Category: Tech

CES 2014: Mozilla Premiers Firefox OS Tablet Developer Program
Mozilla has recently shown some Firefox OS enhanced smartphones at CES 2014 and contains also announced its plans to enter the high-end smartphone market with two versions which are yet to come.

But that’s not all Mozilla must get for 2014. Because it turns out, the business enterprise could be targeting the tablet field (who isn’t nowadays), in order that it has introduced a brand new Fire OS tablet programmer program that could provide fascinated parties with equipment references (via Foxconn) plus much more.

Mozilla wants to get yourself started the tablet business, of the year immediately after CES and they hope to finish off the project by the end.

By the image snapped by Engaged, the tablet and the UI will sport a pretty minimalist bundle and look pretty mid-range specifications. Another hint towards this theory is that Mozilla has recently parented up with VIA technologies to be able to release a type of mini PC with a sub $100 / €73 price.

We’re likely to see $100 / €73 Firefox tablets available on the market this year, too?
- At CES 2014, Mozilla Partners with Panasonic to Bring Firefox OS to the TV.
Follow it all at CES 2014 on Gizmantra
Jan 9, 2014
CES 2014: PrioVR brings accurate, full-body motion control to games without a camera

PrioVR, the gaming suit that failed to achieve its funding goal on Kickstarter, made an appearance at CES 2014 in Las Vegas.

It’s a suit designed around the Oculus Rift that adds another layer of VR immersion. It uses wireless technology on the 2.4GHz band to transmit your movement, and while you can use it with any controller, the rep in the following video used Wii Remote Controllers to show how a person can interact with the in-game environment.

Instead of using a camera to track your position and movement, PrioVR relies on a series of inertial sensors worn on the head, torso, arms and — optionally — legs. PrioVR comes in three flavors: an upper body version that will cost less than $300 at retail, a full body version and a “pro” version with additional sensors that should come in at less than $400, the company says.

Motion with the PrioVR, as seen onscreen inside the demo video game, looked disjointed and awkward somewhat, but the effect has been impressive still. While hands and arms may have shown at unnatural angles onscreen, the precision of aiming has been there. And because the program doesn’t require type of sight to find out your movements, PrioVR cant track motions like lying rolling and prone on your back to fire from the downed position. That type or sort of movement requires the entire body edition of the rig, normally, but could lend video games that support the include a greater feeling of immersion.

Follow it all at CES 2014 on Gizmantra

Jan 7, 2014
CES 2014: Intel announces Edison dual-core PC the size of an SD card

Intel CEO Brian Krzanich wants to introduce you to Edison, a miniature computer based on the same technology condensed into the form factor of an SD card. The tiny computer is built on the company’s 22nm transistor technology, runs Linux and has built-in WiFi and Bluetooth modules.

Edison is based on Quark technology, the tiny, low-power system-on-a-chip that was designed for wearable computers, such as smart watches, and the Internet of Things.

“It’s a full Pentium-class PC in the form factor of an SD card,” Krzanich said.

To demonstrate the potential for Edison, Intel showed a concept for a “Nursery 2.0.” In the concept, a baby was wearing a Mimo onesie outfitted with sensors tracking things like temperature, and Edison was used display that information on, of all things, a coffee mug. When the baby was comfortable, blinking lights on the mug show a happy green smiling face, but when something is wrong that face turns red.

Edison is Intel’s attempt to not repeat the mistake it made in the smartphone market. With smartphones and tablets, Intel failed to see the trend and did not address the market properly until 2012. Now when the companies are expected to push smart glasses and smart watches, Intel intends to not repeat the mistake it made earlier.

It not only supports multiple OSes and has built-in support for Bluetooth and Wi-Fi, but it also has its own app store – and has Wolfram Alpha’s Mathematica baked in by default.
Follow it all at CES 2014 on Gizmantra

Jan 7, 2014
CES 2014: What you can expect

With an eye on upcoming crazy days in January, we’re steeling ourselves for a glut of phones, tablets, laptops, gaming tech, TVs, wearables, refrigerators and whatever other home appliances companies can stick a computer into.

