HTC One X - Opinionated Review

Android smart phones are all over the place now. All major cell phone brands are launching their new super-phones and creating a new trend in mobile technology.

Gone are the days when all you needed from a mobile phone was to make quality calls and send text/multimedia messages. You see almost everyone with a touch screen smart phone nowadays. As with people’s demands, the expectations on the upcoming smart phone models have increased drastically. And so, these companies think way ahead of time and technology and have modeled some awesome devices 

HTC has recently launched its One series of mobile phone. HTC One X being the top rated of them all. 

HTC one X is a slim, sleek looking high end smart phone that seems to be the best in its range. Even the most recently released Samsung galaxy S3 hasn’t bagged as much positive comments as this device. 

HTC sense has got to be one of the best touch software among them all. This is one big reason that HTC is famous for.

One X comes with a 1.5GHz quad-core processor (there is also a 1.5GHz dual-core LTE version) and 1GB RAM. It also runs the latest version of Android ICS. It is absolutely stunning to see have a handheld device as equal to a notebook. My current netbook's hardware specification’s almost the same, RAM’s 2GB though. 

A point to note: there will be some amount of heating while extensive/aggressive usage, or very long calls. This is a common disadvantage between all dual-core and quad-core smart phones. But! One X comes with a polycarbonate body, a material known to resist much heat (also scratch resistant). There is n guarantee that it won’t produce heat, but do not surprised if there is any. 

One minute drawback of HTC One X is that it comes with an inbuilt unalterable memory of 32 GB. It is plenty, but it could consider giving some other memory options too. Some hard core users, business people, Android buffs and online marketers may not find the space as enough. There are people who use less, but considering its powerful hardware, this device wasn’t made for menial use. 

Plus, if you are an avid cloud user, it gives you 25GB Dropbox storage for free (for 2 years). Just about enough I’d say. Since most of us would be changing our mobile devices after that period of time. This offer is available for all HTC One series phones. 

The connectivity features of this phone maybe all the usual, but better. It encompasses DLNA and HDMI services, allowing easy and fast connectivity to other systems. It has NFC, WiFi, Bluetooth, and a brilliant HSPA+ download rate, giving a much better performance than the Samsung Galaxy S3 (according to sources). 

HTC One X camera features are commendable. It has an 8 MP camera and an interface that gives a pleasant user experience. User reviews suggest the camera quality and pictures to be very good. Here are the specifications (via): 

· 8 megapixel camera with auto focus, smart LED flash, and BSI sensor (for better low-light captures) 

· F2.0 aperture and 28mm lens 

· 1080p HD video recording 

· 1.3 megapixel front camera (720p for video chat) 

· Dedicated imaging chip 

· Capture a photo in the midst of recording HD video 

· Continuous shooting mode captures multiple snapshots 

· Auto flash smartly determined by distance from your subject 

· Video stabilization feature removes annoying, shaky motion 

· High quality slow motion video capture and playback 

Last but not least, the battery. Personally, I think HTC could have done much better in this category. This device has a capacity of 1800 mAh which just slightly better than the other usual smart phone models (1500 mAh). So, you can expect just about the same hours of function, about 24 – 30 hours (with no aggressive usage). 

I am disappointed to say that Samsung Galaxy S3 has beaten One X by having a battery capacity of 2100mAh. You can clearly see that I am not a fan of Samsung phones; but I have to admit that the battery capacity does have an edge, a powerful edge, when it comes to choosing a good phone. 

Overall, One X it is a decent device. Users suggest it being swift and prompt. Its sleek and slim design makes it easier to hold, use and carry. Its 4.7 inch display gives it the extravagance a high end smart phone deserves.

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Buy HTC One X :

-Amazon

-Flipkart

- AT&T

- Clove Technology

Sources: 

• ABC15
• GigaOm
• http://www.htc.com/in/smartphones/htc-one-x/#specs
• http://www.gsmarena.com/htc_one_x-pictures-4320.php
• Images vis  www.htc.com

Google Drive: Cloud Computing for the Common Man

Google launched its cloud storage device a couple of days back, handing over a total of 5 GB free storage space for all users.

