Lumia 920, Nokia’s flagship Windows Phone 8 handset, will arrive on shelves in China as Lumia 920T, apparently with a series of enhancements over the international flavor of the device.
The phone is expected to hit shelves in the country with a Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Plus processor inside, with an Adreno 320 GPU attached to it, a nice enhancement over the original device, as China Mobile’s Online Store states in a recent tweet.
For those out of the loop, we should note that the Nokia Lumia 920 smartphone has been launched with a Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 processor and with an Adreno 225 GPU. In China, the mobile phone will be capable of delivering up to three times the performance capabilities of the international version, which means a better experience for all those who will purchase it, as WMPoweruser notes.
A few months back, BitTorrent managed to get a lot of its users up in arms by announcing that uTorrent will start featuring ads. BitTorrent needs to make some money, but people were obviously annoyed at the idea of having ads inside their app.
The backlash got to BitTorrent who backed down and promised to make the ads optional. It seemed like a worthwhile compromise, but now that ads have actually made their way into the client, it seems that the option to remove them is a bit too complicated for most people. The ads, which promote various software, like Facebook Lite for Desktop - not an official app, are made to look somewhat like a regular torrent would.
But they are separated from the active torrents list and have a yellowish background, like Google's search ads, which should make them different enough for people to realize they're ads. Still, if you don't like them, there is a way to get rid of them. Go to Options > Preferences > Advanced and find "offers.left_rail_offer_enabled" and "offers.sponsored_torrent_offer_enabled" Set them both value to "false" and you're done.
Unveiled back in September at IFA 2012 trade fair, Huawei Ascend D1 Quad XL is about to make its debut in Canada. The smartphone is expected to go on sale by the end of the year, though we lack details on availability and price tag for the moment.
However, MobileSyrup reports the Ascend D1 Quad XL will be available for purchase via WIND Mobile, which is no surprise at all given the long-time partnership between the two companies. WIND Mobile is Huawei’s foothold in Canada, which is why most of the handsets launched by the Chinese handset maker are only available from WIND. Hopefully, this won’t be the case with Huawei Ascend D1 Quad XL as the phone is pretty impressive and will certainly cost less than other high-end smartphones in the same category. The Ascend D1 Quad XL is expected to ship with Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich platform out of the box, but Huawei confirmed a Jelly Bean upgrade will be available for download in the following months.
This smartphone is equipped with a powerful 1.4 GHz quad-core K3V2 processor manufactured by Huawei. No details on the graphics processing unit are available, but we know the device will pack 1GB of RAM. There will be 8GB of storage inside, but users will be able to further expand it up to 32GB via microSD memory card. Huawei Ascend D1 Quad XL sports a more than decent 4.5-inch IPS LCD capacitive touchscreen display that supports HD (720 x 1280 pixels) resolution and 16 million colors.
It also boasts an impressive 8-megapixel rear camera with dual-LED flash, autofocus and full HD (1080p) video recording, as well as a secondary 1.3-megapixel front-facing camera for video calls. We expect more details on Huawei Ascend D1 Quad XL arrival at WIND Mobile to emerge pretty soon, so stay tuned for more updates on this one.
Huawei Ascend D1 Quad XL ad Image credits to MobileSyrup
It appears there’s a new problem with the iPhone 5 and it involves the handset’s touch input recognition capabilities. A developer has discovered that diagonal scrolling confuses the handset in certain circumstances, causing the screen to drop out and even freeze.
British game developer CMA Megacorp wrote on Twitter, “iPhone 5 touch screen bug? Slide finger back and forth diagonally on screen, input events drop out or stop altogether.” Hardware review site Recombu caught wind of the alleged glitch and sourced four iPhone handsets, two 4S units and two of the latest iPhone 5s. They took the lot for a spin and concluded that CMA Megacorp were right. According to the video they published on YouTube, the iPhone 5 does seem to exhibit strange behavior during rapid finger swiping on the diagonal. As the testers themselves point out, this shouldn’t pose too many problems for regular use, but it could turn out to be a serious issue for games such as Fruit Ninja, which requires gamers to perform a lot of diagonal swiping.
Truth be told, we haven’t been able to replicate the so-called bug on our own iPhone 5 test unit. Which supports the theory that said glitch may be hardware-related. Though it might occur in isolated cases, Recombu showed that both their iPhone 5 test units exhibited the strange behavior. Which is not very reassuring. To make matters clear, a software bug is much easier to cope with both for the consumer and for Apple. Should this theory prove to be correct, expect iOS 6.1 to patch it up. Since we’re on the subject, we’d like to draw attention to an issue we’ve experienced that might be related to this supposed flaw.
