Nobel de Medicina afirma que smartphones causam doenças

 

Smartphones: "Já nunca estamos ilocalizáveis,e temos contato minuto a minuto com nosso trabalho", disse o cientista Berlim - O neurologista Thomas Südhof, prêmio Nobel de Medicina, garante que os smartphones geram um estresse contínuo com consequências patológicas como o chamado "burn out", a síndrome de esgotamento. "Não me surpreende que muita gente adoeça de 'burn out' se levarmos em conta como se vive hoje em dia", disse o cientista da Universidade de Stanford em declarações que serão publicadas amanhã pelo dominical "Frankfurter Allgemeine Sonntagzeitung". Os smartphones, segundo ele, tem parte nisso na medida em que levam à conectividade permanente. "Já nunca estamos ilocalizáveis, sempre estamos de guarda e através do e-mail temos contato minuto a minuto com nosso trabalho. A longo prazo isso não pode ser bom", acrescentou. Com frequência isso conduz a um estresse contínuo que gera transformações no cérebro, explicou. Südhof recomenda fazer pausas no uso do smartphone. "Isso é algo que o bom senso diz. Tudo o que nos distrai ajuda, seja esporte, ioga, um bom livro ou música", disse. O campo de investigação de Südhof é a comunicação entre os neurônios e, por exemplo, o que ocorre com eles em um burn out. Südhof recebeu a notícia que tinha recebido o Nobel quando estava a caminho a um congresso, ironicamente através de seu telefone celular. No entanto, o neurologista garantiu que ele mesmo se impõe limites sobre o uso dos aparelhos eletrônicos. "Às oito da noite apago sempre todos os aparelhos eletrônicos e só volto a ligá-los na hora do café da manhã", disse.  http://exame.abril.com.br/tecnologia/noticias/nobel-de-medicina-afirma-que-smartphones-causam-doencas

Samsung Galaxy S6 edge+ review: Beauty and power

 

Gizmag reviews the Samsung Galaxy S6 edge+, the best-looking smartphone we've used (which also happens to be a beast on the inside) (Credit: Will Shanklin/Gizmag) Image Gallery (18 images) For years, iPhones were the only smartphones with premium, elegant designs, while Android phones were better known as plastic or industrial-looking affairs. But recently we've seen several Android flagships play that game at least as well as Apple. The Samsung Galaxy S6 edge+ is the best example we've seen. The Galaxy S6 edge+ is a knock-down, drag-out, drop-dead gorgeous phone. We can't say we see curved screens as functional advantages, but they sure as hell look good. Not only does it make the S6 edge+ look like a piece of jewelry, but it also gives your content an extra dimension. It's not 3D, of course, but it is a bit like 2D that's reaching out towards you. It's the same thing we saw in the smaller Galaxy S6 edge earlier this year, only that effect is more pronounced when the device is bigger. Like its baby brother, the S6 edge+ has a smooth-feeling Gorilla Glass 4 back, with aluminum edges. The phone is also very light for its size (11 percent lighter than both the Galaxy Note 5 and iPhone 6 Plus) as well as thin (just 6.9 mm/0.27-inch). It ticks all the boxes we'd want a premium handset to tick. It's essentially a lighter and thinner Galaxy Note 5, minus the S Pen and plus the curves. We aren't going to repeat ourselves too much here, so be sure to hit up our Note 5 review for more detail on the many things they have in common, including camera samples and battery tests. Born in the same litter as the Note 5, that means the Galaxy S6 edge+ isn't just getting by on looks alone: it's also an absolute beast of a phone. Seamless performance, great battery life, built-in wireless charging and Samsung Pay on its way next month. Throw in the best rear camera and best display you'll find on any smartphone today, and you have a near-perfect 2015 flagship. Because it lacks the Note's stylus, the Galaxy S6 edge+ is probably more of a direct rival to the iPhone 6 Plus (and, more so, its upcoming successor) than the Note 5 is. Jumping from the 2014 iPhone 6 Plus to the Edge+ is a big step forward. Samsung's phone is more compact, but its display is also better: bigger, much brighter on average, sharper and with better color accuracy. We think the Edge's camera quality is also a little better and its premium design at least matches – maybe even surpasses – the iPhone's. On the whole, we'd still give the software edge to the iPhone. The Edge+ includes some carrier crapware, along with more than one pre-installed app each for messaging, web browsing, email, photo gallery and cloud storage. Multiple apps for that many categories could confuse beginners, not to mention it wastes internal storage. Too many cooks in the kitchen. But otherwise we think the Note 5 and GS6 edge+ are standing in a league of their own right now. These are our picks for the 2015 phablet champions so far (though Apple won't announce its next model until September 9). So if you're torn between the Note 5 and S6 edge+, which do you go with? Well, US carriers are charging about US$75 extra for the Edge+, so that's one notch in the Note's column. If you think there's any chance you'll ever want to use the Note's S Pen, that's another reason to go that route. You can use finger or stylus on the Note, but only your finger on the Edge+. The Note gives you more options for less money. On the other hand, though the Note is quite the looker in its own right, the Edge+ is the better-looking, lighter and thinner device. You can also use the Edge Display to: launch quick shortcuts for contacts and favorite apps scroll info like time, weather, notifications and feeds across the edge when the phone is sleeping get color-coded notifications that let you know who's calling without picking up the phone use it as a night clock while the phone is sitting on your end table at night We find the Note's S Pen features to be more useful than these Edge Display features, which seem a bit like an attempt to turn a cosmetic perk into a functional one, but your mileage may vary. Our best advice is to play around with the Note 5 in a store. If you think you'll use the S Pen at all, then go with the Note. If you have no interest in a stylus, and don't mind throwing down an extra $75, go with the better-looking, lighter and thinner S6 edge+. No matter which way you go, though, you're getting a flipping outstanding smartphone. Big, beautiful, powerful and premium. The Galaxy S6 edge+ is available now, starting at around $775 full retail (it varies a bit from carrier to carrier), with installment options starting at $0 down with good credit. For more on the details we skipped over here (including camera and battery test), you can fill in the blanks with Gizmag's Galaxy Note 5 review. Product page: Samsung   http://www.gizmag.com/galaxy-s6-edge-plus-review/39155