From January 7 to January 10, CES 2014 will invade the Las Vegas Convention Center per usual, and we’re gearing up to see everything from “must have” to “please, get that away from me.” More than 20,000 new products are expected to be shown off to 152,000 tech trade attendees at 2014’s Consumer Electronics Show (CES).

We are out in force bringing you the latest from the show, which runs through Friday. Look for up-to-the-minute coverage of product announcements, trends.

Follow it all at CES 2014 on Gizmantra

The ‘BIG’ Tv

Televisions are always one of CES’s biggest categories, right back to its first show in 1967.

The two biggest manufacturers – Samsung and LG – will square off once again at this year’s event with similar sounding products.

Both have already announced 105in (267cm) sized 4K Ultra HD screens in the extra-wide 21:9 aspect ratio.

Wearable tech

With Google Glass still awaiting a sensible-priced release, smaller firms will be showing off their own tech-enhanced eyewear.

GlassUp will show off a pair that superimposes smartphone alerts, directions and other app information over the user’s right eye.

Instabeat is a heart rate monitor that can be attached to swimming goggles

Epson is expected to unveil a new version of its Moverio glasses – the first generation allowed owners to watch 3D movies.

And XoEye will show off glasses with two in-built five megapixel cameras designed to stream stabilised video feeds over wi-fi.

Tablets, smartphones and PCs

Many smartphone and tablet-makers are holding back announcements until February’s Mobile World Congress or their own standalone shows.Lenovo’s S930 features Dolby-enhanced audio.

ZTE has promised to take the wraps off the Grand S2 handset, which it says will feature “intelligent voice controls”

Lenovo has already teased images of the S930, a new 6in phablet

Asus suggests it has at least three new handsets .

3D printers

In 2012 there were two 3D printer-makers at CES.

This year the tech warrants its own zone and about 30 firms are showing off their wares.

“3D printing has been around for about 30 years, but a lot of the early developments were patent protected,” says Duncan Wood, publisher of TCT Magazine who will be running sessions on the tech at CES.

“But over last three to four years those patents have started to expire and entrepreneurs are now able to build their own variations, helping cause a downward pressure on prices.”

Follow it all at CES 2014 on Gizmantra

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Jan 6, 2014
Sketchfab : The ‘Youtube’ for 3D Design
Sketchfab is a web service to create, share and embed interactive 3D types in real-time. To explain, the site is portion of a growing network of online 3D software to enable artistes, designers, and lay users to design 3D models that will, subsequently, be crafted into objects utilizing a 3D printer.

As outlined by Alban Denoyel, co-founder from the site, Sketchfab was devised to enable sharing of animations files without animations software. Over the last couple of years (since its launch), a residential district has formed about it. Subsequently, the website has christened by itself the “Youtube for 3D files. ”.

Also you can perform light editing for a few file formats. By way of example, you can colour materials and brightness associated with different regions of your 3D files. Denoyel says the particular team plans for you to expand this capability later on with light and also shadow editing.

First let’s talk about one of the most important component: the 3D viewer. It’s through this viewer that you can view (indeed) but most importantly manipulate the 3D models, and you can do quite a lot of things:
- you can rotate around and pan the object to see it from every angle
- you can zoom on it to see little details
- you can set the viewer to “first person mode” to see the object like if you were part of the scene
- you can choose the rendering options (shadow, wireframes)
What is really cool from an user experience point of view is that you don’t need to download anything to enjoy this viewer and manipulate content, everything is done through your web browser.

Have a look at this cool Daft Punk 3D model:

Daft Punk from KMiklas on Sketchfab.

To finish on the viewer generally it’s pretty fast to display the models but sometimes when the models are really big it can take some time and it can be a little bit slow manipulate (it also uses a lot of my computer memory, in some cases I had to shut down my browser).

The second important component of Sketchfab is the community part. To discover new and good content the website count on several features.

