Apple testing Android-like local voice dictation for iOS

iOS 7 Dictation Interface

Apple is testing a local, offline version of Dictation voice input for iOS devices, according to strings of code found inside of the iOS 7 beta. The code, which was discovered by Hamza Sood, is located inside of both iOS 7 betas, but it is not present in iOS 6. Currently, when an iOS user uses their voice to input text using Dictation, the iOS device will use software that uploads your speech to the cloud to be converted into text. Because this relies on an internet connection and a cloud backend, this could sometimes mean errors and long-loading times, as well as some unwanted data usage…

Based on what Apple is testing, future versions of iOS could allow an iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch to process and convert speech from a user right on the device itself. This would speed up the process considerably, allowing emails, text messages, notes, and web searches take place via voice quicker than ever. The functionality is currently not active in public-facing builds, but we are told that devices internal to Apple have the function up and running.

We are also told that while local dictation is an option in these seeds, the former, cloud-based dictation process is present for certain situations. Perhaps this will be an option in Settings or an option based on internet conditions.

Google’s Android operating system includes offline dictation functionality, and in Apple’s pursuit of positioning iOS as superior to Android, perhaps this feature parity could sway more customers toward iOS. Apple’s own upcoming OS X Mavericks also includes the functionality by way of an extra several-hundred-megabyte downloadable package. It’s likely that any future version of iOS supporting offline dictation may require a similar download. As shown in our video above, the offline dictation feature in Mavericks provides live feedback.

While we do not have evidence of this, it seems plausible that Apple could eventually port over this technology from Dictation to Siri. This would allow certain queries to Siri to take place at a quicker pace. Both of Apple’s most recent “S” iPhone hardware refreshes have included new elements of voice technologies. For instance, the iPhone 3GS included Voice Control while the iPhone 4S introduced Siri. Perhaps the iPhone 5S, the likely successor the iPhone 5, will make use of local dictation as an exclusive feature. Local voice processing is a power-intensive process, so this could go hand-in-hand with the next iPhone’s improved processor and battery.

Over the past few weeks, we have found several unannounced iOS 7 features in testing, including new gesture options and LinkedIn integration. Like those other features, it is unclear if local dictation will survive the iOS 7 testing phase.

Hulu bids are in

Take two of the sale of Hulu is approaching its inevitable end, as multiple sources report the final bids have come in. Currently the site is owned by Disney, Fox and Comcast, while reported interested buyers include DirecTV, Chernin Group / AT&T and Guggenheim Digital Media. Of the potential buyers, The Hollywood Reporter reports Guggenheim would be the one most likely to retain the site's "entreprenurial spirit," while DirecTV may want to use it both as a part of its satellite package and as a standalone business. Finally the Chernin Group is reportedly backed by AT&T, which may have goals similar to those of DirecTV.

According to the Wall Street Journal, the site's current owners are considering how potential buyers will want to license content going forward as part of the bids, with potential restrictions on their top rated shows, or longer windows before content is available on Hulu. We'll have to wait and find out who had the best pitch before we move on to the next step -- deciding if whatever Hulu becomes under new ownership is still worth visiting.

SOURCE: Wall Street Journal, The Hollywood Reporter

Dr. Suess

Top 5 Waterproof Smartphones to Kickstart Your Summer

Whether you’ve got mildly butterfingers and are prone to spills or a wild summer of fun planned, these five waterproof phones will complement your wet and active lifestyle. Some on the list are rugged and are mil-spec tested while others are just waterproof designs. These five phones show that waterproof and rugged doesn’t always mean boring, and the category is seeing some high-end specs at more affordable prices. We’ve got phones from the top national carriers, so hopefully everyone is covered.

1. Samsung Galaxy S4 Active

It’s like the Galaxy S4, one of the world’s most popular flagship Android smartphones on the market today, but with waterproofing. The phone is available through wireless carrier AT&T Mobility and supports the top 4G HSPA+ and LTE download speeds on AT&T’s speedy network. With an 8-megapixel camera that can record 1080p HD videos, this means you can upload and share your memories instantly through AT&T’s mobile broadband network, which has some of the top speeds in the country.

