Phone, Tablet and Gizmo Thread #0x02

Raja Bose · Post by **Raja Bose** » 08 Oct 2013 08:19

Mort Walker wrote:
Raja Bose wrote:And that will magically make the 1020's photos of quality excellent enough to meet Nat Geo's magazine standards? You would imagine the readers would notice wouldn't they? Seriously, think before posting inane arguments.
Speaking of NATGEO, here is another set of pics by another pro using an iPhone 5s.
Capturing the Aura of the Scottish Highlands With the iPhone 5s

As I said, a pro can take great shots with any device in his or her's hands. They will make it good enough for anyone including NATGEO or Discovery channel.

Except there is one major difference. Those iPhunwa pics havent got printed in NatGeo's magazine while the 1020 pics are (as a 3 page fan-fold spread) which means they have to be of exceptional quality and resolution going by NatGeo's historically high standards (its original chief of photography who apparently recently passed away was legendary for setting that - almost like the Steve Jobs of photography). Like I mentioned before, this is not about some cool pics taken by a decent smartphone or P&S camera for display on some monitor.

Raja Bose · Post by **Raja Bose** » 08 Oct 2013 08:21

anmol wrote:^This may interest you guy: http://www.phonearena.com/news/Lumia-10 ... on_id48050

This is only tangentially useful as the comparison must be done with standalone cameras. Its no surprise that 1020's camera is better than other smartphones...that was a given.

nachiket · Post by **nachiket** » 08 Oct 2013 08:28

When you think about it, the Nokia Lumia 1020 was obliged to win this one. After all, it's so thick and bulky and uninviting, only because of the camera it packs.

So it is basically a question of whether people would like to carry around slim phones with so-so cameras every day and a P&S camera once upon a time when they are going sightseeing/hiking and want good pics or carry around a brick every day with the advantage of not having to buy or carry any P&S camera ever.

Prasad · Post by **Prasad** » 08 Oct 2013 08:30

Re: the phone vs dslr debate - until a phone can shoot a formula 1 car or an lmp car at dusk/dark from a 100mts away and fot enough to be printed poster size like the one in my living room there'll be a demand for dslrs. A lot of their usp os the glass btw.

Raja Bose · Post by **Raja Bose** » 08 Oct 2013 09:14

nachiket wrote:
When you think about it, the Nokia Lumia 1020 was obliged to win this one. After all, it's so thick and bulky and uninviting, only because of the camera it packs.
So it is basically a question of whether people would like to carry around slim phones with so-so cameras every day and a P&S camera once upon a time when they are going sightseeing/hiking and want good pics or carry around a brick every day with the advantage of not having to buy or carry any P&S camera ever.

The 1020 is fairly light and seems to be pretty portable (within constraints of a huge 4.5" screen) - saw one fella successfully stuff his 1020 into his fuel belt pouch yesterday during a race and those pouches are typically not that spacious.

Mort Walker · Post by **Mort Walker** » 08 Oct 2013 19:43

Prasad wrote:Re: the phone vs dslr debate - until a phone can shoot a formula 1 car or an lmp car at dusk/dark from a 100mts away and fot enough to be printed poster size like the one in my living room there'll be a demand for dslrs. A lot of their usp os the glass btw.

The idea is that camera phones will take away customers who are occasional users of DSLRs and compact cameras. This may be a good thing for everyone since camera manufacturers will have to deliver better value for the money across all product ranges to be competitive. There is every reason to believe that is exactly what will happen as they deliberately leave features out of various camera products. The newer compact cameras coming out are much better as manufacturers see the low end being eaten up by the camera phone.

Raja Bose · Post by **Raja Bose** » 08 Oct 2013 23:11

^^^but are those new compact cameras providing enough delta in quality for people to lug around a separate camera. DSLR sure, but the new compact cameras?