Thee features of Sketchfab we like:
- Responsive site layout
- Awesome fullscreen viewer
- Clean, simple interface
- High quality, smooth viewing
- Maya, 3ds Max, SketchUp, Blender export
- API available on Github
- WordPress plugin
As on every community website you’ll also find profile pages for the artists, a commenting system and Twitter/Facebook sharing integration.

Sketchfab is also compatible with mobile devices (no native apps but compatible).

“Go share it to your friends and let them experience the awesomeness.”
Jan 3, 2014
Smartphones with more RAM by Samsung

Samsung has simply declared a record breakthrough in Random Access Memory technology that might pave the approach for smartphones and tablets with 4K UHD screens. The South Korean technology big same on weekday that it’s developed the primary LPDDR4 RAM. this implies that the RAM can use less power than traditional DDR4 RAM, however it’s the power to manage double the quantity of information.

According to Samsung, this implies it’s currently possible from a technological stand a minimum of, to develop tablets and smartphones with radical High Definition (UHD) 4K screens. “With the new chip, Samsung can specialize in the premium mobile market as well as large-screened UHD smartphones, tablets and ultra-slim notebooks that supply fourfold the resolution of Full HD,” the corporate same during a statement.

4K Supported RAM

If the corporate will turn out the RAM in high enough quantities, that I little question assume that they’ll be able to, it might imply that a Samsung Galaxy S5 with 4GB of powerful RAM may be on the horizon. Well, chip designer ARM has already confirmed that Samsung are unveiling a 64-bit Exynos chip before long and mix this with the new LPDDR4 RAM, it might mean the Samsung Galaxy S5 becomes the foremost powerful Smartphone on the market by a protracted margin.

In addition to higher resolution displays, this RAM technology would additionally result in quicker and a lot of powerful applications, a considerably longer battery life and even a lot of advanced options that aren’t nevertheless obtainable with current handsets.

There ar rumours floating around that Samsung is attending to unveil the new model of the Galaxy series, the Galaxy S5, at Mobile World Congress in February 2014.

Jan 2, 2014
Intex launches Aqua i4+ with dual-sim at Rs 7,600

Intex has launched its new phablet Aqua i4+ with 8MP camera in India at Rs 7,600.

or those who are interested in this piece of hardware, we have listed its features in detail. The very first thing that is likely to catch your eye as soon as you take a look at the phone is its screen that offers a viewing real estate of 5 inches. The phablet’s display has a resolution of 854 x 480 pixels, which isn’t all that bad.

“Intex Aqua i4+ is yet another endeavour from Intex to meet the expectations of today’s consumer in terms of design and performance. With its impressive specifications and features, Aqua i4+ promises to be a smart and powerful smartphone capable of providing smooth user-experience”, said Sanjay Kumar Kalirona, Business Head- Mobile, Intex Technologies.

It has 3G, HSPA+, and Bluetooth 4.0 as connectivity options. It comes with a large 2000mAh battery which the company claims can give a talk time of 6 hours and a standby time of 220 hours.The Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean phone also has a 8 megapixel rear camera and a 1.3 MP front camera.

The phone will feature pre-installed instant messaging apps like WeChat and OLX along with 5 GB of free cloud storage through an Intex Cloud app.
Available in Pearl Blue and Pearl White, Aqua i4+ will be available across 40,000 plus retail outlets, Inext Squares (exclusive retail stores), hypermarkets and e-commerce portals.

Key specifications of the phone:

– 5-inch touchscreen
– 8MP camera, 1.3MP webcam
– 1.2GHz dual core processor
– Android Jelly Bean 4.2.2 OS
– 512MB of RAM
– 4GB onboard memory, expandable up to 32GB
– 3G, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth GPS
– 2000mAh battery

Dec 29, 2013
How to Block Websites in Mozilla Firefox or Chrome

Perhaps you’re disciplined and want to block a website from yourself. Maybe you’ve the proud owner of a child who surfs the web for less than appropriate material. Whatever the This action will require you to edit your Host file. Your host file is a computer file used to store information on where to find a node on a computer network.