Archos unveils budget Windows 10 smartphone

 

By Eric Mack - August 26, 2015 The Archos 50 Cesium is the first smartphone shipping with Windows 10 Mobile to be unveiled (Credit: Archos) Windows 10 has already been downloaded onto more than 75 million devices since its July launch, but we've yet to see the first smartphones ship running Windows 10 Mobile out of the box. Middle-tier phone maker Archos is looking to be among the first out of the gate with the Archos 50 Cesium. Set for release in November, the budget-priced Windows 10 smartphone was announced alongside the Archos 50e Helium, which is essentially the same hardware running Android 5.1 Lollipop. "By providing a choice between two almost identical hardware models, we allow the customer to focus on what they like on the inside: the user interface," said Archos CEO Loic Poirer. The twin devices are both 5-inch, 4G LTE quad-core devices with specs that will make early adopters feel like they've been transported back to 2013. Inside is a Qualcomm Snapdragon 210 CPU running at 1.1 GHz with an Adreno 304 GPU, a single gig of RAM and 8 GB of onboard storage. The display isn't much to crow about either, with a resolution of 1280 x 720 pixels in an IPS screen capable of 294 pixels per inch. Front and rear cameras are also middling at 2 and 8 megapixels, respectively. Archos is clearly hoping that these underwhelming specs will be overlooked by consumers far more interested in another key figure, the price. For only £99 (US$153), it's a pretty affordable dual-sim phone offering an early opportunity to play around with Windows 10 and Microsoft's increasingly powerful Cortana personal assistant on a phone. Both the Archos 50 Cesium and 50e Helium will be on display at IFA in Berlin next month and on sale in November. Source: Archos (PDF)

Galaxy meets BlackBerry: Hands-on with Samsung's QWERTY keyboard cover

 

Gizmag goes hands-on with BlackBerry's, erm, Samsung's QWERTY keyboard cover for the latest Galaxy phones (Credit: Will Shanklin/Gizmag)

Image Gallery (7 images)

While most smartphone users have adjusted to this crazy new world of touchscreen keyboards, some people still prefer the physical feedback you can only get from a QWERTY. If that's you, then Samsung may have just given you one less reason to hang onto your old BlackBerry.

We played with Samsung's new keyboard cover at yesterday's NYC launch event, and it does what you'd want it to do: making the Galaxy Note 5 and Galaxy S6 Edge+ feel like a BlackBerry. It slides onto the phones, you tap its moving keys and see your letters pop up in real time.

The plastic keyboard gives you the same satisfying chunk you'd get from a BlackBerry. It also has the navigation shortcuts you'd find below your Galaxy's screen: home, back and recent apps.

If you're like us, you've probably spent so much time using touchscreen keyboards that going back to a BlackBerry type of keyboard might actually slow you down. It's been so long since I've rapped out an email on one of these that you couldn't pay me enough to switch to this thing.

This is for those who could just never quite get used to touchscreen typing.

The idea is almost identical to Ryan Seacrest's now-defunct (thanks to a settlement with BlackBerry) Typo keyboard. The Samsung accessory is two pieces: the keyboard itself and a phone cover that wraps around the back. When you don't need the keyboard, slide it off the front and stash it on the Galaxy's backside:

There's no wireless connection and it doesn't require any power, since it's just simulating touch input on the screen beneath it. Just slide it on and party like it's 2006.

The Samsung keyboard cover will be available not just for the new phablets, but also for the smaller Galaxy S6 and GS6 edge. Samsung tells us it will retail for US$80.

 

http://www.gizmag.com/galaxy-blackberry-keyboard-review-hands-on/38937/

Smartphone usage could be analyzed to warn of depression

 

Although you might not realized you're depressed, your smartphone may know better (Credit: Shutterstock) One of the problems with depression is that because it often forms so gradually, many people don't even realize that they're suffering from it – they just assume that normal life is pretty dreary. With that in mind, researchers from Chicago's Northwestern University have devised a method of analyzing at-risk individuals' smartphone use, to see if they're developing signs of the disorder. In a study conducted at the university, the phone-usage of 28 test subjects (20 women and eight men, average age of 29) was monitored over a two-week period. They also all completed a PHQ-9 questionnaire, which is commonly used to assess depression by asking questions about symptoms such as sadness, hopelessness and sleep disturbances. When the smartphone-activity and PHQ-9 data was tabulated and cross-referenced, it was found that the 14 subjects who scored highest for depression on the questionnaire also had some phone-related traits in common. These included more overall use of their smartphones (an average of 68 minutes a day, as opposed to 17 for the other test subjects), spending more time at home or in fewer locations (as measured by their phone's GPS tracking feature), and a less regular day-to-day travel schedule. While increased phone usage might suggest more contact with other people, the researchers believe that it instead indicates non-social activity such as web-surfing and game-playing. These could be examples of "avoidance behavior," that people engage in to avoid dealing with mental anguish. The fact that the subjects left home less often is in keeping with the known fact that depressed people tend to lack the motivation to get out and do things, instead opting to remain sedentary. Likewise, not maintaining a consistent daily schedule has also been linked to depression. All told, the study matched smartphone use to subjects' level of depression with 87 percent accuracy. While approaches such as questionnaires are certainly helpful, the researchers believe that patients often lack accuracy when performing such self-assessment techniques. "The significance of this is we can detect if a person has depressive symptoms and the severity of those symptoms without asking them any questions," says Northwestern's Dr. David Mohr, senior author of a paper on the study. "We now have an objective measure of behavior related to depression. And we’re detecting it passively. Phones can provide data unobtrusively and with no effort on the part of the user." The paper was recently published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research. Source: Northwestern University