Mort Walker · Post by **Mort Walker** » 09 Oct 2013 04:08

^^^Yes. See the Sony RX100, Canon G16, Panasonic Lumix series, and Fujifilm X series. Your area may have shops that rent these out for few days for under $50, and if you're at an scenic sporting event, it may be worth a try. The one thing that almost all stand alone cameras don't offer is instant social networking posting. If that is your primary use, don't waste your money and stick with a camera phone.

Raja Bose · Post by **Raja Bose** » 09 Oct 2013 05:16

^^When you get your hands on a 1020, perhaps do a comparison with one of these cams and post here?

Mort Walker · Post by **Mort Walker** » 09 Oct 2013 05:24

Yes, I will do a comparison to a compact and should it pan out, it will become a real contender if I can figure out how to port my apps to WP. Right now I have a bunch of college applications to submit along with many family related expenses.

Anujan · Post by **Anujan** » 09 Oct 2013 05:45

The iPhunwa fingerprint sensor along with iBeacon will be used for commerce & transactions. Thats why people are going gaga over it.

anmol · Post by **anmol** » 09 Oct 2013 06:10

Okay I was VERY wrong:-

http://www.androidbeat.com/2013/10/rumo ... te-august/

Raja Bose · Post by **Raja Bose** » 09 Oct 2013 07:15

Anujan wrote:The iPhunwa fingerprint sensor along with iBeacon will be used for commerce & transactions. Thats why people are going gaga over it.

We will have to wait and see.

Pratyush · Post by **Pratyush** » 09 Oct 2013 15:33

Samsung launches world's first curved screen smartphone

Vamsi.R · Post by **Vamsi.R** » 09 Oct 2013 17:31

Google Nexus 5 rumoured price is just £185

If you thought the Google Nexus 4 was cheap, just wait until you get a load of the rumoured price for the hotly-tipped Nexus 5. You'd think an extra inch on the screen would add to the cost, but word on the street says something very different.

PhoneArena reports the 16GB LG Nexus 5, with a 2,300mAh battery, will cost just $299 (£185). Meanwhile the 32GB model has a 3,000mAh battery and will cost $399 (£247).

It remains to be seen whether those US prices will translate directly to British pounds and pence. The Nexus name is known to stand for a bargain -- the original Nexus 4 cost £240 for an 8GB model -- but £185 is ridiculous.

The new 5-inch Nexus is expected to drop any day now, with leaks all over the show including sneaky snaps and even the user manual.

Built by LG and similar to the LG's powerhouse G2, the 4G Nexus 5 is powered by a heavyweight quad-core 2.3GHz Snapdragon 800 processor with 2GB of RAM. Despite the name, the screen actually measures 4.95-inches, but with 1080p detail it's close enough for government work.

It's also tipped to sport focus-changing MEMS sensor and optical image stabilisation in the 8-megapixel camera.

Mort Walker · Post by **Mort Walker** » 09 Oct 2013 17:35

anmol wrote: Okay I was VERY wrong:-

http://www.androidbeat.com/2013/10/rumo ... te-august/

This would be an ideal acquisition. Good for HTC because it brings capital investment in and good for Lenovo as it brings them a good product line and further brand recognition. I think Lenovo makes some very good Windows laptops. Better than HP and Dell.

Mort Walker · Post by **Mort Walker** » 09 Oct 2013 17:48

Vamsi.R wrote:Google Nexus 5 rumoured price is just £185

If you thought the Google Nexus 4 was cheap, just wait until you get a load of the rumoured price for the hotly-tipped Nexus 5. You'd think an extra inch on the screen would add to the cost, but word on the street says something very different.

PhoneArena reports the 16GB LG Nexus 5, with a 2,300mAh battery, will cost just $299 (£185). Meanwhile the 32GB model has a 3,000mAh battery and will cost $399 (£247).

It remains to be seen whether those US prices will translate directly to British pounds and pence. The Nexus name is known to stand for a bargain -- the original Nexus 4 cost £240 for an 8GB model -- but £185 is ridiculous.