In our extensive tests with the iPhone 5’s touchscreen, we’ve been able to notice that the handset often fails to respond to touch outright. The most noticeable such scenarios involved simple On/Off toggling of functions like Airplane Mode, Wi-Fi, and Cellular networking. While this may well be limited to our handset, we’re curious to learn about other people’s experience with the iPhone 5. The comments await below.
iPhone test
Image credits to Recombu.com
The iPhone 5 has for the most part proved that the hardware and software at work are robust and efficient. Sure Apple Maps has caused people discomfort but as a slim, crafted smartphone, it's still on of the best. Be that as it may, game developers CMA Megacorp tweeted and posted on Facebook a glitch they'd encountered with no previous reports of it having existed so we had to check it out for ourselves. Using the two iPhone 4Ss on the most recent versions of iOS and the same split on two iPhone 5s, we testing the theory that the diagonal scrolling input drops out on the newer handsets at high speed. The problem is exacerbated by scrolling diagonally and as you can see only occurs on the iPhone 5s. We're unsure if this is iOS-based or an iPhone 5 hardware issue, but you can found out more on the matter at: http://recombu.com/mobile/news/iphone-5-scroll-glitch_M18548.html See the original tweet here: https://twitter.com/CMA_Megacorp/status/266870789599531008
Video credits to recombu
Imation Corp has launched IronKey S250 and D250, two hardware-encrypted flash drives. The new models feature improved remote management capabilities, a high-security design, faster performance and a redesigned control panel.
The drives are available in various editions – Basic, Personal and Enterprise – each one being specially designed for a particular customer category. All the products offer protection against data loss, being developed in accordance with the Federal Information Processing Standards (FIPS) 140-2 standard. The Personal and Enterprise versions also feature an identity protection mechanism that protects users’ personal information while performing online tasks. User passwords can be stored in the IronKey password vault. Another noteworthy feature is the remote management capability which allows customers to remotely recover, reset and force the devices into read-only mode from Imation’s cloud security service. As far as physical protection is concerned, the aluminum enclosure is designed to allow users to easily recognize any attempt to compromise the device.
“While organizations are realizing the advantages of a mobile workforce, they are also coming to grips with vulnerabilities caused by lost or stolen data,” said Lawrence Reusing, Imation’s general manager for Mobile Security. “Imation has developed its new IronKey S250 and D250 offerings to provide choices for organizations around the world whose employees need to transport and access data remotely, while enhancing security, performance and reliability.” The capacities of the D250 model range between 2GB and 64 GB, while S250 capacities are between 2GB and 32GB. The new products are available worldwide through Imation’s network of channel partners or Imation Sales. The prices for IronKey S250 vary between $109 (€85) and $250 (€195), while the ones for the D250 model range from $89 (€70) to $599 (€467).
One of the most popular instant messaging apps for mobile devices, WhatsApp has just received a small, but useful add-on, Voice for WhatsApp.
This software will allow WhatsApp users to manage the application by voice. They will be able to both listen and/or send messages using this service. It works pretty simple from the moment you receive a message on WhatsApp, it will automatically read it aloud. However, Voice for WhatsApp will only read the message if the device is on, otherwise it will wait until the user unlocks it.
Developed by XDA Senior Member pacosal, the application is still in beta, but those who wish to try it out can head over to the original thread for more details. Keep in mind that the service is only available for Android devices.
Voice for WhatsApp Image credits to XDA Developers
Chinese company Lenovo is said to have shipped more smartphones in Q3 than Nokia, which is not an easy task especially for a handset maker that sells most of its products only in China.
Nevertheless, it appears that Lenovo plans to launch another Android smartphone in the Mainland, aimed at consumers who prefer high-capacity batteries. Although all Android users want their devices to last longer and longer with only one charge, most handset manufacturers aren’t able to meet these demands. Even though Samsung included a 3100 mAh battery inside the Galaxy Note II and Motorola packed an even better 3300 mAh battery within RAZR MAXX smartphone, the autonomy of both devices is still far from what the manufacturers claim. Well, Lenovo thinks it has the answer to longer autonomy for its Android devices. In this regard, GizChina reports the Chinese company will soon launch a smartphone powered by a high-capacity 3500 mAh Li-Ion battery.
Dubbed Lenovo P770, the smartphone has been confirmed to run Android 4.1 Jelly Bean platform, though we’re not yet sure whether it will come with this version out of the box or it will receive it soon after launch as an update. Furthermore, the device is said to come equipped with a 1.2 GHz dual core MediaTek MT6577 processor and 1GB of RAM. In addition, Lenovo P770 sports a 4.5-inch qHD capacitive touchscreen display that supports 540 x 960 pixels resolution. On the back, the handset will pack an enhanced 8-megapixel photo snapper with autofocus, LED flash and HD video recording.