Some differences with the flagship Galaxy S4 of the non-active variety include: 1. 8-megapixel rather than 13-megapixel camera, no dual-camera mode to allow you to capture selfies and the scene at the same time in the same photo, and a 5-inch full HD display of the LCD variety rather than the AMOLED display.

You’ll have a front-facing camera for selfies, a capacious battery, memory card slot, a speedy Snapdragon 600 processor that’s found on all the current flagships, and a removable battery. Though waterproof and splash-resistant, AT&T says this isn’t a rugged phone so you should still be careful with drops and dings.

For underwater photography, an Aqua Mode allows users to configure the volume up button to either snap photos or to record video. This is important as the capacitive screen does not work underwater so you’ll have to rely on the configurable hardware button to capture your mermaid memories.

2. Sony Xperia Z

Debuted early this year at the Consumer Electronics Show with a stunning design and flagship specs, Sony had led the waterproof trend by showing that high-end hardware can still be ruggedized and elegant. The Xperia Z is a breathtaking phone that’s dustproof and waterproof. Like its newer Galaxy S4 Active competitor, the Xperia design isn’t rugged.

You do have a 13-megapixel camera sensor to record more details, an older but still very capable Snapdragon S4 Pro quad-core processor, and removable memory card slot so you can shoot as much videos and photos of your water adventures all in an elegant package. Unfortunately, you’ll have to keep this phone near a charger for extended video shooting as it doesn’t have a removable battery, so you can’t swap for a new battery once the juice gets depleted.

The phone has been rumored for T-Mobile US, though no formal announcement has been made.

3. Kyocera Torque

The Kyocera Torque calls Sprint’s 4G LTE and 3G CDMA/EVDO network its home. With a rugged design and push-to-talk capabilities, the Torque’s mil-spec certification makes it a more rugged beast. Still, a compact form factor makes it equally friendly in a pocket or purse as it is in a construction zone.

The Torque has a waterproof design, though its specs are outclassed by newer consumer-based models like the Xperia Z and Galaxy S4 Active. Where it shines is in use, so if you’ve got clumsy fingers and are prone to dropping your phone, the Torque should be able to take a beating and survive. The phone has a 5-megapixel camera, which isn’t bad but doesn’t compare immediately well on paper.

Despite more modest mid-range specs, like a relatively paltry 4-inch WVGA resolution display, the Torque packs some interesting specs, like tissue conduction speakers. Yup, you read that right–there is no earpiece speaker on this rugged beast, which further helps its watersealing. Instead, hold the phone to your face, and it works in a similar manner to bone conduction technology.

4. Casio G’zOne Commando 4G LTE

The Casion G’zOne 4G LTE is a mild refresh of the original model for Verizon Wireless. This ruggedized and waterproof design now is capable of Verizon’s national 4G LTE coverage, which now spans Verizon’s entire U.S. network. Like the Torque, you won’t get high-end class-leading specs, but you’ll benefit from a rugged design that stands up to drops and torture as well as for spills and water dunks.

The futuristic design may be a bit too masculine for fashion conscious buyers, but it’s still a great design and may appeal to the macho men in your lives. The Commando is really targeted at outdoors enthusiasts with ready access to widgets for a digital compass and more. If you have a Casio G-Shock watch, this phone will readily pair with your wrist over Bluetooth as well.

An 8-megapixel camera places this one on par with the Galaxy S4 Active, though the dual-core processor isn’t quite up to snuff nor is the device’s 4-inch WVGA display when compared with more high-end entries like the Xperia Z. Still, the Commando is nothing to scoff at considering how much it packs and the beating it could take on your next rafting adventure.

5. iPhone 5

Out of the box, Apple’s smartphone isn’t waterproof nor is it rugged. However, when paired with the excellent Incipio Atlas case or Lifeproof Fre (now an Otterbox company), the iPhone 5 could be submerged under water and users can use the excellent 8-megapixel camera to capture stills and videos.