Overview

Google Drive, the latest new Google's introduction to the cloud technology, has been welcomed in a variety of ways. Many welcomed it with a smile and much enthusiasm, some were skeptic and concerned with its functionality, and others were somewhat nonchalant.

This service is available to everyone. Initially you get 5GB free storage and can upgrade to greater bytes for a fee. The amounts are fairly reasonable

5GB storage space is just about right. Eliminates the need to carry a USB/flash drive around. 

Note: If you are an already paid user of Picasa services then you automatically get 25GB (without extra fee)

Personal Take

Personally, I was rather enthusiastic when getting my mail of invitation. The enthusiasm soon died when I began to think of the other cloud services already offered by Google. This wasn't all that unique as I had perceived it to be. 

The name Google Drive, at first look, seems like something related to the automobile industry. Many of you wouldn't have guessed it would be the name of a cloud service. It is named so to symbolically suggest that soon Google Drive will be replacing your HDD (Hard Disk Drive).

Initial Thoughts

Google already offers Picasa for photosharing and storage, and Google Docs for a keeping and maintaining and sharing documents/presentations/spreadsheets/etc. Looking at all these, Google Drive seems like just an extra to these already existing cloud service. 

The fact to consider is that Google Drive is the beginning step of Google's idea to integrate all these services into one. If you have noticed, there is no separate page Google Docs available anymore. docs.google.com now redirects to drive.google.com . 

Usage

It is simple to use and very clear in its features. There are no confusing settings to go through to assign sharing aspects and the upload of files/folders is clean and fast. 

You can install a Google Drive folder to your desktop and upload files directly from desktop instead of using your browser. This is exactly like having your Ubuntu One folder or Dropbox.  But Unfortunately this feature is not available for Linux OS (yet?)

Security

Cloud Computing is a fairly new term for most people. Most of them have been reaping the benefits of this service without knowing proper term. As with all new technologies, people began to panic and skepticize and doubt them. There were a lot of security concerns with Google Drive. Mostly because of Google's Privacy Policy, one policy for all services.

Google's new policy scared most people, they thought the amount of privacy protection would decrease and google would have access you everything you do on the internet. 

This is false.

what's yours remains your's

For those of you who have not read the privacy policy, let me ensure you that your personal data will not be taken by google to be used elsewhere. The policy clearly suggest that whatever 'intellectual property' you submit/store on google will be untouched. To quote them : what In short, what belongs to you stays yours.

Sharing

The sharing feature for Google Drive is almost alike the one we had for Google Docs. You can allow selective people to view certain files and also give them permission to edit them (with the many editing options of Google Docs). In short, you chose how you want to share your data.

Google Drive allows collaboration between two people at once, so you can work on the same document with another person simultaneously. No matter how far away the other person it, you can see what changes they make instantaneously.

The files from Google Drive can be shared via Google Plus. Any photo's video's on your Drive can be easily uploaded to Google Plus. You can also allow certain apps to have access to your Drive, personally I don't recommend this.

Google has also integrated its powerful search mechanism to Google Drive. Searching for a file is made tremendously simple.

File Support

Google Drive supports many of the commonly used file extensions. It is said to support over 30 extensions, and there is a great possibility that that number will keep increasing. The service also allows you to convert certain files to make it google docs compatible.

Since it supports many common file extensions, you can open any such files on any system you like. You need not have that software that reads the certain type of file.

Final Say

This is a pretty useful service with a decent amount of free storage given. You can access, share and edit files on the go, and feel free of the fear of any physical loss of device. Because all your data will be safe. 

But do be careful and mindful of your 'file sharing' settings. This is not your personal hard drive but the Internet. Once something is out there (public), its there for ever.

Google Drive is a good service for those who constantly lose their flash drive. May it be a physical loss or a virus/malware problem. School/college students would find this service useful, and the free storage amount will be just about right.

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Cove Point: Ultrabook-Tablet running on Windows 8 [Video]

Intel has debuted an Ultrabook-cum-Tablet named Cove Point. Operating System - Windows 8

More Info here

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Cloud Computing

This is a brief description of what Cloud Computing is all about. 

I have done my best to make the common man/woman understand the idea behind Cloud Computing.

