
This is one of the most popular and, at the same time, fastest browsers ever released for Android devices. It features tabbed browsing along with Dolphin Connect, it allows you to sync and send contents between your mobile and desktop browsers. . This browser is allows to enhance your browsing experience by simply installation of additional Add-ons.
The way a user uses the Dolphin Browser HD is unique as most of the usage is gesture based and voice guided. The improved UI and the voice dictation service has propelled this browser in to the elite league.
You can download Dolphin Browser from the Google Play Store here.
3. FireFox
Mozilla Firefox, we all are familiar with it’s good name and how it works. The features are pretty tight including smart tabs and a ‘hiding’ feature of the open tabs. The privacy options will be updated and Mozilla sync is fully functional.
It is highly customizable as you can add Add-ons/ extensions, Awesome Screen functions that allows users to set favorite websites and an easy to use page. Awesome Bar is another great feature along with Sync functions that yo can use to Sync the mobile variant of Firefox with the Desktop variant.
Sync function will bring all the bookmarks, history, passwords, bookmarks and opened tabs from your desktop Firefox browser and to your mobile Firefox app.
You can download Firefox from the Google Play Store here.
4. Chrome
Chrome Browser on PC is the most popular browser. and soon after its launch gained the same popularity on Android as well!
The app combined the desktop software’s varied abilities with a mobile’s agility. The user gets a very intuitive experience while using the browser, shifting screens and flipping through tabs.
You can enter your Google account details and sign it into your Desktop Chrome variant and then sing in into the mobile version and, every single thing will be automatically synced between both devices. Chrome for Android will not work with older Android phones and this might be a low-point.
You can download Chrome web browser from the Google Play Store here.
5. UC Browser
The main feature of this small browser is the ‘adaptable setup’ feature, which allows users to adjust their browsing styles and create separate configurations for multiple network connections.
Some other great features of UC Browser for your Android device are these: Multi-touch support for gestures and commands, a download manager that allows you to grab files from all over the web faster. Quick Reads is another option that you can enable to grab RSS feeds. The other important functions you’ll find in UC Browser are: Vox – control the app using voice; AutoFill – it will show suggestions as you type a word in the address field; Night Mode – when enabled, it will offer you a better browsing experience in a dark environment.
You can download UC Web Browser from the Google Play Store here.
What do you think? Do you agree with the list above? Let us know in the comments section below!
The scene (2005) : Three teenagers sitting together text away on their cellphones. A flip-phone, a slider, a-twist and use cellphone.
The scene (2005) : Three teenagers sitting together text away on their smartphones. A touchscreen candybar, another touchscreen candybar and a touchscreen candybar.
Back in 2006, I had a Motorola Razr. It made calls and got texts, and did little else. It was thin and lightweight. It made a pleasing sound as it snapped open and shut. “Ooh, a Razr,” people would say, causing me to blush.
The MotoRazr remains the most iconic flip phone mankind has witnessed.
Smartphones and feature phones back then came in many different shapes and sizes, and moving parts were in – displays that pivoted, swiveled, and twisted around, or keyboards that clumsily tucked under the display.
It was all about which phone had the coolest features and the most unique form factor, not about brand, specifications or how big and dense the display was.
After the introduction of the iPhone, the change of variety shifted from form factors to features themselves. Slowly, all premium devices shifted from their funky form factors to the boring candybar factor.
In a way, the choices today are more than there have ever been. Companies experiment with build quality and materials based on the same form factor. And there are four major mobile operating systems to choose from: Android, iOS, BlackBerry and Windows Phone.
But, the main thing we’ve been missing since the flip phone era is the satisfying THWACK! of ending a phone call. You just can’t hang up authoritatively with a smartphone. “Did you see that guy jam his thumb against his iPhone? Ooh, he must be mad!!”
Slider phones too do not just remain the province of the elderly and the clueless. Increasingly, young, tech-savvy people may be wanting slider phones for that smooth transition to reveal the keyboard.
If you’re feeling nostalgic enough to explore a potential purchase of these devices, I’m afraid I have some bad news : there aren’t many options available in the market. You might find the odd feature phone which comes in a variety of form factors, but it may not be what you need as far as features are concerned.
Wearable tech may signal the next shift in form factors.
We may yet be about to witness yet another form factor transition. One from the standard candybar to flexible smartphones, wearable technology.
Every other form factor is nearing extinction, if it hasn’t already.
Sometimes we feel that the creators of Instagram purposely made the app with certain restrictions. We can’t think of a reason why they’d only allow us to access our accounts via mobile devices. The desktop version is only useful if you want to scroll through your newsfeed. You can download Pixsta to access it better. Drawbacks? Compared to Instagram, the interface is quite cluttered and they still haven’t figured out a way for us to post pictures.
We get it, the sole idea of Instagram was to click and share instantly – the style and idea reminiscent of the Polaroid Kodak. But what about all the pictures that have already been clicked in the 4:3 aspect ratio. The kinds we need for Throwback Thursday, Flashback Friday or Way Back Wednesday? This distinctive feature, which restraints us to the square shape, has annoyed us on several occasions. We refuse to stay within the box! Insta Size helps beat the crop box, by re-sizing images.
You threw a party and can’t wait to share what an amazing time you had. Instead of boring your followers by posting all the pictures separately, use this app to create a quick video slideshow. You have an option of choosing the speed of the pictures and titles can also be included. It’s the easiest way to tell your story, without the countless posts. Depending on the feel of your party, you can even select your soundtrack.
Instagram filters are great and have a knack for making everything more beautiful. But you have to see the adjustment and options that Afterlight has to offer – it gives you further options which make your images look more artistic. You have a varied choice between filters, textures, frames, cropping and transforming tools. A paid app, but worth every penny spent.
