THE BLACKBERRY Q10 REVIEW

After the not so epic introduction of the blackberry 10 series with the launch of the Z10, Blackberry seems to have taken into consideration the pros and more especially the cons of the maiden blackberry 10 device and now present the market with the blackberry Q10.

The new device sports a 3.1 inch Super Amoled display with 720×720 resolution and 360 pixels per inch a notable difference from the 4.2 inch 1280×7260 display that came with its predecessor, 2 gig of ram, a dual core, 1.5 GHz processor, 16 gigabyte of internal memory and an 8 mega pixel rear facing camera.

One standout feature of the Q10 is the presence of a physical keyboard which puts it above its peers, the Q10 is the only Smartphone in its class with a physical keyboard, and knowing that the blackberry has always been known to have the best text entry hardware, the Q10 doesn’t disappoint following in the trend.

The Q10 also comes across immediately as aesthetically pleasing with its jet black casing with silver accents, complete with carbon fibre on the back of the handset passing off a message of luxury and class which is one of the major reasons why Nigerians go for high end smart phones.

Unlike previous blackberry models which used the email capabilities of the device as a key selling point, Blackberry seems to have borrowed a page from apple’s notebook and are now marketing the Q10 based on its application capabilities, swiping up and down bring up settings, notifications and open apps, while left or right gestures let you scroll through home screens. All communication: messages, e-mail, calls or Facebook and Twitter are put together in the Hub, the intuitive central nervous system. One of the major problems though is the lack of third party applications, currently boasting about 700,000 apps on the blackberry world they still have a long way to go if they intend on competing with the likes of apple and android in this regard. The new blackberry Messenger (BBM) as found in the Z10 also features a new and improved dark themed user interface, it features free voice and video calls as well as voice recognition which is not very accurate.

One area where most Nigerians have faulted the previous blackberry devices is with the batteries especially putting into consideration the erratic power supply in the country. Nigerians are in need of a Smartphone capable of lasting for a reasonably lengthy period of time and the Q10 solves the problem, with heavy use, the 2,100 mAh battery lasts around two days, which is amazing for a Smartphone
In all, the blackberry Z10 doesn’t really present any eye popping improvements which would see it compete favorably with other smartphone manufacturers but if you are in need of a high end Smartphone for emailing or texting ,with a very effective qwerty keyboard that allows easy manipulation and input of text then the Q10 is your best bet. What do you think?

South Korean ‘Armadillo’ Car Folds Up For Easy Parking

With a click on a smartphone, the experimental “Armadillo-T” electric car made in South Korea will park itself and fold nearly in half, freeing up space in crowded cities.

The quirky two-seater, named after the animal whose shell it resembles, may never see production but it is part of a trend of developing environmentally friendly vehicles for urban spaces.

The car can travel 100 km (62 miles) on a 10-minute charge and has a maximum speed of 60 km per hour (37 miles per hour).

When it comes time to park, the rear of the vehicle folds over the front, almost halving its body length to just 1.65 meters (65 inches).

“They can be parked in every corner of the street and buildings, be it apartments, shopping malls or supermarkets,” said Suh In-soo, a professor at Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology who led development of the car.

Suh did away with rear-view mirrors by adding tiny digital cameras that show the back and sides of the car on a flat screen on the dashboard. A Windows-based computer system communicates with the driver’s smartphone and enables self-parking.

The Armadillo-T cannot legally venture on to the road in South Korea because it does not meet certain mandatory criteria, such as withstanding crashes. Suh said South Korea should relax rules for micro cars, exempting them from crash requirements because of their relatively low speeds.

A video demonstrating the prototype has been viewed more than 780,000 times on YouTube.

Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 (2014 edition) specs and features

In addition to unveiling the Galaxy Note 3 smartphone and Galaxy Gear smartwatch, Samsung also announced a new tablet during its IFA 2013 Unpacked event, the Galaxy Note 10.1 2014 edition.

The second-generation Galaxy Note 10.1 model is also a 10.1-inch tablet, just like its predecessor that was unveiled at MWC 2012.

The new tablet will still be made of plastic, and it will share the design and features of the Galaxy Note 3 smartphone. We’re looking at a “warm and textured back cover with stitching” which should “inspire a sense of elegance and sophistication. Even a Home button is present, something the original Galaxy Note 10.1 tablet did not have to offer.