Apple iPod touch (6th-generation): Early impressions

 

Gizmag takes an initial look at Apple's latest iPod touch (Credit: Will Shanklin/Gizmag) Yesterday Apple released a new iPod touch – the first since 2012 – and we have one of them in-house. Read on for our early impressions. Reviewing an iPod touch in 2015 is a strange proposition. Most people already have smartphones, often with a better camera and bigger screen than you'll find on the new Touch, so there isn't a dire need for a device that's basically a mid-ranged iPhone minus the phone part. But if you have young children who aren't ready to own a phone, or maybe if you have an Android phone but want to play the occasional iOS game or try out Apple Music, then the iPod touch is one of your best bets (in addition to an iPad mini). Looking at the new iPod touch from that perspective, it fits the bill just fine. We've grown used to smartphones with 5-inch and larger screens, so, at first glance, the new iPod touch looks teeny-weeny (it has the same 4-inch display found on the iPhones 5, 5s and 5c). We suppose that's yet another way that it can be a good fit for little hands. It's an incredibly light device – 32 percent lighter than the iPhone 6 (and the same weight as the 5th-generation iPod touch). With no cellular radio to worry about, Apple has always managed to make the iPod touch a light/thin showcase piece. Its build also often serves as a preview for the next-generation iPhone, so perhaps we can look forward to a device that feels this insanely feathery in the iPhone 7. There's no Touch ID, which both looks and feels strange to us. Apple hasn't released a non-Touch ID iOS device since late 2013, so this is clearly a step backwards. It's also a stark reminder that the iPod touch is Apple's lowest-priority mobile device. We confirmed, via the GeekBench app, that the new Touch has 1 GB of RAM, and its Apple A8 system-on-a-chip is clocked at 1.13 GHz (that's about 19 percent slower than the iPhone 6's clock speed, using the same processor): The Touch doesn't feel slow at all though; it's plenty zippy for everything we've thrown at it so far. And an A8-running iPod touch is an enormous step forward from the Apple A5 chip found in its predecessor (the A5 was a 2011 chip, already a year and a half old when the last Touch released). We'll have more on camera quality and battery life in our full review, but the early pics we've snapped have looked about like we'd expect: good, but trailing noticeably behind the best 2014-15 smartphone cameras. Expect iPhone 5/5c types of shots (and with identical specs, this could potentially be the same camera found in those two). You probably don't need an iPod touch in 2015, but if you're a parent or another person who does find the need, then the 6th-generation model looks like a solid upgrade. It's a significant downgrade from the latest iPhones, but that's always been the case with the Touch. For a Wi-Fi only portable media player, it does what it needs to do – no more, no less. The new 6th-generation iPod touch is available now, starting at US$200. Product page: Apple

Olympus Air A01 turns your smartphone into a mirrorless camera

 

The Olympus Air A01 lets users take DSLR-like images and use interchangeable lenses with their smartphone Image Gallery (10 images) Olympus has announced its Air A01 add-on camera for smartphones, which turns your Android or iOS device into a very capable mirrorless camera, will be getting a wider release and heading to the US. Previously only available in Japan, the Olympus Air A01 is a smartphone-controlled camera similar to the Sony QX1, but features a Micro Four Thirds lens mount with a matching 16-megapixel sensor and is an open platform for developers. We've previously seen a number of add-on cameras for smartphones which claim to offer DSLR-like features, including the Sony QX100, Kodak Smart Lens and more recently the DxO One. However, because they all feature built-in lenses they're more like compact camera equivalents rather than interchangeable lens cameras. The Olympus Air A01 is different in that it allows users to mount Micro Four Thirds lenses, in the same way the Sony QX1 uses an E-mount. In addition to its Micro Four Thirds mount, the Air A01 features the same 16-megapixel Live MOS sensor (17.3 x 13 mm) and TruePic VII image processor as cameras like the OM-D E-M5 II. This enables a burst speed shooting at 10 fps (frames per second) an ISO range up to 12,800 and Full HD 1080p video recording at 30 fps. RAW capture is also possible, and the Air A01 features a silent electronic shutter with a 1/16,000-second maximum shutter speed. Once the Air A01 is wirelessly connected to a smartphone or tablet users can then control it using a dedicated OA.Central for Olympus Air app. This allows focusing, using a FAST 81-point AF system, by tapping the screen of the smartphone, and making changes to settings such as exposure, white balance and ISO speed. Smartphone photographers can also use the app to access to the same P, A, S and M modes as on an interchangeable lens camera, apply filters, or instantly transfer images. While the Wi-Fi and Bluetooth enabled Olympus Air A01 can store images and video on a microSD card, they can also be automatically uploaded and securely stored on Amazon Cloud Drive. The device itself measures 56.9 x 57.1 x 43.6 mm (2.2 x 2.3 x 1.7 in) weighs 147 g (4.2 oz) and can be clipped onto a smartphone using the included smartphone holder. The built-in battery is said to be good for 320 shots on a full charge. The Air A01 can also be used when not attached to a smartphone, enabling use in situations and positions it might be difficult to use a traditionally shaped camera, and automatically knows which way around the cylindrical device is being held. It also features a tripod mount which could be handy for remote shooting. In addition to appealing to smartphone photographers who want better quality and the creative freedom allowed only by an interchangeable lens system, the Air A01 will also be of interest to developers and makers as it's an open platform. This means developers can produce their own apps for the camera using the available software development kit and makers can easily create accessories. The Olympus Air A01 will be available in the US from this month in black or white for US$300 body-only, or $500 bundled with a 14-42-mm EZ lens. It will also launch in Canada in August, unfortunately no other international availability has been announced yet. Product page: Olympus Air A01