Method 1 : How to Block websites using hosts file

1. Open Windows Explorer and type in C:/Windows/System32/drivers/etc. If Windows isn’t installed on the C: drive, substitute the C: for the appropriate drive letter.

2. Double-click on hosts and open the document using Notepad when Windows prompts you. The hosts file tells the system what it should do when specific domains or IP addresses are accessed. This is the file that you are going to edit.

If Windows automatically redirects you, or if hosts opens in another program, simply open Notepad (Start -> All Programs -> Accessories -> Notepad) and then go to hosts by clicking File -> Open inside Notepad.

3. Locate the line “127.0.0.1 localhost” or “::1 localhost.” Put your cursor at the end of whichever line is lowest down.
Press “Enter” to create a new line.

4. Type in whichever website or websites you wish to block. You can add any site, but you’ll will need to preface it with “127.0.0.1”.

To block the website facebook.com for example, just type in “127.0.0.1” followed by a single space, followed by “facebook.com”. Add all of the site’s domains, especially mobile domains, on new lines. Your computer might block “www.facebook.com”, but not “m.facebook.com” if you’re not careful. This is an easy workaround for the experienced computer user.

5. Click “File -> Save” in order to save the hosts file. If a prompt comes up saying that you cannot save the file because you are not an administrator, you’ll need to change the administrator permissions to include you. To do this:

Right click on the hosts’ file, choose Properties -> Security and make sure all the boxes are checked in your user account. This should allow you to save the file as an admin.

Also check -> How to turn off Images and Javascript in Firefox

Method 2: How to block site using addons(as Block Site, Fox Filter)

1. Open Firefox, click “Tools” then “Add-ons.” Click “Get Add-ons” and then “Browse All Add-ons.” Type “blocksite” in the search bar after the Mozilla Firefox add-ons website opens and hit “Enter.”

2. Click the “Add to Firefox” button next to the entry for BlockSite. Allow the add-on to load (usually fewer than 5 seconds), then click the “Install Now” button. Restart Firefox when prompted.

3. Go to “Tools,” then “Add-ons,” then click the BlockSite “Preferences” button after Firefox restarts. Make sure the “Blacklist” radio button is ticked, as well as “Enable BlockSite,” “Enable warning messages” and “Enable link removal.”

4. Check “Enable authentication,” then enter a password if you would like to keep other users from deleting blocked websites or changing the settings in BlockSite without your permission.

5. Click the “Add” button, enter the URL of the website you would like to block, then click “OK.” Repeat to add more sites, or click the “Clear” button to delete the list. Once the list of blocked sites is complete, click “OK” and restart Firefox.

There are many other addons available.

Dec 21, 2013
10 Reasons to Buy Samsung Galaxy S Duos 2

Samsung has got a huge lineup and no matter what your requirements are, they have got a device for you. The Galaxy S Duos was launched long back and it was outdated very soon after it made its appearance. It ran a single core processor and there was nothing special about it except the dual SIM feature at a good price. The number of units it sold was solely on the basis of its dual SIM feature and its price. Apart from this device, there was no Samsung device in this price bracket which could stand strong against the rivals.

Now however, they have come up with another device, another iteration of the Galaxy S Duos, which seems to be a promising device at a good price. The Galaxy S Duos 2 improves considerably over the S Duos and addresses various issues with the device. The S Duos was laggy and slow due to a single core which has been taken care of by the dual core processor. There are other improvements as well in terms of connectivity and software. Here we give you some reasons why you should consider buying this device.

1. Dual core processor- This new device addresses the issue with the previous one. Most users of Galaxy S Duos complain about the device being slow and laggy. The primary reason was that by the time S Duos was launched, there were already a good number of dual core devices available at a good price. The Galaxy S Duos 2 is powered by a 1.2 GHz dual core processor which makes it much faster. The applications launch quickly, phone runs smooth and the overall experience of this new device is much better.

2. Low cost- The S Duos 2 is priced less than 11 K in India which makes it a really good buy. For the price, you aren’t buying a compromise just for the sake of dual SIM. You will get a good dual core device which would perform well in your everyday use. You can easily run your social networking apps and web browsers. Not only that but you can play a good number of games too. And everything for a price that won’t get you a dual core android device from any other big brand.

