Save to Pocket and Evernote from your inbox with CloudMagic’s Cards
Try as we might, we just can’t escape email. Apple, Google, Microsoft and others have tried to do more with our messages, but only recently have we seen apps and services try to provide better context on their contents. With its latest update, CloudMagic, a free iOS and Android email app we’ve recommended in the past, has included new feature that ignores your need to reach Inbox Zero and focuses on extracting all of the important data in your email so that you can actually do something with it. To do this, it uses “Cards”, workflows that connect to popular online services like Pocket, Evernote and Trello and allow you to save to-do lists, notes and web links without leaving the comfort of your inbox.
CloudMagic’s Cards are loaded by double-tapping on an open email message or by hitting a small icon located next to a sender’s name. Right now, it features a number of business-centric services like Salesforce, Zendesk and Mailchimp, but the app’s creators have opened Cards to all and are actively working with developers to support more tools like Evernote and Pocket in the future. While Google’s Gmail app provides similar hooks, if you don’t want to be part of its ecosystem, you’re out of luck. CloudMagic sidesteps the issue by including support for Google, Exchange, Outlook, iCloud and other email services while using its own cloud algorithms to make your emails easier to find. CloudMagic’s updated apps are available via the App Store and Google Play, you can find them by using the links below.
Filed under: Cellphones, Software, Mobile
Source: CloudMagic (App Store), CloudMagic (Google Play), CloudMagic
How Technology Affects the Modern Society Travellers
Most people have already adapted to a society that is totally dominated by modern technology. Residences are now centrally heated and incorporated with high tech materials for more comfort and safety. People have learned to consume scientifically engineered food and travel efficiently in high speed vehicles.
Technology has extended the ways of communicating making it available anywhere you are in the world through portable gadgets. Booking flight for Hurghada holidays and other country holidays is made more convenient by technology. It has a profound effect on the interpersonal dynamics, the natural environment and people’s mind. As it continues to dominate people’s lives, technology has become more important in the society than it used to be many years ago.
Technology Gadgets for Travellers
Laptops – This has been around for many years. A lot of versions have been launched in the market by famous providers today. Taking a laptop while travelling is like having a personal computer where people can do the important tasks that they need to be accomplished online. If in any case they might need to book another flight for emergency reasons they can handle the transaction online using their laptop.
Tablets – Many people believe that these are a cheaper alternative to laptops. However, their computing power and ease of use does not match with the real laptops. They are still considered as luxury devices and mostly preferred by some people for playing games, surfing web, interacting with others and playing videos while relaxing.
E-readers – This is another new gadget that travellers love. Although many of them argue that they don’t need this product because they already have a laptop, still others believe that these have better benefits when reading pages compared to a tablet. E- Readers use e-ink making their pages look like the pages of a book for easy reading. These gadgets are perfect for holidaymakers who want to relax while reading in a calm environment.
The Benefits of Technological Innovations
There are many technological innovations these days that help people overcome the difficulties of life. The invention of medical products has prevented deaths from infection and diseases. Electronic gadgets have made communication even better. For anyone who seeks to enjoy their benefits, opportunities are greater in number than people in the earlier times. The benefits of technology are also seen in culture but most people do not have awareness of them. This is because people tend to live inside a technological matrix. Technology has created rapid and easy transportation, travel, global communication and medical intervention all of which affect people’s lives.
The modern society has become dependent on technology that they are able to build a strong relationship with each other. Most of the developing countries are now trying to get faster computers, internet connection, better cell phone providers and more transportation systems in land, air and water. More technological innovations are now required to improve and accomplish the goals of the modern society.
Author Bio: Parker is a computer expert and a writer. In his articles and blogs, he emphasized the value of technology in people’s lives especially in the lives of those who are taking Hurghada holidays.