Using the Galaxy S5 Fingerprint Scanner

 

One of the big unique selling points of the very popular Samsung Galaxy S5 before launch was always the fingerprint scanner. Anything which adds an additional level of security to your phone is almost always a good thing, and being able to unlock with a swipe of a finger is no exception. To take full advantage of this useful tool on your S5, it is important that you know how to set it up and use it correctly. Step 1 - Registering Your Fingerprint This feature is not active out of the box, so the first thing you need to do is enable it and register a fingerprint. You can enable fingerprint scanning in the main settings, under Personalisation. In the Finger Scanner options you will see several different settings you can configure. The next thing you need to do, however, is register a fingerprint. You can actually register up to three fingerprints, either all of your own, or to allow someone else access to your phone. Tap the fingerprint manager option. You now need to run the tip of your finger down over the home button several times, as shown on the phone screen. Step 3 - Choose a Password Backup There may be situations when the device doesn't recognise your fingerprint within the required amount of attempts, so immediately following the process of allowing the scanner to register your print, you will need to enter an alternative password, just in case the fingerprint reader fails. This needs to contain at least one number and letter. Follow the normal rules for choosing a password, making it as difficult to guess as possible, but also something which you will remember.  Confirm the password when prompted. Screen unlock options will now open. If you don't want to use fingerprint recognition as a way to unlock your phone, simply choose one of the other options. Assuming that you do, tap the Fingerprint option. Step 5 - Testing the Setup Lock your phone and then wake the screen. You will see a series of dots just above the home button. This is where, just as when registering your fingerprint, you need to slide your finger to unlock the phone. Remember to use the same finger you registered Tips will appear if you are swiping incorrectly. Fail to have your fingerprint recognised after five attempts and You will be prompted to use the alternative password to unlock the phone. You also have the option to unlock via your Google account if all else fails and you cannot remember your backup password.  Verify your Samsung Account As well as using it to unlock the phone, you can also use your fingerprint to verify your identity when making purchases from Samsung services such as Samsung Apps. Ensure that you have a network connection open (either Wi-Fi or a data connection) and then open the main settings > personalisation > finger scanner. Tap “Verify Samsung Account” and then tap the switch to turn the feature on. You will then need to enter your Samsung account password. You will only need to do this once, even if you turn this option off and then on again at a later date (assuming your phone has not been reset or you have changed account details). Now, when you attempt to download an app from Samsung Apps, or when you are asked to sign in to your Samsung account for any other reason, a fingerprint scanner screen will appear instead of a password entry screen. Making PayPal Payments You can link your PayPal account to your Galaxy S5 to make payments faster and more secure by using any of your registered fingerprints. When your PayPal account has been linked, you will have access to special offers from certain online stores. Before you can link your account, and activate this service, you will need to download the FIDO Ready software (Fast IDentity Online). This can be found on the Pay with PayPal screen in the finger scanner settings. source : cellphones.about.com

iOS 9 introduces app improvements, transit maps and iPad multitasking

 

Apple announced a huge number of additions to its mobile OS at WWDC 2015 Apple has taken the wraps off iOS 9 at its yearly WWDC event in San Francisco. The latest version of the company's popular mobile operating system doesn't make any big visual changes, but offers numerous app tweaks, improvements to Siri, new multitasking features for iPad users, and much more. First up, Siri will be getting a big upgrade with iOS 9, with the company beefing up the service to compete with Google Now. Apple's personal assistant will be much more context aware with the new release, giving users the ability to make commands such as "remind me about this later" when looking at a piece of content. Siri is also getting a new, more colorful look in iOS 9, and "Siri Suggestions" will debut, offering context aware contact and app recommendations in Search. There are plenty of additional tweaks to the service. For example, if you're into yoga, an appropriate app will be recommended when you get up in the morning, and track suggestions will automatically pop up when you plug in a set of headphones. The new release will also see event invitations added automatically to Calendar, and will provide deep links between Search and third party apps, allowing users to get suggestions and jump straight into relevant apps. Multitasking comes to iPad The new OS will also introduce some new multitasking features for iPad users, most notably a new Split View that allows users to use two apps side-by-side. The feature is activated by swiping in with one finger from the right of the display, with app switching handled by swiping down from the top right. Picture-in-picture video will also arrive on iPad with iOS 9, allowing users to resize and move around videos. Lastly, there's a big new feature coming to the iPads, with the ability to use the keyboard like a trackpad via two finger gestures. The new multitasking features will be available to iOS 9 users on iPad Air and iPad Air 2, as well as iPad mini 2 and iPad mini 3. iOS 9 will also bring introduce a number of improvements to apps, with a new toolbar coming to Notes, providing formatting options, interactive check lists, drawing tools and a new way of viewing entries based on attachments. Maps is also getting a big upgrade with the addition of a new Transit view, showing public transport routes, with step-by-step directions. Users can click on a train station to see which lines are running through it, and Apple has taken the time to map stations, giving users more detailed directions about which entrances and exits to use than you'll find on competing services. Next up is News – a news aggregation app that allows users to pick their favorite publications and topics (there are more than one million of the latter on offer), with the service creating a personalized feed. If you're familiar with services like Flipboard, then you'll know roughly what to expect from News, but the app looks to have some nice features, including support for animations, videos and a slick-looking gallery view. It'll launch first in the US, UK and Australia. Apple Pay hitting the UK The company also announced that its mobile payments service – Apple Pay – will make its way to the UK in July, with more than 250,000 retail locations at launch. The service is also being expanded in the US, with support for more retailers, more banks, and more in-app payments using the service. Apple Pay will also be improving when iOS 9 hits, with the ability to add store and reward cards. The company also announced that PassBook will become Wallet, putting everything from flight boarding cards to credit cards in one place. The rest On other fronts, Apple says users can expect an extra hour of battery life after installing the new version of the OS, and it will bring with it a new low power mode that extends uptimes by an additional three hours when juice starts getting low. There were also a number of announcements for developers at the conference, the biggest of which was is an update to the company's development language, now known as Swift 2. There are numerous enhancements and changes on the way here, the biggest of which is that the language will be going open source, with compilers available for OS X and Linux by the end of the year. iOS 9 will be compatible with the same set of devices that are capable of running the current iOS 8 release (see above). The Developer Preview of iOS 9 will be available today, while the public beta will hit this July. Rather wait for the polished public release? It's scheduled to land in the (Northern hemisphere) Fall of 2015. Source: Apple