There’s more to it, as rumors claim Lenovo plans to launch another version of P770 with a much better 4160 mAh Li-Ion battery, though these have yet to be confirmed. The bad news is that Lenovo P770 is likely to be exclusive to China, so Android enthusiasts in other regions won’t be able to grab this one.
Just like any other Windows contraption, Windows 8 comes with lots of keyboard shortcuts that can be used to quickly access specific tools or features. Since Windows 8 integrates several improvements as compared to its predecessors, the overall number of keyboard shortcuts is also bigger, so beginners may have to search for guides like this to find out the quickest way to launch a specific app. Of course, using a multimedia keyboard with pre-defined hotkeys is the easiest way to make the most of Windows 8, but aside from the factory configured buttons, there still are a bunch of features you can only access by pressing multiple keys at the same time. Here’s what can be very well considered the longest list with the most helpful keyboard shortcuts for Windows 8. All of them are provided by Yash Tolia, a Microsoft employee, so you can be pretty sure that all of them work. Windows key: Switch between Modern Desktop Start screen and the last accessed application Windows key + C: Access the charms bar Windows key + Tab: Access the Modern Desktop Taskbar Windows key + I: Access the Settings charm Windows key + H: Access the Share charm Windows key + K: Access the Devices charm Windows key + Q: Access the Apps Search screen Windows key + F: Access the Files Search screen Windows key + W: Access the Settings Search screen Windows key + P: Access the Second Screen bar Windows key + Z: Brings up the App Bar when you have a Modern Desktop App running Windows key + X: Access the Windows Tools Menu Windows key + O: Lock screen orientation Windows key + . : Move the screen split to the right Windows key + Shift + . : Move the screen split to the left Windows key + V: View all active Toasts/Notifications Windows key + Shift + V: View all active Toasts/Notifications in reverse order Windows key + PrtScn: Takes a screenshot of the screen and automatically saves it in the Pictures folder as Screenshot Windows key + Enter: Launch Narrator Windows key + E: Open Computer Windows key + R: Open the Run dialog box Windows key + U: Open Ease of Access Center Windows key + Ctrl + F: Open Find Computers dialog box Windows key + Pause/Break: Open the System page Windows key + 1..10: Launch a program pinned on the Taskbar in the position indicated by the number Windows key + Shift + 1..10: Launch a new instance of a program pinned on the Taskbar in the position indicated by the number Windows key + Ctrl + 1..10: Access the last active instance of a program pinned on the Taskbar in the position indicated by the number Windows key + Alt + 1..10: Access the Jump List of a program pinned on the Taskbar in the position indicated by the number Windows key + B: Select the first item in the Notification Area and then use the arrow keys to cycle through the items Press Enter to open the selected item Windows key + Ctrl + B: Access the program that is displaying a message in the Notification Area Windows key + T: Cycle through the items on the Taskbar Windows key + M: Minimize all windows Windows key + Shift + M: Restore all minimized windows Windows key + D: Show/Hide Desktop (minimize/restore all windows) Windows key + L: Lock computer Windows key + Up Arrow: Maximize current window Windows key + Down Arrow: Minimize/restore current window Windows key + Home: Minimize all but the current window Windows key + Left Arrow: Tile window on the left side of the screen Windows key + Right Arrow: Tile window on the right side of the screen Windows key + Shift + Up Arrow: Extend current window from the top to the bottom of the screen Windows key + Shift + Left/Right Arrow: Move the current window from one monitor to the next Windows key + F1: Launch Windows Help and Support PageUp: Scroll forward on the Modern Desktop Start screen PageDown: Scroll backward on the Modern Desktop Start screen Esc: Close a charm Ctrl + Esc: Switch between Modern Desktop Start screen and the last accessed application Ctrl + Mouse scroll wheel: Activate the Semantic Zoom on the Modern Desktop screen Alt: Display a hidden Menu Bar Alt + D: Select the Address Bar Alt + P: Display the Preview Pane in Windows Explorer Alt + Tab: Cycle forward through open windows Alt + Shift + Tab: Cycle backward through open windows Alt + F: Close the current window Open the Shut Down Windows dialog box from the Desktop Alt + Spacebar: Access the Shortcut menu for current window Alt + Esc: Cycle between open programs in the order that they were opened Alt + Enter: Open the Properties dialog box of the selected item Alt + PrtScn: Take a screen shot of the active Window and place it in the clipboard Alt + Up Arrow: Move up one folder level in Windows Explorer (Like the Up Arrow in XP) Alt + Left Arrow: Display the previous folder Alt + Right Arrow: Display the next folder Shift + Insert: CD/DVD Load CD/DVD without triggering Autoplay or Autorun Shift + Delete: Permanently delete the item (rather than sending it to the Recycle Bin) Shift + F6: Cycle backward through elements in a window or dialog box Shift + F10: Access the context menu for the selected item Shift + Tab: Cycle backward through elements in a window or dialog box Shift + Click: Select a consecutive group