Specs and features

Here are the main specs and features of the new tablet:

• Size: 243.1 x 171.4 x 7.9mm
• Weight: 535g
• 10.1-inch WQXGA Super clear LCD (2560 x 1600 resolution)
• 2.3GHz quad-core Snapdragon 800 processor (LTE version) / 1.9GHz octa-core Exynos 5 Octa processor (3G/Wi-Fi version)
• 3GB of RAM
• 16/32/64GB of storage
• microSD support up to 64GB
• 8-megapixel camera with BSI sensor, and LED flash
• 2-megapixel camera with BSI sensor
• Wi-Fi ac/a/b/g/n (2.4GHz & 5GHz), Wi-Fi Direct
• Bluetooth 4.0
• USB 2.0
• GPS, GLONASS
• S Pen
• 8220mAh battery
• Android 4.3 Jelly Bean with TouchWiz on top and Samsung features (the tablet will offer the same software features that will be available on the Galaxy Note 3)
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Release date and pricing

While the Galaxy Note 10.1 tablet is called the “2014 Edition,” the tablet will be launched in various markets starting with the third quarter – which means it will hit Nigeria in a couple of months

When it comes to connectivity options, Samsung will sell three Galaxy Note 10.1 (2014 Edition) versions including a Wi-Fi-only model, a Wi-Fi and 3G model, and a Wi-Fi and LTE(4G) version. 

Samsung Galaxy Gear smart watch: specs, pics and details!

The Galaxy Gear from Samsung finally arrived yesterday at the IFA in Berlin and we’ve got all the details. For Samsung fans, this will be a very useful device. For those of

Specs

While the metal frame around the screen will come in two colors — silver and rose gold — the band will offer many more choices. Oatmeal Beige, Rose Gold, Jet Black, Mocha Grey, Wild Orange, and Lime Green will make up the wrist strap choices at launch, but don’t get excited for third party bands just yet: the camera is actually built into the band, as you can see in the picture below. you desirous for the Note 3, this may be a must have accompaniment.

Samsung didn’t give a megapixel count for the camera, but did note it can take 10 second videos in high definition.

The Super AMOLED screen is 1.63-inches square, with a 320 x 320 resolution and 278 PPI. The 315mAh battery is said to get you a full 24 hours under “normal use”, but will diminish much faster with any intensive activity. Samsung does report the device will charge in about 1.5 hours on the included cradle, and uses pins on the back of the face to connect to the Gear.

The 800 MHz Exynos processor powering the Gear was of unspecified type (dual core or quad core), and our crew on the ground report it felt sluggish in many circumstances. The two microphones on either side of the screen are used to help with noise cancellation, and can be used for voice-to-text input, or to control a voice call. The home button will rest on the right side, and clicking that will take you to S-Voice, Samsung’s Google Now substitute.

Software

Samsung says the Gear is based on Android Jelly Bean, but is heavily modified. The home screen shows a clock face by default, and you can swipe to the left or right for notifications, much like the Google Glass interface. Swiping left will give you notifications like text or email from the parent device (more on that in a minute), settings, and apps. Lifting your hand will wake the display, and when paired to a device, it will disable the pattern lock screen. Dragging down from the top will send you back to the home screen, and dragging down from the home screen launches the camera.

A package deal

For now, the Galaxy Gear will only work with the Note 3. We can surmise this has to do with the Note 3’s updated TouchWiz skin, but Samsung wasn’t willing to confirm why the Note 3 was the only compatible device. With music playback controls, and a “find my device” feature being used harmoniously with the Note 3 and Gear, this smartwatch may just be proprietary to Samsung smartphones.

The Gear is not a standalone device, but offers much of the same features as current smartwatches (pedometer, notifications, music controls, etc.). Samsung reports it will have over 70 compatible apps at launch, including Evernote, Pinterest, and RunKeeper. Gear Manager, an app available for the Note 3, will control settings and apps for the Gear.

CES 2013 - LATEST TECHNOLOGY DISCOVERIES AND INVENTRIES

Lenovo IdeaCentre Horizon

The mission of Microsoft's Windows 8 operating system is to break down the barrier between the PC and tablet, but it's also a challenge to PC makers to rethink the fundamentals of computer design. Lenovo picked up the gauntlet and ran with it, creating a huge 27-inch monitor that lays flat and becomes an interactive table. The IdeaCentre Horizon has an HD screen, i7 processor, a 2-hour battery, and a specialized multi-user UI called Aura with games and activities oriented towards multiple users. The Horizon should go on sale this summer for around $1600.