LG G4 - Early impressions

 

The LG G4 is the third first-tier Android flagship of 2015, following the HTC One M9 and Samsung Galaxy S6 (and S6 edge). Before we run our full review, we have some thoughts on the leather-clad version of the LG G4. The LG G4 is a very solid phone, as we expected it to be. The leather backing is a nice touch (though it isn't the first company to try this, with Motorola offering a leather Moto X as well), and the phone's display looks very good. LG managed to make an IPS screen that could be mistaken for an AMOLED one – meaning its contrast, deep blacks and richness of colors are all in very good shape. We find its plastic sides, though, to be a big negative. Your fingertips are typically more sensitive than the rest of your hand, and when you hold the G4 your fingertips rest against those cheap-feeling plastic edges. Technically this leather version of the G4 does have a mostly premium build, but because your fingers go straight to that plastic, it doesn't feel like it in hand. Performance is mostly good, but LG just can't seem to make a flagship that has 100 percent silky-smooth performance. We aren't yet sure if its slight and occasional lag is coming from the launcher or from the LG UI in general, but the phone doesn't feel nearly as snappy to us as the Galaxy S6 does – and it also feels a bit less zippy than the stock Android-running Nexus 6. So far the G4's camera is in very good shape: it brings back LG's laser autofocus, and its ƒ/1.8 aperture does a great job in low-lit conditions. But the camera still doesn't launch as quickly or easily as the GS6's does. Battery life appears to be (at least) pretty good so far, but we'll have more on that in our full review. Its lack of (built-in) wireless charging tech is another area, though, where it lags behind its best competition. Stay tuned for more on the LG G4, but from where we stand now it looks like a decent upgrade over last year's G3 – though it might also have too many holes to be considered a true peer of the Galaxy S6's. The G4's bigger 5.5-inch screen is about the only clear-cut advantage we're seeing so far over the Samsung flagship. Product page: LG Correction 6/7: The original version stated that the G4 doesn't support quick charging, but it was indeed added in a pre-US launch update.

Dez coisas que o seu smartphone pode fazer e você não sabia

 

