portable device conversion

YouTube was created in 2005, but much like Google, it feels like it’s been around forever. We post our videos on YouTube, look for some silly entertainment during boring afternoons and send videos along to friends much like old ladies used to spread gossip around town not very long ago.

But should you be limited to YouTube? Let’s be honest, there is a whole world of streaming video online that most people have never seen because they have settled for YouTube. Most video sites have the same features, or features even better than YouTube has and some have a more specialized selection or much higher quality videos.

So here is a small sample of video sites you should check out that many people feel are better than YouTube.

Current TV

Current TV is a website that is also a TV channel, but unlike all other tv sites, that post their content from tv on their video sites, Current plays the content from their website on TV. People post their videos, or pods, on the site which get voted by the community and the highest ranking ones get on their television channel. Current has an enticing variety of videos, but the heart of the site is its amazing independent journalism. On Current, you can see all the reports that usually don’t get on television, or a whole new approach to the news you do see. For video producers, it’s a chance to get your video on tv and a little bit of cash to go with it.

TED

TED is unique in the world of streaming video, and it is brilliant in its own way. TED’s whole concept is to spread ideas, and to accomplish that, it has enlisted some of the most brilliant minds in the world to create “talks” about topics as diverse as Eve Ensler’s “Embrace your inner child”, Murray Gell-Mann’s  ”Beauty and truth in physics” or Bill Gates’ “Mosquitos, malaria and education”. Better than YouTube in another way, the search on the site also works in an ingenious way, letting you search by keywords or by themes such as: inspiring, beautiful or fascinating. For those of us who are eternal students, TED is a jewel of endless facets.

Big Think

Following a very similar style to TED, Big Think takes an interview approach to its video instead of a prepared talk. The result is a very interesting group of answers that make you feel like you actually got to ask a famous expert the question yourself and he had the kindness to reply. It’s not as evolved as TED is, but it is certainly biting at its heels.

Atom

If you think YouTube videos are funny, you’ve never visited Atom, previously Atom Films. With an enormous array of animations, comedy shorts and sketches, Atom hasn’t lost its edge after its acquisition by MTV.  Because of its huge selection of talented filmmakers who normally contribute to the site and with their own staff filmmakers, who were selected from some of the funniest sites online, Atom manages to consistently have shorts that will lighten up the most boring of days.

Blip.tv

Created on May 11, 2005, the same year as YouTube, Blip.tv has mimicked what network television channels offer but using the same resource Current TV uses: independent producers. It currently has about 48,000 independently produced Web shows and approximately 22,000,000 viewers. They share the revenue of their ads with the producers, which allows them to make some income from their shows and keep producing them and in exchange, Blip.tv gets a constant supply of episodes for their video site. So what can you find on Blip.tv? Mostly, the site consists of series of shows, much like television shows, with genres like dating, technology, animation and a diverse group of fiction stories.

5 Min

Did you ever want to know how to photograph a red squirrel, how to reduce poverty in developing worlds or how to go geocaching with your kids? Well, you can find all of those answers and much, much more on 5min.com, the site that will try to teach you how to do almost anything in 5 minute videos.

World Wide Internet TV (WwiTV)

WwiTV is more an aggregator than a video site, since it doesn’t store the videos itself, but merely points at videos in other sites. The reason it made this list is that it points at video channels from all over the world, so if you’d like to watch a soap opera from Azerbaijan or a music video from Vietnam, you can find it all on WwiTV. The quality is generally quite poor and the site itself is quite an eye sore, but where else would you find a North Korean video as top selection of the day followed closely by the Hellenic channel in Greece?

Hulu

Television channels seem to have noticed that trying to keep their shows out of streaming video sites is a lost battle. Their response seems to be finding partners who will help them deliver the content in its entirety and in higher quality than the ripped versions of the videos while sharing the ad revenue. One of such partner sites is Hulu. It carries content from many tv channels at very high streaming quality. The one catch is that it doesn’t have international streaming rights for their content outside the USA, so it’s for an American audience only.

Vimeo

Since it was created by filmmakers, Vimeo shows a very holistic and welcoming approach to video sharing. Vimeo tends to attract more professional filmmakers than other sharing sites, the video tends to be higher quality and the design certainly beats YouTube’s messy look. The community projects and groups also make it easy to find videos of a particular topic or subject matter and with almost 3 million members and over 17000 videos uploaded daily, there is a lot to choose from.

Stickam

The proposal of sites like Stickam is very innovative. Let the audience participate by streaming their own video live. For most part, it works in an exciting way. Some shows are scheduled and you can stream your own video as an audience member and talk to the hosts or video chat among other viewers. It’s like being part of a live audience and always carrying the mike. You can also watch pre-recorded shows and interviews.

The one issue is that for a large part of the day, the site seems to be inhabited by the people who are most at ease with webcams, young teenagers. Nothing intrinsically wrong with that, but if you are looking for some more experienced discussions you must select your live streams carefully.