of items Shift + Click on a Taskbar button: Launch a new instance of a program Shift + Right-click on a Taskbar button: Access the context menu for the selected item Ctrl + A: Select all items Ctrl + C: Copy the selected item Ctrl + X: Cut the selected item Ctrl + V: Paste the selected item Ctrl + D: Delete selected item Ctrl + Z: Undo an action Ctrl + Y: Redo an action Ctrl + N: Open a new window in Windows Explorer Ctrl + W: Close current window in Windows Explorer Ctrl + E: Select the Search box in the upper right corner of a window Ctrl + Shift + N: Create new folder Ctrl + Shift + Esc: Open the Windows Task Manager Ctrl + Alt + Tab: Use arrow keys to cycle through open windows Ctrl + Alt + Delete: Access the Windows Security screen Ctrl + Click: Select multiple individual items Ctrl + Click and drag an item: Copies that item in the same folder Ctrl + Shift + Click and drag an item: Creates a shortcut for that item in the same folder Ctrl + Tab: Move forward through tabs Ctrl + Shift + Tab: Move backward through tabs Ctrl + Shift + Click on a Taskbar button: Launch a new instance of a program as an Administrator Ctrl + Click on a grouped Taskbar button: Cycle through the instances of a program in the group F1: Display Help F2: Rename a file F3: Open Search F4: Display the Address Bar list F5: Refresh display F6: Cycle forward through elements in a window or dialog box F7: Display command history in a Command Prompt F10: Display hidden Menu Bar F11: Toggle full screen display Tab: Cycle forward through elements in a window or dialog box PrtScn: Take a screen shot of the entire screen and place it in the clipboard Home: Move to the top of the active window End: Move to the bottom of the active window Delete: Delete the selected item Backspace: Display the previous folder in Windows Explorer Move up one folder level in Open or Save dialog box Esc: Close a dialog box Num Lock Enabled + Plus (+): Display the contents of the selected folder Num Lock Enabled + Minus (-): Collapse the selected folder Num Lock Enabled + Asterisk (*): Expand all subfolders under the selected folder Press Shift 5 times: Turn StickyKeys on or off Hold down right Shift for 8 seconds: Turn FilterKeys on or off Hold down Num Lock for 5 seconds: Turn ToggleKeys on or off
Microsoft has recently released Windows 8 and reports are claiming that the company is already working on Windows 9, but references to a different operating system have reached the web today.
Mary Jo Foley of ZDNet writes that Microsoft is currently working on Midori, a non-Windows-based operating system that’s very likely to receive the green light at some point. The project has been the task of some very high-profile Microsoft programmers, but some of them have already left the team for other opportunities. While information on the new operating system is pretty scarce at this point, it seems that Midori won’t be based on the existing NT kernel, but instead it will heavily rely on Singularity, the microkernel operating system project started by Microsoft Research in 2003. Basically, Singularity’s ace up its sleeve was the fact that absolutely all apps, drivers and the kernel itself were written in managed code. One of the proofs that Microsoft is now working on Midori is a job opening for a software architect that should “lead development of a safe concurrent programming model.”
Here’s what the description of the job looks like:
“The Technical Strategy Incubation team is looking for a senior software architect to lead development of our safe concurrent programming model. This programming model is a core component of a new, novel operating system, 99% of which is written in type- and memory-safe C#. A core principle we add to managed code is that 1st class, statically enforced concurrency-safety must become a peer of type- and memory-safety.” Just as always, Microsoft remains tight-lipped on such a project, so we can’t tell for sure whether all these details are indeed accurate. We’ve contacted Microsoft for an official statement, so we’ll get back to you very soon.
Still, as far as Microsoft’s project goes, expect this to be one of the “innovative” technologies the company plans to build as a devices and services firm. Don’t be too surprised if it gets the green light in one year or so.
The Midori project could get the green light in a couple of years Image credits to svas.com
Security solutions provider Veracode has released a clever infographic to detail how and why our every move is tracked online.
Experts highlight that many of the security and privacy issues stem from the fact that users don’t know what information they’re unwittingly handing over when surfing the web. Understanding what websites track us and what information they’re after makes it easier for us to take proactive measures. For instance, did you know that every time you visit a website your interest in that particular site is actually auctioned to advertisers? That way, companies can make sure that the ads they show you match your interests.
Most websites track us with the aid of cookies, but some of them take it one step further and tend to use more controversial methods, such as deep packet inspection, which can be utilized for advanced network management, security functions, user service, but also data mining, eavesdropping and censorship.
How companies track us online Image credits to Veracode
11/11/2012 06:56:00 PM
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