A cada novidade que surge no ramo dos smartphones, só é confirmada a capacidade desses computadores de mão de efetuarem diversas funções irrestritas ao ato de ligar. Será que você conhece todas elas? Para dar uma força e ajudá-lo a aproveitar ao máximo o potencial do seu celular, o TechTudo destacou algumas delas, acompanhe. - Webcam Muitos smartphones, atualmente, oferecem duas câmeras, o que possibilita que uma delas possa funcionar com webcam, que pode ser conectada a seu desktop. Para isso, basta instalar uma versão do aplicativo Mobiola no seu PC e uma versão mobile no iPhone, BlackBerry, Windows Mobile Pocket PC, Windows Mobile Smartphones ou Symbian S6. O programa, infelizmente não tem uma versão para o Android, mas não faltam opções na loja Google Play. É possível levar a funcionalidade de webcam wireless para esse sistema operacional usando aplicativos como o DroidCam. Seu celular caiu na água? Veja como resgatá-lo no Fórum do TechTudo. - Scanner Há muito tempo escanear documentos deixou de ser uma funcionalidade exclusiva dos aparelhos de scanners, pois, atualmente, até as impressoras já trazem esse recurso. Para deixar o serviço mais completo e portátil, que tal usar o smartphone para essa função? O procedimento é simples: basta instalar alguns apps apropriados. Muitos deles, inclusive, permitem o reconhecimento de caracteres, copiar e colar textos para outros programas e ainda armazenar e organizar os documentos, além de fazer algum tipo de edição. Entre as opções disponíveis para essa funcionalidade destacam-se o TurboScan (iOS), Droid Scan Lite (Android), CamScanner (iOS, Android e Windows Phone), Handyscan (Windows Phone) e muitos outros. CamScanner é um dos apps que pode transformar seu smartphone em um scanner (Foto: Divulgação/CamScanner) - Ajudar a localizar seu carro (ou outro objeto) Em locais onde uma grande quantidade de carros são estacionados, encontrar o seu pode ser uma tarefa difícil. Com ajuda de um aplicativo como o Park Me Right (Android) e o Find My Car (iOS), entretanto, você receberá uma ajuda a mais. Ao usar o programa para marcar onde o deixou, ele te dará as coordenadas exatas na hora do retorno. Essa funcionalidade pode ser usada também para achar uma série de outros objetos fixos. Park Me Right mostra onde está seu carro (Foto: Divulgação/Park Me Right) - Hotspot Wi-Fi O Hotspot Wi-Fi é um dos recursos mais usados em smartphones. Com um app específico, ou até mesmo a própria funcionalidade nativa do sistema operacional (que é o caso dos principais sistemas atuais), você consegue compartilhar a conexão 3G de seu celular com outros dispositivos e outras pessoas poderão ter acesso à Internet. O recurso transforma o seu smartphone em um ponto de acesso Wi-Fi com opções de segurança para o acesso. Opções como o "Acesso Pessoal" do iOS faz do smartphone um hotspot Wi-Fi (Foto: Divulgação) - Identificar objetos e até obras de arte Fazer uma pesquisa sobre determinado assunto está cada vez mais à mão dos interessados em obter conhecimento. Com a função Google Goggles, é possível fazer uma busca apenas apontando a câmera para o objeto e capturando a sua imagem. A funcionalidade está embutida no app Google Search (iOS, Android e Windows Phone). Ela procura identificar o item apontado e, em seguida, exibe as informações encontradas na web. O recurso é muito útil e permite identificar desde objetos simples a obras de arte, o que amplia as diversas possibilidades de seu uso. Google Goggles identifica objetos apenas capturando uma foto (Foto: Divulgação/Google) - Traduzir conversas em tempo real A barreira das línguas também pode ser reduzida com o uso de um smartphone. Usando apps como o Google Translate (iOS e Android), basta ter uma conexão de de dados, falar e receber a tradução. Para completar, o aplicativo ainda oferece a pronúncia da tradução. Há outros apps com funcionalidades parecidas, mas boa parte deles utilizam internamente o serviço do Google e não são tão completos quanto o tradutor do Google. Google Translate permite fazer tradução em tempo real (Foto: Reprodução/The Next Web) - Ouvir rádios personalizadas e online Ao contrário do que alguns imaginavam que aconteceria, a Internet não acabou com as rádios. Contradizendo as previsões, agora, é possível ouvir rádios de qualquer lugar do mundo, e com apps como Rdio e TuneIn, você terá suas canções favoritas na palma da mão, por meio da conexão de dados do smartphone. Há diversas ofertas de apps que permitem a escolha do gênero musical, combinar estilos e até mesmo montar uma rádio com a programação que você quer. O TuneIn é um dos apps que leva várias rádios para o seu smartphone (Foto: Divulgação/Tuneln) - Conversar com pessoas que assistem ao mesmo programa de TV ao vivo Diante de um contexto de intenso compartilhamento de informações, uma conversa trivial sobre programas de TV tem se tornado um processo cada vez mais global. Apps como Sappos e Twitter colocam nas mãos dos usuários os recursos que eles precisam para acompanhar a programação de canais abertos e pagos, comunicarem-se e trocarem ideias ao vivo sobre a programação da telinha. Essa combinação de interação social com mobilidade garante que muitas pessoas possam participar do debate, independente de onde estejam. Sappos permite "discutir" sobre o que está passando na TV (Foto: Divulgação/Sappos) - Controlar vídeos do YouTube pela TV Apesar de o YouTube já estar presente na maioria das SmartTVs, agora, apps como Twonky Beam (iOS, Android) permitem interagir com a interface da rede social de vídeos por meio da tecnologia DLNA, tornando bem mais completo o uso dela na TV. O aplicativo vai além da simples interação com o YouTube e pode ser muito útil para quem deseja usá-lo como “controle remoto”. Twonky Beam é o controle remoto do YouTube para a SmarTV (Foto: Divulgação/Twonky Bea) - Monitorar frequência cardíaca O smartphone tem sido usado para acompanhar atividades físicas e agora serve até para monitorar a frequência cardíaca de uma pessoa. Isso é possível graças ao uso de apps como o Instant Heart Rate, que identifica seu ritmo cardíaco sem a necessidade de qualquer outro equipamento, apenas colocando o dedo na frente lente da câmera. Com isso, o programa detecta suaves mudanças na coloração da pele pelo fluxo de sangue entre cada batida do coração e, assim, consegue medir seus batimentos cardíacos. - Ensinar uma outra língua Com a aproximação de distâncias gerada pela Internet, para aprender outra língua não é mais preciso estar em uma sala de aula. Com os smartphones, isso ficou ainda mais fácil. Basta instalar um aplicativo, praticar todos os dias e evoluir aos poucos, em qualquer lugar que você esteja. O maior expoente dessa modalidade é o Duolingo, considerado o aplicativo do ano pela Apple. O uso de smartphones com apps específicos abre espaço para uma série de possibilidades que podem facilitar ainda mais a vida dos usuários. Tudo depende da sua necessidade, do hardware e da disponibilidade de aplicativos para a plataforma de seu smartphone.