These cases add roughly under $100 to the price of entry to the iPhone. The difference is that the Lifeproof Fre has a thin plastic screen protector and slimmer design. The plastic screen protector has a small air gap between the display and the plastic, so the experience of using the screen is a bit similar to using resistive touchscreens of the past. In use, this means users will have to apply a little bit of pressure to register touches.

On the other hand, Incipio’s new Atlas introduction offers users a glass screen protector, so the experience is almost similar to using the iPhone’s capacitive touchscreen natively. The design isn’t quite as slim as the Lifeproof, though it isn’t quite as bulky as more rugged cases either, like those from Seidio or from Otterbox.

best place in the world

Don't fight the problems, - grow the solutions

Don't fight the problems,
- grow the solutions

Sony Store: Beyond Two Souls for Just $34.99

One of the most awaited and highly anticipated PS3 exclusive game of 2013, "Beyond: Two Souls" is available at discount price of $34.99 at Sony Store.

Don't belive me?, let out THIS Beyond: Two Souls listing on Sony Store.

From the makers of the award-winning Heavy Rain™ comes a unique, psychological action thriller. Featuring a brand-new game engine, a compelling, original story, and a top-notch Hollywood cast; Beyond: Two Souls offers a sophisticated, technologically advanced, immersive gaming experience on PlayStation 3.

Live the remarkable life of Jodie Holmes, a young woman who possesses supernatural powers through a psychic link to an invisible entity. Experience the most striking moments of Jodie’s life as your actions and decisions determine her fate. As she traverses the globe, Jodie will face incredible challenges against a backdrop of emotionally-charged events never before seen in a video game.

Update:

Sony has cancelled pre-orders for the upcoming PlayStation 3 exclusive due out on 8 October in North America Beyond: Two Souls after a pricing error was made on the official online Sony store.

Sony is offering $5 off to customers who pre-ordered the game that was listed for just $34.99 rather than $59.99 as intended. Sony has contacted customers via email about the price blunder, with the $5 off in voucher form stating that the codes are “good towards the pre-purchase” of Beyond: Two Souls.

GTA V: This is How Player Should Evade Cops and Gangs

Gangs have played a pivotal role in Grand Theft Auto franchise, just take a look at GTA II and GTA: San Andreas. Due to some unknown reason Rockstar Games didn't added gangs to GTA IV as heavily though, and that might be one of the reason behind why game received mixed feelings from fans across the globe.

But now the good news in that gangs are back in GTA V, according to details revealed by retailer GameStop via their official Facebook Page.

GameStop wrote: "Street gangs are still a problem in Los Santos, while the Lost Motorcycle Club is making moves in Blaine County. Some gangs are more interested in fighting the cops than each other – use that to your advantage when escaping the authorities."

Those lines from GameStop means, in GTA V, players will most likely have reputation with gangs, Secondly, the AI in GTA V will be a lot smarter and will react more realistically.

Are you happy with this decision of Rockstar Games i.e to include Gangs in GTA V?. Let us know your views in the comment section below.

Windows Phone Build 8.10.12112 start showing up in logs

Plaffo.com reports that Windows Phone 8.10.12112 is starting to show up in the logs of developers.

The build number is the highest yet, with the last seen being Build  8.10.12106.0.

Windows Phone 8.1 is expected to bring many of the features found in Windows 8.1 to our phones, including Miracast support for screen sharing for example.

Rumours suggest we will be seeing Windows Phone 8 GDR 3, which would bring support for 1080P screens, for the holiday season, and the next major version of Windows Phone, 8.1, some time in 2014.

Yahoo Finally Announces Astrid's Fate – Closing Down August 5, 2013

Fans of the task management service Astrid were understandably concerned when Yahoo acquired the company back in May. Now their worst fears have been realized. Astrid is shutting down on August 5th of this year. That gives you less than a month to get your data out.