Cloud Computing is one of the most talked about concept in recent times. Some of you would be well aware of this terminology and its purpose while others might still be a little vague. This is what its all about:


Cloud Computing, as by definition, concerns with providing software as a service instead of a product. 


To make things simpler, lets take the term 'cloud' to be synonymous with the word 'network'. We all know what a network is in the computing sense; and the biggest ever computer network being the internet. Now the word computing,  is nothing but the simple and menial, and also complex work we do using computers. Word documents, spreadsheets, databases, CRM software, etc.

Instead of having these software's as a product, you will be able to use them directly from a 'cloud'. These software's will be located not on your personal laptop/PC but in a remote server. With  Cloud Computing, you need not carry your laptop or hard disk around. All your data will be store in one location, a distant server, and you will be able to access it from anywhere in the world (with internet connection). The data can be accessed from any device with the facility to connect to the world wide web.


Your Cloud need not be completely private. If you wish you can share certain facets from your cloud with a third party, a person or even a group. This gives you much more resourcefulness and ease with sharing data and/or service. Evidently, your 'Personal Cloud' would be something that is solely accessible by you alone. A personal private space containing your stuff only.


There are a few such services already available and much much more to come. An example of personal cloud storage would be Dropbox, and Ubuntu One. The Chromebook is an excellent example of a device that is majorly dependent on Cloud Computing. 


There are many other deeper and more sophisticated definitions to Cloud Computing, but basically this is the main idea behind it.

Hope you have understood Cloud Computing in its basic sense. For more information visit: Cloud Computing Wikipedia Page

I/O conference tickets Sold Out!

Google's I/O developers conference tickets vanish within 30 minutes!

To be held at :  San Francisco’s Moscone Center from June 27th – 29th, 2012.

I/O Conference official site: https://developers.google.com/events/io/

Tickets for Google's I/O developers conference 2012 were completely sold out within 30 minutes. All of approximately 5000 tickets were hastily grabbed by the hungry crowd eager to attend this years I/O conference. This new record breaks last years' by a whole 30 minutes. It tool 1 hour for the tickets of 2011 I/O conference tickets to disappear.

Ticket Price:  General - $900 ;  Academia- $300 (for Students, Staff , Faculty and Professors)

What is even more surprising is that Google had doubled this years ticket prices and yet it managed to sell completely within half the time it took the previous year. I/O conferences have been conducted since 2008. And now sells three times more the number of tickets than it originally started with. Although, this increase is still not enough to satisfy the crowd.

Google's developer conference, I/O (Input/Output), concerns with everything from the latest mobile technologies, web and Android version releases to Chrome improvement and even Goolge+. Also covers the relative Cloud based systems and services. Rumor has it that the latest version of Android OS, Jelly Bean, is to be introduced in this years I/O conference.

Of the new technologies that are anticipated in I/O conference 2012 include Google's Play Media App store, the so called rival of Apple's iTunes. Last years conference introduced Android 4.0, Ice Cream Sandwich, and showcased its new Chromebook laptops.

Held in the same venue as Apple's WWDC (World Wide Developers Conference), this years Google I/O developers conference is something which almost every one in the tech world is most eagerly awaits.

ICS - Ice Cream Sandwich (Android 4.0)

Android version 4.0, Ice Cream Sandwich

Ice cream sandwich is the name given to the latest version of the Android operating system. This latest version, ICS is compatible with any android device with the version 2.3.x or above. Released in October of 2011 Ice Cream Sandwich now has two more recent versions, respectively 4.0.2 and 4.0.3. Ice Cream Sandwich is the most latest platform from Android for phones, tablets etc.

Ice cream sandwich has got the enhanced  versions of the most loved features in an Android platform. To name a few, Customizable widgets and home screens, enhanced multitasking, posh notifications and faster performance are some of the rejuvenation features.

Other notable features in Ice Cream Sandwich:

• Face recognition unlock - phone unlocks with the recognition of face
• Certain applications can be used without unlocking the phone
• Improved spell check and error correction
• Real time speech-to-text conversion, and also better voice recognition
• A built-in photo editor
• Enhanced cloud computing experience
• Android Beam - a near range data sharing between NFC (near field communication) enabled devices.