Jawbone updates its Android app with wireless syncing and push notifications (updated)
If you own a Jawbone fitness tracker, you may have read last week that the company made some changes to its app. Unfortunately for some of us, the updates were all for iOS only — in fact, the company didn’t even bother to mention Android that day. Turns out, Jawbone had a good reason: it was planning an update for the Android app that brings it more in line with its iOS counterpart. In particular, it now fully supports the wireless Up24 band, which is to say it syncs wirelessly and sends out push notifications (e.g., you’re about to hit your daily step goal). In addition, the app includes most of the new features that were introduced on iOS last week — things like sunrise/sunset times in the sleep graph and “Insight Reports,” which establish a connection between things like how much sleep you got and what foods you’re likely to crave the next day. So, even if you own an older Up band you’ll want to head over to Google Play straight away.
Update: An earlier version of this story reported that the Android app would be missing the new features that were just introduced on the iOS version last week. A Jawbone rep later said that the Android app would, in fact, include most of these features, with the exception of custom reminders.
Plextor targets gamers with ’50 percent faster’ SSD starting at €199 ($275)
It’s over a year since we last covered Plextor‘s wares, but the company’s been busy with the next generation of its M-branded SSDs. For the first time, the range includes a premium PCIe option explicitly aimed at gamers, which promises much better speeds by side-stepping the SATA “bottleneck.” This card, the M6e, starts at €199 ($275) for 128GB and tops out at €540 ($750) for 512GB, with claimed sequential read / writes of up to 770 / 625MB/s, and random read / writes of up to 105k / 100k IOPS. Plextor says that’s a gain of around 50 percent compared to the sequential speeds you’d get from the regular SATA option, the M6S, but of course you’re paying for that extra performance: the biggest 512GB M6S will set you back just €332 ($460), for example. We’ve been told to expect availability “very soon,” but in the meantime you can check out some early reviews of the PCIe drive at the links below.
Filed under: Storage
Sony Xperia Z2 can be charged wirelessly; Sony to release charging Accessories
Wireless charging is always a nice thing to have available for your smartphone, yet it doesn’t seem to be as widely utilized as some of us might like; I love wireless charging, particularly as I can just place my phone on the charging plate without needing to feel around for my charging cable and then plug it in. Sony, however, may be joining the light side with this iteration of its devices as Clove has listed a wireless charging case and wireless charging plate for the Sony Xperia Z2, suggesting that the Sony Xperia Z2 can be charged wirelessly.
While Clove doesn’t have any product images yet, it says that Sony is going to be offering the WCR12 Wireless Charging cover in black and white for £69.99 as well as the WCH10 Charging Plate which is going to go for £54.99. Much like other manufacturer branded accessories, these ones err on the side of expensive, though we’re anticipating that the charging cover is simply going to enable Qi-wireless charging, which will open the door for you to get a much cheaper charging plate.
What do you think about the Sony Xperia Z2 getting the ability to charge wirelessly? Let us know your opinion in the comments.
Source: Clove via XperiaBlog
Leaked ad explains why HTC’s putting a ‘Duo Camera’ in its new One
Ever since a leaked image showed off dual cameras on HTC’s next One (aka the M8), the rumor mill has been trying to figure out what they’re for, exactly. Now, an ad from Australian carrier Telstra leaked to GSM Arena appears to have removed all mystery. First off, the phone is referred to as the “All New HTC One (M8),” in the copy, likely to distinguish it from the last model. As for the “Duo Camera,” it’ll bring improved low-light capabilities and let you select the focus of a shot after it’s been taken — as predicted. You’ll also be able to highlight significant areas of a shot, soften the background and add 3D effects. Another big reveal is the 5-inch, full HD, scratch-resistant screen (a step up from the last One’s 4.7-inch display), along with dual “BoomSound” speakers. Finally, the latest Sense 6.0 version will let you double tap the screen to turn on the phone and swipe to access apps and social info. The ad looks like the real McCoy, but if you’re still capable of any skepticism, all will be revealed in exactly two weeks.
Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile
Source: GSM Arena
Former Apple Engineer Recalls Steve Jobs’ Great Displeasure with Multi-Button Mouse Concepts [Mac Blog]
Steve Jobs’ great displeasure about the the idea of a multi-button mouse was apparently the driving force behind Apple’s push to greatly innovate in the area of input devices, according to a new interview with Apple’s former Senior Mechanical Engineer of Product Design Abraham Farag (via Cult of Mac).
Farag, who is the current owner of product development firm Sparkfactor Design, says that he was brought onboard to Apple in 1999 to design a successor to the original Apple USB “hockey puck” mouse, which shipped with the iMac G3 in 1998 and garnered heavy criticism for its small size, short cord, and tendency to rotate in a user’s hand.
From left to right: Apple’s USB “Hockey Puck” Mouse, Pro Mouse, Mighty Mouse, and Magic Mouse
The designer said that Apple’s design team had worked on five complete prototypes to show Jobs, complete with lines cut for buttons and different plastic parts. Farag noted that the team made a last-minute choice to work on one more prototype model, which resembled the Apple Desktop Bus Mouse II.
However, that last prototype was not finished as Jobs entered the room to look at the group of potential mice, which led to an encounter between the CEO and the design team:
“It looked like a grey blob,” Farag says. “We were going to put that model into a box so people wouldn’t see it.” However, when Jobs turned up things went awry.
“Steve looked at the lineup of potential forms and made straight for the unfinished one,” Farag says.
“That’s genius,” he said. “We don’t want to have any buttons.”
“That’s right, Steve,” someone else piped up. “No buttons at all.”
The meeting, it seemed, was over.“[Afterwards], Bart Andre, Brian Huppi and I left the room and huddled outside with each other, [saying] ‘how are we going to do that?’” Farag recalls. “Because of that unfinished model we had to invent a way to make a mouse with no buttons.”
The unfinished model that Jobs designated as his choice eventually became the Apple Pro Mouse, and began shipping in 2000. Farag believed Apple was the first to create a mouse that used an LED for optical tracking in place of a rubber ball, as the team looked toward building a successor worthy of the Apple Pro Mouse. Once again, Apple’s design team wanted to create a mouse with multiple buttons, as Farag recalled a meeting with Apple design chief Jony Ive in which multiple prototypes were being discussed.
“Steve wasn’t invited to the meeting,” Farag recalls. “Not because he wasn’t allowed — he could go anywhere in the company — but just because it wasn’t something we were pitching to him yet.
…Suddenly Jobs happened to walk by, on his way back from another meeting. Seeing prototypes on the table, he stopped and came over.
“What morons have you working on this project?” he asked as he realized what he was looking at.“There was just a total hush,” Farag recalls. “No one was going to fess up to being the moron in the room. Eventually I said, ‘Well, this was asked for by the marketing division. It’s a multi-button mouse. It’s been approved through Apple’s process channels, and so we’ve been working on it.”
Jobs stared at him.
“I’m Marketing,” he said. “It’s a marketing team of one. And we’re not doing that product.” With that, he turned and stalked off.
Farag notes that it was Jobs’ persistence to create a mouse unlike anything on the market that helped Apple in the long run, and that the concept of built-in capacitive sensors to emulate the presence of multiple buttons eventually changed the former CEO’s mind about multi-function mice.
Apple then went on to produce the Mighty Mouse, which was the company’s first mouse to ditch the one-button philosophy, and followed it up with the Magic Mouse, which features multi-touch gesture controls and is currently included with every new iMac.
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Apple’s iTunes Radio Becomes Third Most Popular U.S. Music Streaming Service
Less than six months after its launch alongside iOS 7 last September, Apple’s iTunes Radio has become the third most popular music streaming service in the United States, according to a new report from Edison Research and Statista (via Fortune).
While Pandora and iHeartRadio took first and second place with a 31% and 9% share of the market respectively, iTunes Radio accounted for an 8% share with over 20 million users, passing Spotify’s 6%. Apple’s streaming service also passed the likes of competitors such as Google Play All Access, Rhapsody, Slacker, and TuneIn Radio.