Astrid users can grab a backup of their task data by heading to a special data export page. With the backup in hand, you can migrate fairly painlessly to suggested services like Wrike, Wunderlist,Sandglaz, and Any.do. Wunderlist and Any.do are by far the more popular options on Android (Sandglaz is a web app only). Most of the linked services have a landing page that will accept your Astrid data. The migration process with Any.do is automated and can be handled through the app itself.

Yahoo's plans for the Astrid team are not clear, but it doesn't involve the current Astrid app and service. It's a bummer, but at least we know now. The Astrid app has been downloaded about 4 million times, so there could be a lot of unhappy campers come August 5th. Full statement is below.

Astrid Winding Down

First off, we want to sincerely thank you for being an Astrid user over the years. Your support every step of the way has meant the world to us. As of August 5, 2013, we will be closing the Astrid service.
We know that a transition can be tough, but we want to make it as easy as possible for you. Please go to this link: astrid.com/home/export to download your data.
Once you have your data, we recommend you check out one of these applications. They will allow you to easily import your data, so you can pick up where you left off: Wrike, Wunderlist, Sandglaz, and Any.do.
When we built Astrid, we sought to help as many people as possible become happier, healthier and more productive – and we certainly hope we helped you. Thank you again for your support.
Best regards,
Jon Paris & the Astrid Team

[Astrid Data Export – Thanks, Samantha Gobert]

Corning working on advanced self-disinfecting, anti-glare glass for mobile devices

New tech definitely decreases glare and impressions in immediate daylight, while killing hurtful germs and microorganisms.

The people behind the famous Gorilla Glass have concocted an exceptional sort of cutting edge, hostile to glare / non-reflective glass that uses an exceptional hostile to microbial covering which kills all unwanted, hurtful germs and microbes on the glass' surface inside two hours.

Notwithstanding the astonishing against bacterial engineering, this new glass will super hostile to reflective. Current presentations can lessen impressions to as flat as 5% of their unique force; Corning is taking that even further!

To get a thought of exactly how amazingly against reflective the new glass tech is, see the photograph underneath. That roundabout opening in the middle is really not an opening at all'; it is a bit of the following gen glass that Corning is finishing up. Watch how small it reflects back, contrasted with the standard glass encompassing it.

There is no name for the new glass innovation yet. It is required to be accessible to cell phone, tablet and other portable unit producers between 2015-2016.

As somebody who periodically wipes his telephone showcase clean each other day, and squints his eyes in gentle anguish when utilizing his telephone within immediate daylight, I can't sit tight for versatile mechanism makers to put Corning's cutting edge glass in their telephones and tablets. The what's to come is breathtaking! 

Latest Xperia Z Ultra ad shows you how to be productive using the phablet

Sony’s Xperia Z Ultra has no doubt left a deep impact amongst the consumers. People who previously thought that 5.5-inch phones were huge are now considering to purchase this 6.44-inch monster. Here’s Sony’s new ad that shows off productivity using the new Xperia Z Ultra.

The Sony Xperia Z Ultra is literally the ‘Ultra’ version of the flagship phone, the Xperia Z. Take the Xperia Z and make it 125% everything, whether it be a battery or screen size or quality or even processor, and you have the Xperia Z ultra. While the 6.44-inch front panel dominates and commands attention, it also makes many wary about the size of the device and the practicality of using it as a phone. Here’s Sony’s new ad that hopes to clear those doubts away.

The short (1:19) video shows off the use of a pen as a stylus to write notes, which are efficiently captured by the handwriting recognition tool and assisted by the built-in auto-correction feature. A special keyboard enables users to type in the 6.44-inch large display using just one hand (I know, hard to imagine. It’s pure brilliant software). Your notes can be shared easily via email, multi-tasking is a joy thanks to the Snapdragon 800 SoC, and attending calls are cake using the Sony SBH52 Bluetooth headset, bundled with the Z Ultra.

Also, you get a glimpse of the new and improved STAMINA mode, a feature I feel is necessary to keep such a huge and powerful beast chugging all day long on a measly 3000 mAh battery.

budget iPhone hands-on video

While it might look too good to be true, a new video by tech blog TechDY allegedly shows off the budget iPhone, and at first glance, we are forced to believe that it is indeed the real deal.