Google Nexus 6

 

At what point does a phone get so big that it becomes a tablet? Whether you call it a huge phone, small tablet or just a "phablet," Google's Nexus 6 is a beast. Read on, as Gizmag reviews one of the best ... mobile devices of the year. The Nexus 6 has an enormous screen – even by 2014 standards. The latest Galaxy Note, a brand once synonymous with jumbo-sized phones, has a 10 percent smaller display. Measured diagonally, the Nexus' display is the same size as a Kindle e-reader screen (below). And it's almost as big as three iPhone 4s displays combined. Fortunately, though, this isn't some gimmicky phone that exists just to push size boundaries. Its razor-sharp and color-rich Quad HD AMOLED display is the perfect showcase for the new Android 5.0 Lollipop, with its Material Design makeover. This is an ideal marriage of hardware and software: Lollipop's flat design and lively animations coupled with that big and beautiful display. The biggest advantage of buying any phablet is that they're not so much phones as they are tiny tablets that you always have in your pocket. They can potentially void any need you had for a mini-tablet. The Nexus 6's bigger screen takes that same strength and pushes it a little farther than rivals like the Note 4 and iPhone 6 Plus do. They all have big screens, but the closer they get to tablet size, the less you need something like an iPad mini or Kindle Fire. Build quality is good, even if it isn't one of the Nexus 6's highlights. There's a metallic band running around its edge that helps to give the phone a higher-end feel, while its backside is made of a smooth, almost metallic-feeling plastic that reminds us of the LG G3. We'd recommend using a case with the Nexus 6: this is a huge phone with a slightly-slippery finish. If you aren't careful, it could end up on the losing end of a showdown with the nearest ceramic floor. The phone itself is also huge, but, considering how unusually large its screen is, not as big and heavy as you might expect. It has a 19 percent bigger screen than the iPhone 6 Plus, but is only 7 percent heavier. Its front face uses its space economically: it's almost all screen, with narrow bezels above and below. On paper, the Nexus 6 looks like a thick device, but its 10.1 mm (0.4-in) depth is a little deceiving, as that only counts the thickest point of its rounded back. Its edges are much thinner than that, and the sloped back feels comfortable in hand. The Nexus 6's 13 MP camera isn't breaking any new ground, but it also doesn't give you anything to worry about. Compared to other high-end 2014 flagships, it falls smack dab in the middle of the pack. Image quality is great outdoors and respectable in low-lit conditions. It has a dual-LED flash to make flash shots look more even and colorful, Optical Image Stabilization to cut down on the effects of shaky hands, and shooting/focusing speed that could be faster (the iPhone 6 and LG G3 are much better in this respect). In a phone full of positives, camera quality is ... positive enough. Battery life is good. In our stress test, where we stream video with brightness set at 75 percent, it only dropped 12 percent per hour. On average, that has it streaming video for around 8.3 hours before conking out. With more typical use, this is an all-day device with room to spare. The Nexus 6 also uses Qualcomm's Quick Charge 2.0 technology to quickly get its battery back to a respectable state. If the Nexus 6 is running low on juice, 15 minutes on its included charger is all it takes to add an extra (roughly) 6 hours of battery life. The Nexus 6 has front-facing stereo speakers, and, though they sound better than most phones' speakers, we wouldn't recommend getting rid of your headphones just yet. The speakers on the HTC One (M8), which are also front-facing, sound much crisper and more powerful than these. They're a solid bonus, but not a selling feature. In terms of quality, the high-end smartphone market is more competitive than ever. The last few months have been especially kind: the latest iPhones, Galaxy Note 4 and 2nd-gen Moto X can each make a strong claim to the "best smartphone" title. Throw in wild cards like the Verizon-only Droid Turbo and oldies-but-goodies LG G3 and HTC One M8, and you have a tough decision on your hands. And yes, you can now add the Nexus 6 to that list. Why would you choose the Nexus 6 over these other drool-worthy handsets? Two reasons: that bigger screen and Lollipop. The new version of Android marks Google's best UI design by far (I think it's even better-looking than iOS 8), and the Nexus 6's humongous Quad HD screen is the best device to showcase it. The Nexus 6 is a whale of a phone (aptly codenamed "Shamu" during development) and its absurd size will probably push away more than a few customers. But if the last few years have taught us anything, it's that smartphone shoppers like "bigger." If you're still searching for the holy grail of bigger (not to mention better), then the Nexus 6 is where it's at right now. There is one big difference with this year's Nexus: Google axed the budget pricing that we saw on the last two models, and is pricing the Nexus 6 like a flagship (US$650 full retail, $250 on-contract). But compared to its competition, we still think it stacks up pretty well: Consider that when buying at full retail, the Nexus 6 is $50 cheaper than the Note 4 and $100 cheaper than the iPhone 6 Plus (it's also $50 cheaper than both on-contract). We love all three phones, but the Nexus has a bigger screen, only takes up a little more space in your pocket and costs less. "Nexus" may no longer be synonymous with "bargain," but in those ways it does still give you more bang for your buck. Gizmag recommends the Nexus 6 to anyone looking for a powerful phone with a gigantic screen, quite possibly the most beautiful mobile software to date, and seamless performance. Its build quality isn't on par with the iPhone's, and it doesn't use a stylus like the Note, but if those aren't your priorities, you could easily argue that it's the best huge phone/small tablet you can buy today. The Google/Motorola Nexus 6 is available now (though supplies are constrained), starting at $650 off-contract or $250 on. For more on its software, you can hit up Gizmag's Android 5.0 Lollipop review. Product pages: Google, Motorola

5 Quick Phone Charging Hacks For When You're Short on Time

 