The new 5-inch Nexus is expected to drop any day now, with leaks all over the show including sneaky snaps and even the user manual.

Built by LG and similar to the LG's powerhouse G2, the 4G Nexus 5 is powered by a heavyweight quad-core 2.3GHz Snapdragon 800 processor with 2GB of RAM. Despite the name, the screen actually measures 4.95-inches, but with 1080p detail it's close enough for government work.

It's also tipped to sport focus-changing MEMS sensor and optical image stabilisation in the 8-megapixel camera.

Interesting. I read that it would start £30 more than the Nexus 4. Sort of like what GOOG did with the Nexus 7 2013 version. Should see it soon.

Raja Bose · Post by **Raja Bose** » 09 Oct 2013 21:29

Pratyush wrote:Samsung launches world's first curved screen smartphone

The article confuses a bit about how hard it is to go from a conformal display to a bendable display of any degree of robustness. You can see curved/conformal non-projection displays all around you today, especially large sized ones. Bendable display is a different story.

SaiK · Post by **SaiK** » 10 Oct 2013 06:16

Raja Bose · Post by **Raja Bose** » 10 Oct 2013 07:49

Proclaiming ChromeBooks 'own' 25% of the sub-$300 laptop market is a strange way to claim success....WTH owns the other 75% given Windows laptops retail for $300+ typically?

And nary a peep about the ChromeBook Pixel....looks like another Nexus Q as predicted.

Satya_anveshi · Post by **Satya_anveshi** » 10 Oct 2013 08:46

Raja Bose wrote:Proclaiming ChromeBooks 'own' 25% of the sub-$300 laptop market is a strange way to claim success....WTH owns the other 75% given Windows laptops retail for $300+ typically? .

I believe acer is running a promo at WM for $199 that seems to have generated noticeable volume (higher than the $249 Samsung sku). In that case, it can also be claimed that chromebooks have over 50% in sub-200 notebook market

.

Satya_anveshi · Post by **Satya_anveshi** » 10 Oct 2013 08:50

I wonder how much money Samsung is making on the $249 product. I must say that single sku did set the education segment on fire affecting fruit co, hickory pork, and dHell.

SaiK · Post by **SaiK** » 10 Oct 2013 09:40

i thought sammy will bring out a wallet type fold-able smart phone that can be front part of the wallet, and the back side with pouch for storing some cash and minimal credits.. btw, that NFC device should also be the driver for storing credit cards.. dang it! did I gave out a design without patenting it?

Raja Bose · Post by **Raja Bose** » 11 Oct 2013 05:53

Satya_anveshi wrote: In that case, it can also be claimed that chromebooks have over 50% in sub-200 notebook market .

Perhaps to feel even better, they should claim that ChromeBooks have captured 100% marketshare in the sub-200 market segment of Notebooks running ChromeOS.

archan · Post by **archan** » 11 Oct 2013 09:34

What is the advantage of a bent/curved screen?

Raja Bose · Post by **Raja Bose** » 11 Oct 2013 10:17

^^^In this context (smartphone), nothing in functional or ergonomic terms, in aesthetic terms it can look pleasing.

ArmenT · Post by **ArmenT** » 11 Oct 2013 12:01

archan wrote:What is the advantage of a bent/curved screen?

Nothing of note, but if I were a smart marketer of the Apple kind, I would have claimed that this makes it fit easier around body curves and therefore perfect for the front trouser pocket or inside the suit jacket ("it curves to fit your thigh/chest" ityadi) and easier to grasp in your hand

.

negi · Post by **negi** » 11 Oct 2013 13:35

Curved screens are a big no for me; the front panels are glued to the bordering bezel plate now I am skeptical how will these bonds hold in event of a fall or even temperature changes . i Phone 4 and 4S have been reported to have this tendency where the front panel comes loose from the left side on event of a fall.Btw someone tell me we use to have convex screens on TVs until late 90s why should I go back to the same era ok I know it's concave here but it's curved ? 2D icons are best rendered on a flat panel and unless the visibility is an issue from wide angles why would one bend the screen ? In fact it will act as a cup when water splashes on it.