Not a week passes by that we don’t see tons of new budget iPhone related rumors, leaks and reports. Well, here’s another one for this week. TechDY, a tech blog, has posted a video that allegedly shows off the budget iPhone, and it looks real too. Either that or this is an extremely polished representation. Somehow, we are more inclined (or rather, want to be more inclined) to believe the former.

While we are still not buying this a 100%, the attention to detail and the barrage of photos on the website force us to believe otherwise. If there be one more budget iPhone related leak that shows an identical device, call this as the confirmed device. Until then? Sigh… We wait.

Apple’s budget iPhone will reportedly pack specifications that are a mix of the iPhone 4 and iPhone 4S, with a starting price of $349 contract-free for the 16 GB unlocked model.

Source: TechDY

Vespa VX 125 with 125cc engine, front disc brake, tubeless tyre is priciest at Rs 71380

Prince of Persia: The Shadow and the Flame hits iOS and Android at the end of the month

The prince is dead, long live the prince! If you like jumping around ledges and high edifices, fending waves of enemies with a cold weapon and an oriental atmosphere, then you are in for a treat! The Prince of Persia saga dates way back to the MS-DOS era, created by a little company named Broderbund. Since then a lot of water has flown under the bridge, Broderbund are now a part of Ubisoft and the latter has decided to revamp the series by putting several games with the Persian prince. Now it's the mobile gamers' turn to rejoice, as The Shadow and the Flame is a remake of the 1993 Prince of Persia game, and will be available on iOS and Android.

As it seems, the graphics are amazing. Even though The Shadow and the Flame is a 2D platformer, 3D graphics have been brought to the game, while new special effects have been implemented as well. Combat is fast-paced and players can perform different set of combos, and to sweeten the deal, Ubisoft has added numerous new weapons to be used against the Prince's foes.

But we are not done yet. Mobile gamers will be able to unlock various achievements throughout the game and brag about them in different leaderboards. Let's not stop there: the controls have been tweaked as well - the Prince can be moved around either via virtual joystick, or via gesture-based controls.

Mark July 25th on your calendar - Prince of Persia: The Shadow and the Flame rolls out on the App Store, Google Play and Amazon on that date and the price will be $2.99 (£1.99). Hopefully, this one will be a true winner.



source: Pocket Gamer

Lenovo IdeaPad U330 - Cheap Haswell Ultrabook with 13.3inch display and Nvidia graphics

Lenovo has started without much attention with the introduction of its first Ultrabooks Haswell, which is aimed at the consumer market. For the price of just € 600, the Lenovo IdeaPad U330p will be available, which is equipped with the fourth generation of Intel Core processors in the near future. It is a 13.3-inch model, which has among other things a spare graphics chip from Nvidia on board.

The Lenovo IdeaPad U330p based on the Intel Core i5-4200U CPU, which comes with two 1.6 gigahertz cores and the new, faster Intel graphics unit has on board. The chip has Turbo Boost support and clocks as needed to up to 2.6 GHz high. Unfortunately, the 13.3-inch display has a resolution of 1366 × 768 pixels, so that one must resort to more expensive models if you want a higher resolution. In addition, four gigabytes of RAM are installed. When Lenovo memory sets in this model, for cost reasons, a combination of 8 gigabytes of flash memory as the start-accelerator (to meet Intel's requirements Ultrabooks) and a 500-GB hard drive. Apparently, there is a SSHD, so a hybrid hard drive with built-in flash memory.

A special feature of this device is that Lenovo installed an Nvidia GeForce GT720M graphics chip with two gigabytes of dedicated memory. Other features include two USB 2.0 and one USB 3.0 port, VGA and HDMI outputs, WiFi N, Bluetooth, and even in many other Ultrabooks reasons of space weggesparter Ethernet port. In addition, a 1.3-megapixel webcam and the popular Lenovo keyboard. At 1.5 pounds, the device is quite light despite hard disk, and remains with only 21 millimeters in height within the Ultrabook specifications.