Canonical Ubuntu For Android

Ubuntu—the cultish, open-source computer Linux operating system—has made it onto a phone. And gestures are king in Ubuntu for Android, the first foray onto smartphones by Ubuntu's for-profit arm, Canonical. Due in late 2013, the open-source phone OS swipes uses swipes from the sides to reveal favorite apps or running apps. A drag-down windowpane reveals elegant, horizontally scrollable access to the phone's settings. The interface is a beautiful take on classic smartphone icons, which aren't stuck in a static grid but instead come and go as they're updated. For instance, they change size to display recent posts on Twitter or active text message conversations.

Ford's Open Developer Program

Ford has been working with a small group of developers to come up with innovative apps for its in-dash Sync environment. At CES this year, the company announced the program now would be open to all interested. Entrepreneurs will pitch ideas for apps, which Ford engineers will review for safety and approve the app for work. Ford sends out a development kit, application programming interface, and grants access to Ford's library of Sync intellectual property without a licensing cost.

Samsung Smart TV Platform

Samsung has won an Editor's Choice Award before for its smart TV platform, which helps users navigate the increasingly complex and diverse world of video entertainment with custom apps, as well as voice and gesture control. This year, the company has launched a big update to its platform with a quad-core processor, facial recognition that customizes content to the individual viewer, plus improved natural language and gesture controls. Samsung's line of 2013 smart TVs also uses predictive analysis to monitor viewing habits and suggest relevant content. And, as it has in years' past, Samsung offers an Evolution Kit that bumps up older sets to the new processor and interface.

Sony Xperia Z

Sony's newest smartphone is a model of corporate synergy done right, incorporating the company's display and image capture technology into its stunning 5-inch 1080p touchscreen display, and also including the world's first smartphone sensor that can take HDR video. The Z has smart features such as NFC connectivity with other Sony devices, and a battery-saving mode that turns off power-intensive apps when the screen is off. But our favorite feature is the one every phone should have: The Z is seriously water-resistant. You'd never know it from its sleek profile but this Sony phone can sit under a meter of water for a half-hour.

iTwin Connect

The beauty of the iTwin Connect is its simplicity: Plug one half of the device into the computer you're using and you can browse the Internet via VPN through one of the company's servers. Or you can create your own VPN using two computers—one at home, say, and the other in an insecure public network—to tunnel your Internet browsing through your personal computer and keep your browsing safe and secure. The Connect, which costs $129 and is available now, protects all browsing with AES 256-bit encryption.

Vehicle Diagnostics by Delphi

The lightning fast development of in-car electronics has been a boon to automotive techies, but much of the benefits are lost to used car owners. Now Delphi has released the Vehicle Diagnostics, a dongle that plugs into the OBD-II port found in any vehicle built since 1996. The dongle has a Verizon data connection and GPS sensors that send position and vehicle data up to the cloud. A smartphone or tablet can access all the vehicle data, diagnostic information, speed, and remotely unlock the doors or start the car via web. Other neat stuff: You can set up geofences to alert if the car leaves or enters and area, starts speeding, or does all kinds of things you don't want your teenagers to do. Pricing will be set by Verizon and the unit will go on sale by the end of the first quarter.

LG Smart Control Appliances

By embedding its home appliances with NFC chips, LG allows everything from washers and dryers to vacuum cleaners to be operated via smartphones (you can also control them through LG's TVs). With a single tap, appliances and phones pair for remote control and diagnostic alerts. The appliances also work together, too. LG's smart refrigerator, for instance, preheats the oven based on a chosen recipe, generated from the ingredients on hand. The camera-equipped vacuum cleaner, an update the LG's Hom-bot, doubles as a surveillance device. These, and all other LG smart appliances, respond to natural-language input. They're also built to maximize energy efficiency, showing that the smart grid starts at home, not just at the utility level.

NASA is turning science fiction into fact

As a new moon orbiter gets set to launch, Pete Worden, director of NASA Ames, says forget the 20th – this is the real space century

What will NASA's new lunar orbiter do?
The Lunar Atmosphere and Dust Environment Explorer (LADEE) is a $250-million mission to probe the moon's exosphere and learn how it would be affected by increased human activity. It is also a low-cost modular probe, which will serve as a test bed for future cheap space missions.

What other cool missions are you working on?
We are soon going to be moving objects in the solar system around to protect the planet from being hit by asteroids. There is nothing cooler than that! Carl Sagan once said, "If the dinosaurs had had a space programme, they would not be extinct."