Mort Walker · Post by **Mort Walker** » 11 Oct 2013 14:38

The Samsung Galaxy S and Galaxy Nexus had a slight horizontal curve which added some aesthetic and was pleasant to hold. The Galaxy Round is essentially a Galaxy Note 3 and is only available in Asia at this time. It is big enough where having a vertical curve makes it considerably easier to hold in the hands. Apparently, Sammy has added a feature where you tilt the screen when placed on a surface to present information. This is the device Sammy should have released for the Note 3.

Neela · Post by **Neela** » 11 Oct 2013 19:06

So according to this guy who wrote "WONT FIX" :
- biometrics to authenticate identity is a bad idea . Biometrics rely on machine interpretations of _physical_ data. And if the physical data can be accessed by others, security is broken. Fingerprints are left everywhere...from the toilet to to the bedroom and of course on the laptop. And that is what the Chaos Computer Club in Vaterland did....picked it up from the laptop itself & cracked it.
-You could be sending your fingerprints across borders over public networks.

_Nothing else_ beats authentication through pass-phrases . It has no physical features and it is completely upto the individual to cook it up.

Anujanullah wrote by mistake:

In general, it is stupid to use an authentication token that cannot be revoked. Think a bit about it to understand why. Anything -- like passwords, smartcards etc if it is going to be used for authentication should be revokable and it must be possible to distribute a new one. Fingerprints fail that requirement.

However, this is for general authentication and not necessarily for insecure use. Think about a retail scenario -- possession of your credit card is the security step. If someone steals your credit card, it is game over. At that point you rely on an smart sales clerk to demand your drivers license to check your photo with your name and match it to your credit card. Fingerprint authentication in retail is similar. Using your fingerprint simply informs you that a transaction is about to be made. It is a secondary authentication -- primary authentication is having your phone. In this case: Phone == credit card. Checking your face with your name and matching it up to your credit card == your fingerprint. If done well, it can be quite useful.

There is a third part to this whole story. In most massa grocery shops, there is a self check out counter. Imagine how easy it would be if you simply scan the barcode of your purchase with the phone and authorize payment and get out of the shop -- without having to wait in queue at the checkout counter. Retailer benefits, they can handle a huge customer volume. Fruitco benefits, people get into their ecosystem and use them for payments. Customer benefits, checkout becomes simple and maybe they get coupons and loyalty points.

Raja Bose · Post by **Raja Bose** » 11 Oct 2013 22:48

ArmenT wrote:
archan wrote:What is the advantage of a bent/curved screen?
Nothing of note, but if I were a smart marketer of the Apple kind, I would have claimed that this makes it fit easier around body curves and therefore perfect for the front trouser pocket or inside the suit jacket ("it curves to fit your thigh/chest" ityadi) and easier to grasp in your hand .

Yup!

The reality is those curves help more than hinder and can cause stress injuries unless they can make the curves malleable like memory foam.

SaiK · Post by **SaiK** » 11 Oct 2013 22:55

Anyone still uses landlines in massa here? are the aged baby bells still operating?

Mort Walker · Post by **Mort Walker** » 11 Oct 2013 23:30

^^^Yes. Residential phone lines are 4/8-wire and in many places they are buried. In the event of an emergency such as severe weather/fire/flood/earthquake these lines are very reliable as mobile networks suffer congestion. I have been through this 2-3 times and will never give up a land line even though it costs me $25/month. I have a land line and corded phones around the house that run on the current supplied by the land line when residential power is lost. My friends/neighbors/family members/colleagues in the area will show up to my house to make emergency phone calls to contact their children or other family members. It is an expense and perhaps not wise on my part. You could use the money over a period of 5-10 years to consider building a concrete bunker that starts at $5000 (4'x6') which is 6 feet underground, but you lose it when you move.