Being Short on Time Doesn't Mean You Have to Be Short on Battery paolomartinezphotography/Moment Open/Getty Images If keeping your smartphone charged is a challenge in everyday life, it's even worse when you're traveling. Long days in transit or out exploring a new city will make that battery icon start flashing before you know it, especially when you're relying on your phone for navigation, entertainment and more. Even worse, you've often only got limited time to get some juice in it – a short layover, coffee break in a café or quick return to the hotel room to freshen up – before you're out of reach of a charging cable for another few hours. Here are five hacks for getting more charge in your phone when you're short on time. Charge From a Wall Socket Always charge from a wall socket rather than a laptop when you're in a hurry. All else being equal, it takes longer – in some cases, an extra hour or more – to charge a smartphone over USB than from the wall. If your charger didn't come with an adapter to plug it into the wall, they're small and cost as little as $10 for a good one. Use a High-Power USB Adapter Speaking of good wall to USB adapters, be sure to use one that can put out as much power as your smartphone can handle. For example, the iPhone 6 ships with a 1 amp power adapter – but it can actually handle the 2.1amp charger from an iPad just fine, and will charge much faster if you use one. By contrast, if you use an old 0.5 amp USB adapter you've got lying around, your phone might not even charge at all. You can't damage your phone by doing this – the number on the adapter is a maximum rating, but it will only send as much power as your device actually requests. Check the specifications of the adapter you're planning to use, and get a better one if you need to. The small extra cost is well worth the substantial time saving. Charge Your Battery Pack Instead Certain portable battery packs can charge much faster than the smartphone or tablet you'll be connecting them to. The Pronto battery, for instance, boasts of being able to fully recharge an iPhone 5 after being plugged into the wall for just 5-15 minutes depending on the model. If you leave it connected for an hour, it'll have enough juice to charge that same iPhone between three and nine times! Just plug the battery into the wall while you're waiting to board or taking a shower, then slip it into your pocket and charge your phone up once you're on the move again. Put Your Phone in Flight Mode All of those useful features on your smartphone chew up battery life, but the wi-fi and (especially) cellular radios are one of the biggest power hogs of all. To make sure you get as much juice as possible into your phone in a hurry, put it in flight mode while you're charging. If you're waiting for a call or text, at least turn off mobile data and wi-fi to save a little battery. Stop Checking the Charge Level The only thing that kills your battery faster than cell data is that big, bright screen – so stop looking at it while you're charging the phone! Every little bit helps, and continually turning on the display to check the battery percentage is only going to make matters worse.

Smartphone Screens Correct for Your Vision Flaws

 

Self-correcting screens on smartphones and iPads tailor themselves to a viewer's vision—no glasses necessary

Nov 18, 2014 By Rachel Nuwer

Ben Voldman

In the U.S., more than 40 percent of 40-year-olds need eyeglasses for reading, and that figure jumps to nearly 70 percent for people aged 80 and older. “As we get older, refractive errors play more significant roles in our lives,” says Gordon Wetzstein, an assistant professor of electrical engineering at Stanford University.

But glasses and contact lenses are not always ideal. If you are farsighted, for example, you do not need glasses to see traffic while driving, but you do need them to read your speedometer or GPS. The best solution in such cases, Wetzstein says, would be vision-correcting displays—screens that wear the glasses for you.

Wetzstein and his colleagues at M.I.T. (where he was formerly based) and the University of California, Berkeley, have developed just such a screen. The vision-correcting display makes two modifications to a standard high-resolution smartphone or tablet screen. The first is a low-cost, pinhole-covered printed transparency that covers the screen. The second: algorithms coded into the smartphone or tablet that determine the viewer's position relative to the screen and distort the image that is projected, according to his or her prescription. As the distorted image passes through the matrix of pinholes in the transparent screen cover, the hardware-software combination creates errors on the screen that cancel errors in the eye, thus delivering what appears to be a crisp image. The screen can correct for myopia, hyperopia, astigmatism and more complicated vision problems. The team presented the work at the SIGGRAPH conference in August in Vancouver.

Informal tests on a handful of users have shown that the technology works, Wetzstein says, but large-scale studies are needed to further refine it. In the process, the researchers also plan on developing a slider that can be used to manually adjust the focus of the screen. Wetzstein says that the technology could be a boon for people in developing countries who have easier access to mobile devices than prescription eyewear.

Sharp Aquos Crystal Smartphone is an Edgeless Beauty

 

By: Nicholas Greene

You’ve probably heard of Sharp before. They’re that company that makes all those awesome monitors and TVs. They kind of know a thing or two about display technology as a result. Now they’ve put that knowledge to use with the Sharp Aquos Crystal Smartphone- which is instantly one of the sexiest smartphones ever released.

Pretty much everything about the phone is made for visual appeal. The screen is designed with a new form of “edgeless display” technology, making it one of the first true borderless Smartphone screens on the market. It’d also only five inches – which, thanks to the aforementioned display,  Not only that, it packs a super-powered 8 MegaPixel camera which will make even the most amateur of photographs look professionally-done. thanks to built-in editing and photography software. Even the audio is a cut above the standard for the market, featuring Harmon/Kardon technology for crystal-clear, beautiful sound.

Alright, enough gushing. I don’t want you guys to think I’m vomiting out some sort of thinly-veiled sales pitch. The phone’s pretty awesome though, isn’t it?

In an era where every smartphone manufacturer is trying to (directly or indirectly) imitate every other manufacturer, it’s actually pretty refreshing to see someone try something different. The AQUOS Crystal looks like it’ll be a breath of fresh air in the mobile world, and a great choice for anyone who’s not keen on the design of any of the current market leaders. The phone is a Sprint exclusive, with a release date that’s soon to be announced. The price isn’t established either; all we know is that it’s designed to be “affordable.”

Stay tuned, folks – this one looks like it’ll be worth the wait.  The AQUOS Crystal will run Android 4.4.2 KitKat with Sprint Spark, and will be available in “limited markets.”  If you want to learn more about the phone, you can visit Sharp’s website.

 

 

Written by: Nicholas Greene on October 13, 2014.
Last revised by: Seamus Payne