But since no touchscreen is installed, the device meets the requirements of the new Intel Haswell Ultrabook but then not quite - and I go out of time, that it would also give the touch version soon. (Seeupdate below: The touch version is now available!) Oh, and did I mention that the case is made ​​entirely of aluminum? Lenovo is the IdeaPad 330p once more that you are able to deliver very decent hardware at very low prices. Perhaps the U330p is just for the still large group of objectors touch indeed a good deal, as it costs in the variant described here only 599 euros. The availability of this model is likely to be given shortly.

UPDATE: The touch version of the Lenovo IdeaPad U330 is now available at cheaper notebook ! It is in this case an extra charge of 100 Euro against the non-touch model described above due. However, this is obtained not only the touch screen, but also a doubled to 16 GB flash cache and a doubled up to eight gigabytes of memory.

6 More EPIC Quotes from “Conversations With God”

1“So-do you want your life to ‘take off?’ Begin at once to imagine it the way you want it to be–and move into that. Check every thought, word, and action that does not fall into harmony with that. Move away from those.”

2“When you catch yourself thinking negative thoughts–thoughts that negate your highest idea about a thing–think again! I want you to do this, literally. If you think you are in a doldrum, in a pickle, and no good can come of this, think again. If you think the world is a bad place, filled with negative events, think again. If you think your life is falling apart, and it looks as if you’ll never get it back together again, think again.”

3
“There is nothing scary about life if you are not attached to the results.”

4
“Choose, but don’t want. Think ‘I choose success,’ not ‘I want success.’”

5“There is nothing you cannot be, there is nothing you cannot do. There is nothing you cannot have.”

6“The most rapid way to change a root thought, or sponsoring idea, is to reverse the thought-word-deed process. Do the deed that you want to have the new thought about. Then say the words that you want to have your new thought about. Do this often enough and you’ll train the mind to think a new way.”

HTC Releases Kernel Source For The HTC First

HTC has dropped the kernel source files for the HTC First, an AT&T exclusive we reviewed back in May. These source materials will allow the First's [few] developers to provide better support for the device, and make custom kernels a possibility. Of course, this all depends on the development community, and I'm not sure just how much of a following the First has in that regard.

Two kernel source versions are available, for builds 1.08.502.1 and 1.05.502.1. Both can be found on the HTCDev site at the links below.

HTCDev [1.08 Source, 1.05 Source]

Google Expands Field Trip Free Passes To More Museums, Zoos, And Other Attractions In July

Google started testing free passes through the Field Trip app back in May, and now the program is expanding to more locations. Throughout the month of July, venturing near a participating location will produce a free single-admittance pass. The list of attractions is much larger than last time.

Field Trip, in case you don't know, is an app from Google's Niantic Labs. It runs in the background of your device and alerts you to interesting locations and attractions nearby. The free ticket program is running from July 2nd until July 30th. Here are the 23 locations participating this time around:

• Museum of the City of New York, NYC
• The Museum of Arts and Design, NYC
• Conservatory of Flowers, San Francisco
• Walt Disney Family Museum, San Francisco
• Exploratorium, San Francisco
• Legion of Honor, San Francisco
• de Young Museum, San Francisco
• National Building Museum, Washington DC
• Crime Museum, Washington DC
• President Lincoln’s Cottage, Washington DC
• Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles
• The Field Museum, Chicago
• Museum of Contemporary Art, Chicago
• Pittock Mansion, Portland
• Portland Art Museum, Portland
• Portland Children’s Museum, Portland
• Terry Lee Wells Nevada Discovery Museum, Reno
• Nevada Design Museum, NV
• Bronx Zoo, NYC
• Central Park Zoo, NYC
• New York Aquarium, NYC
• Prospect Park Zoo, NYC
• Queens Zoo, NYC

Just like last time, the free passes are limited in quantity. Even if you make it before July 30th, some attractions might have stopped handing out the digital tickets. Field Trip is free in Google Play.