The trend is moving away from fixed copper lines. I guess I'm just an old guy in that regard.

Note: I hope the mobile networks in India in Orissa, AP and WB can keep up with this Category 5 cyclone (> 260 Km/hr winds). I am worried about the loss of life and communications will be essential.

SaiK · Post by **SaiK** » 12 Oct 2013 01:16

In the sense, my only line is timewarner cable.., and a vonage on top for desh calls. now, if cable goes kaput, i am out in the wildest western nation on the planet.

now, tell me options? i need the cable for IP services, and vonage for indic calls. i am all konphoosed only for land line.

Mort Walker · Post by **Mort Walker** » 12 Oct 2013 02:44

^^^Time Warner may offer phone services and by law they are required to bury your cable with protective shielding and the phone service must have a higher reliability (uptime) rate than regular IP based services.
Also-
You can buy a pair of good citizens band radio for communications. Just make sure the battery is good and keep it handy during storm season, should you need to call for emergency help. Mobile networks for text messaging still works, but can take hours to get through. The important thing is to have a disaster plan for your family so each person knows what to do in case you're at work, SHQ at work and kids at school. I spoke to a principal at an elementary school who stayed with kids until 9pm at the school because the parents could not communicate with the school and vice-versa as they were stuck in a storm and managed to survive, but their car was destroyed and normal communications were down. The best way to manage is to have friends outside your area, whom you can contact and they can contact the school. Plus make sure the kids know about this as well. About 10 years ago, my SHQ got stuck on the interstate when a tornado passed in front of her - she was happily listening to bollywood songs and was oblivious to what was happening until she saw semi-trucks flipping over like like toys and passenger cars driving the opposite direction on the highway. I couldn't get a hold of her when I finally got a text message from her that was 2 hours old!

Victor · Post by **Victor** » 12 Oct 2013 08:22

Mort Walker wrote: You can buy a pair of good citizens band radio for communications. Just make sure the battery is good and keep it handy during storm season, should you need to call for emergency help.

Bought a couple of hand cranked radios with attached LED lamp and usb charger. Very handy to have around for emergency and perfect for camping. We have pocket LED torches in each drawer and car, all hand cranked.

Gus · Post by **Gus** » 12 Oct 2013 08:29

one more whine from me.

the S4 that i got from at&t comes with bootloader locked. And xda has some stuff about this..but my head spins at information overload...i guess i will stick with stock touchwiz and live with it until i get lots of spare time. or anybody here with an easy to follow set of instructions (looking at you mort..)

Mort Walker · Post by **Mort Walker** » 12 Oct 2013 09:06

Gus,

If you feel uncomfortable with the instructions or FAQ on XDA, then I would advise against it. There are work arounds for the locked boot loader, but I am no expert on this and should you be able to get your S4 rooted, you also run the risk of bricking your device.
I think XDA is pretty clear, IMHO, but it can be overwhelming. Understand the process of root, recovery, installation of new ROM. IMHO, the only ROM I would install is the GPE version.

Mort Walker · Post by **Mort Walker** » 12 Oct 2013 09:08

pandyan wrote:Saik ji check ooma. Much better quality and cheaper

OOMA is an IP based service, what SaiK wants is higher reliability - or at least I think so.

SaiK · Post by **SaiK** » 12 Oct 2013 09:27

Yes high reliability - in the sense, for emergency use.

for IP, google fiber is so far away, and AT&T are still behaving like monopoly... not sure, what can bang into their networks from space, ground and sub surface.

Mort, how much are paying for your land lines? btw, land lines should also be vulnerable on the disaster aspect, but I guess, the backbone bandwidth is consistent, and esepcially on ATM/FR networks. there is routing crap and traffic issues. again, i am assuming there, since people are moving into IP based services, hence there would be high capacity available with low traffic and higher quality of service.