3. Samsung it is- Well this might not appear as a strong point to some but for most people it is. Samsung has established itself very well in the market and the products are reliable. You also get support via the Samsung service network spread throughout the country. It is something that many people ignore at first but realize when they need repairs. You can easily find a Samsung service center in your city just in case your device decides to go rogue on you.

4. Newer version of Android – The Galaxy S Duos runs android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich while the S Duos 2 runs Android Jelly Bean 4.2. You know the rule here, newer is better. While the interface is mostly similar, Jelly Bean is faster than ICS and has got a good number of features over the ICS.

5. Software updates- As the Galaxy S Duos 2 is a newer device, you will get software updates for longer. It was on the internet that Samsung will update most of its new android devices to Android 4.4 Kit Kat soon. Who knows that even this device might be on their list? Even if they don’t provide you with a version update, you will be updated with minor fixes and updates.

6. Faster 3G- While the Galaxy S Duos and most other low end devices support 3G data transfer rates up to 7.2 mbps; the Galaxy S Duos 2 supports transfer rates up to 21 mbps. We are very sure that you won’t like to stick to a device that can’t use your data plan to its full. With the improved speed you can expect good browsing speeds, reduced server response times and enhanced downloading capabilities.

7. Bluetooth 4.0– The Galaxy S Duos 2 has got Bluetooth 4.0 against the Bluetooth 3.0 on S Duos and many other devices. It allows for faster data transfer rates and improved connections. Also many new Bluetooth devices need Bluetooth 4.0 to make use of their full capabilities.

8. Storage – While both, Galaxy S Duos and Galaxy S Duos 2, have got the same amount of internal storage, the S Duos 2 can support memory cards up to 64 GBs, twice as much as the previous version. While you might not want to put that much storage on a low end device, it is good enough to handle it just in case you decide to. You can flood your device with loads of music and high definition videos and it won’t complain.

9. Improved camera- The camera on this device can capture still images in 5 megapixels which is the same as the previous version. But this one can record videos in 720p which wasn’t possible with the Galaxy S Duos. You get better video recording quality, thanks to the 720p recording and the videos play effortlessly on the device. The camera interface is also improved on this device. There are a couple of additions and improvements, most of which are due to the newer version of software on this device.

10. Touch Wiz- Personal opinions might vary but Samsung’s Touch Wiz UI is one of the best we have seen on android devices. It is simple yet packs in a lot of features. There are a good number of customization features that you won’t find on the stock android launcher. Also there are a couple of gestures that make life easier with Samsung devices. Even while it has got so many customization options, it is easy to use and neat unlike the Sense UI on HTC or the Sony UI.

Dec 20, 2013
Pirate Bay Back in Sweden’s .SE After .GY Suspension

Just a day after the troubled torrent site found a new home in Guyana, the site’s new .GY domain has already been suspended. The Pirate Bay, meanwhile, has decided to return to the relatively calm waters of Sweden for the time being.
Today The Pirate Bay returns to its Swedish based .SE domain, after a domain hopping exercise of little more than a week.

Yesterday The Pirate Bay switched over to Guyana’s .GY ccTLD, where the torrent site wasn’t welcome either. Within a day of thepiratebay.gy becoming operational the local registry has already taken it offline.

“Once a site violates our policies, it will be suspended,” the registry noted in a statement. A brief inspection of the registry’s acceptable use policy reveals that linking to copyrighted material is sufficient to warrant a suspension.

After the .GY domain was lost a few hours ago The Pirate Bay moved back to its old home, thepiratebay.se. The site is expected to remain in Sweden’s relatively calm waters for the time being.

The return to the .SE domain is noteworthy, as this domain is also at risk of being seized.
The good news for The Pirate Bay, however, is that the .SE domain registry previously stated that it will not suspend the domain name unless there is a court order. This means that Sweden should be a safe haven for now.

Dec 19, 2013