While users can hop between services freely (and at least one report has suggested that 92 percent of iTunes Radio listeners also find time for Pandora), that figure would suggest that iTunes Radio is growing at the fastest rate of the top three services, and is likely to overtake iHeartRadio in the next quarter or two.
Apple launched iTunes Radio in Australia last month, as the company looks to ultimately have the service “in more than 100 countries,” according to senior vice president of Internet software and services Eddy Cue. The company will be able to roll out its service to additional countries more quickly than competitors due to its existing international rights deals with Universal Music Group and other record companies.
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[LEAK] ‘HTC Duo Camera’ may be the official name of the All New HTC One’s dual-sensor Camera
Australia is known for many things: kangaroos, koalas, being amazing at cricket and being home to Crocodile Dundee. On this particular occasion though, we might have done the Android community a favour by leaking the official name of the All New HTC One‘s dual-sensor camera in a magazine ad. In the ad, Telstra refers to the camera as the ‘HTC Duo Camera‘, which isn’t quite on the same level as ‘BoomSound’ or ‘UltraPixel’, but it’ll do. As we’ve suspected all along, the Duo Camera will have Lytro Camera-like abilities (read more about the tech behind it here) and will be able to:
“Create vivid images even in low light and professionally edit memories after you’ve taken the shot. Choose where to focus, highlight what you love, soften backgrounds and add 3D effects.”
As well as possibly leaking the camera’s name, rough pricing for the device was also provided. Off-contract from Telstra, the All New HTC One is going to run you $840 AUD, which equates to about $760 USD; it must be noted that Australian prices tend to be a bit higher than the norm, but expect the phone to still be in that ballpark. The ad also makes reference to Sense 6.0 and introduces some of the abilities it has, like double tapping the screen to rotate the orientation of the screen.
What do you think about the naming of the camera as the HTC Duo Camera? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.
Source: Google+ via Android Central
BBC revamps iPlayer with new web UI and greater focus on content discovery
The BBC teased us with stories of a new, improved iPlayer nearing the end of the last year, and today we’re seeing the first part of that go live. Arriving today on the web and smart TVs, the “completely re-built” iPlayer has a simpler, image-focused UI that’ll be consistent across all platforms when tablet and smartphone apps catch up in a few months. You can switch between the various BBC channels using tabs near the top of the page, with quick access to categories and favorites on the same level. A revised category list should make it easier to find things to watch that suits your tastes, and suggestive search should help you find those shows you already know you like. Similarly, new themed “collections” will give offer eyeball food that revolves around the same topic. If you’re still not sure what to watch, there’s always the A-Z program and recently watched lists for inspiration. A new playback page doesn’t need to reload when you move onto the next episode (or something else from the recommendations), and you can add programs to favorites straight from the player.
The new iPlayer isn’t just about improving the user experience, though. It’s a completely fresh platform the BBC will build on top of in the future. We didn’t hear much about features we might have expected today, like the BBC Store for paid content, and an extension of the catch-up window to 30 days (which may be realized later in the year if the BBC Trust approves). We did learn, however, that an option to log-in is in the works, so you can pause a show on one device and pick up where you left off on another, for example — and that it won’t be a requirement or an attempt to track down those in the licence grey area. It’s not so much about adding more bells and whistles, though, but about “creative opportunities that the new iPlayer will open up.” The high likelihood of BBC Three moving online-only was heralded as both sad and exciting by the BBC, as moving to a different setup means they can experiment with new content and how it’s presented to viewers. BBC Three has been a guinea pig for ‘iPlayer-first’ content, of course, and should it move exclusively online, will retain its own identity, we’re told. Also, there will be much more unique content coming to the platform during the year — a handful of drama shorts have found a place in the new UI today — as the BBC continue to position iPlayer as an on-par offering to their traditional channels, rather than a fall-back.
Filed under: Home Entertainment, Internet, HD
Source: BBC
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