What kind of work is done at NASA Ames?
We are primarily about research so, in addition to missions, we develop technology. We are building autonomous software into robots destined for the moon, for example. We also have a tradition of spawning new industries. For instance, when a Mars mission planned in the 1990s turned out to be too expensive, one of the lead scientists redeveloped the fuel cells for use on the ground. This led to the founding of Bloom Energy, which now develops these modular power systems.

Do you often collaborate with Silicon Valley?
Yes. We've set up a lab called Space Shop so that if someone has a clever idea, they can very quickly build a prototype. The company Made in Space used the lab to build a 3D printer that will be used on board the International Space Station to print out parts for machines. Eventually we think we'll be able to print out satellites.

How will this extend our reach into space?
Well, genome printing is on the horizon too. So if you have a settlement on Mars and need pharmaceuticals you can just have the code sent from Earth. The same goes for printing biological hardware, like human organs.

There are lots of start-ups doing very cool stuff like that. If you've seen handheld "tricorder" scanners on Star Trek, one group is even developing those kinds of things. Everyone who's read science fiction knows we will need that type of technology when we set up colonies on Mars.

Is science fiction a big source of inspiration?
Here, there's almost a secret handshake among engineers who have read lots of science fiction. It lets you dream – how can we make that technology real, how can we make a better future?

What are your dreams for exploring space?
A principal tenet of science fiction is that there are planets out there with intelligent life. For most of the history of astrophysics we haven't been able to see those worlds, but we are starting to see planets like Earth. I dream of going to those worlds. That's my life's inspiration.

What excites you most about your work?
This century, even more than the last one, is the space century – especially with the private sector and many more countries getting involved. The stuff we're doing at Ames is turning science fiction into fact. This is the coolest job I have ever had.

Future factories let workers build a car from home

Machines that can be controlled over the internet open up the possibility of factory workers joining the home-working revolution

THE factories of the future will look very different from those today, with not a person in sight. Instead, workers will log into robot-assisted manufacturing "cells" to make what they want from the comfort of their own home. You won't even need to be employed by the factory: people on online social networks will be able to log in and set laser cutters and 3D printers to work, bashing out gadgets to order.

That's the vision of Goran Putnik, an engineer at the University of Minho in Guimarães, Portugal. The "cloud manufacturing" notion he is pioneering aims to extend telecommuting to those with jobs in factories. It will also take the "maker" movement, in which people band together to tinker with electronics, and make it professional.

White-collar workers have been able to telecommute for some time because the jobs they do – such as freelance writing and translation – essentially involve creating and transmitting digital bits. In roles like manufacturing, however, the revolution has been slower. "Some companies like car parts makers in South Korea are monitoring manufacturing operations remotely – but none are controlling such machines remotely," says Putnik.

That could soon change. Faster internet, better quality video links and telepresent control interfaces mean manufacturing-at-a-distance is no longer so out of reach. The technologies are already being researched, says Lynne McGregor, lead technologist at the UK government's Technology Strategy Board (TSB).

For instance, the TSB is part-funding a £1.5 million project in which the Ford Motor Company and Autodesk, a firm that designs 3D software, will work out how to feed sensor data from machinery back to augmented reality user interfaces. "That could easily be used for remote manufacturing," she says.

Putnik's team set up a manufacturing "cell" in their lab containing an internet-connected machine tool. Then, 2350 kilometres away in Serbia, Vesna Spasojevic-Brkic asked 68 of her engineering students at the University of Belgrade to log on and try to control the machine.

It worked surprisingly well: they successfully uploaded a design program, controlled the machine and cut foam test pieces with it – even pressing the tool's emergency shutdown button when danger loomed. The students tested multiple user interfaces and found that the best ones filled their PC screen, maximising their view of the machine, with control buttons overlaid on the video. This suggests that projecting remote control interfaces onto a wall could give the most convincing experience.

Cloud manufacturing could put power in the hands of professional makers, says Putnik, letting them sell their skills worldwide. Groups of people could collaborate on social networks too, to agree designs and get products made. And companies could hire skilled operators to manufacture goods on demand. "The idea here is to completely democratise manufacturing," Putnik says.

Iain Todd at the University of Sheffield, UK, likes the idea but sees an obvious risk. "The owners of these very expensive manufacturing facilities will have to have nerves of steel to let unknown people many miles away use their kit over the internet."