UStream

The older, more mature version of Stickam, Ustream also allows people to create their own broadcasting channels and their own live shows. It does, though, carry live broadcasting from many mainstream media sites and it doesn’t allow people to join in with their video chats the way Stickam does, but it does have live text chat.

The topics tend to be more interesting than Stickam’s since it has a lot of contributions from professional journalists who decided to try the live interactive video format.

Blinkx

Why bother visiting a bunch of video sites looking for viral videos when you can find it all on one site? Boasting to be world’s largest video search engine with over 35 million hours of video from all major video sites, Blinx even claims to have indexed more media searches than Google.  All you have to do is type in a keyword and you get results from major sites all at once.

There are literally thousands of streaming video sites to choose from, built just  to entertain or inform you. Some are very niche, some copies of what we’ve already seen.  The ones above are a taste of those I find myself checking out on a regular basis. What are your favorite ones and why?

Source: http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/top-12-sites-watch-videos-youtube/

More Reading:

6 Ways To Sync Music To Your iPhone Without iTunes

Convert Sony F55/F5 XAVC format video to iPad Mini/iPhone 5

Playing 1080p/720p video files(MKV/AVI/MTS/FLV) on iPhone 5

Apple TV vs. Roku 3 vs. Boxee Box vs. WD TV Play vs. Google TV

[How to]Watch and Play AVI files,movies,format on Apple TV

Convert MKV files so that we will work on a Nokia Lumia 520

By default, iTunes is the only media player that you can use to sync your iPhone and iPod Touch with your computer. However, iTunes is only supported in Mac and Windows, which means Linux users with iPhones will have to find an alternative way to sync their iPhones, or at least get their music into the mobile device. In addition, there may be a large group of Windows users who are using other media players (such as Winamp) to manage their music library and loathe the idea of migrating the whole library to iTunes just because they bought an iPhone.

In this article, I will point out 6 other ways that you can transfer music to your iPhone without iTunes.

(Note: When I refer to “iPhone” in the article, it includes the iPod Touch as well)

1. Media Monkey (Windows)

MediaMonkey is a heavy-duty, fully-featured media player for Windows. It is just like iTunes in Mac, allowing you to manage your music, video, podcast, rip CD, organize album art etc. In their latest version 3 release, they implemented iPhone/iPod Touch support and you can now transfer/sync your music easily.

In order to use MediaMonkey to manage your iPhone music, you have to first install iTunes (version 8.1.0.52 and before). That could be ironical since the purpose of it all is to do without iTunes completely. However, iTunes comes with the device driver for iPhone/iPod Touch that is required by many third-party media players to detect and access the database of the iPhone. As soon as you install iTunes, you will be able to use Media Monkey to sync your music.

For those who don’t want to install iTunes, there is a hack:

1. Download the iTunes.exe file
2. Rename the .exe to .zip
3. Open up the zipped file and extract AppleMobileDeviceSupport.msi and QuickTime.msi
4. Install these two files.

You can then sync your iPhone with Media Monkey without iTunes.

2) Winamp and the ml_ipod plugin (Windows)

For those who have been using Winamp since the first day it was launched, there is no need to migrate all your music library to iTunes just because you bought a iPhone. With the ml ipod plugin , you will be able to sync your music.

Firstly, you have to install iTunes (ml_ipod was tested with iTunes 7.4.2 and 8.0.2. If you are using a later version of iTunes, might not work), or use the above hack to install the driver without installing iTunes.

Secondly, install Winamp (recommended version 5 and above), follow by ml_ipod (version 3.08 or later). Plug in your iPhone and start Winamp. You should be able to see the device appear on the left side of the panel (see above screenshot).

One good thing about using this combination is, unlike iTunes, this is a bidirectional sync – you can download the songs back to your computer.

3) SharePod (Windows)

If you are looking for a simple and lightweight software to get the synchronization done quickly and easily, then Sharepod would be a good choice.

Sharepod is nothing more than a software for you to sync your iPod and iPhone. While you can play music directly from your iPhone within Sharepod, the music player is only minimal and does not offer much options.

SharePod also offers bidirectional synchronization between your iPhone and computer. Did I also mention that there is no installation required for Sharepod? It just works!

Just like the above two softwares, you’ll need to install iTunes (or perform the hack) for SharePod to recognize your iPhone.

4) CopyTransManager (Windows)

If you are still using firmware 1.x on your iPhone, CopyTrans Manager will work out of the box to sync your iPhone. However, if you are using firmware 2.x, it will prompt you to apply a fix to downgrade the iPhone database so that it can be read by the software. If you are not comfortable with it modifying the internal structure of your iPhone, this software might not be for you.

Editor’s note: Downgrading your iPhone firmware may render your iPhone incapable of using newer applications which require firmwares 2.2 and higher.

Unlike all other software listed above, you don’t need to install iTunes to use CopyTrans Manager. It claims to be the alternative to iTunes. Perhaps in the field of syncing your music library, it can be a good alternative. Other than that, it is clearly lacking in features and does not offer as many features as iTunes.

5) PwnPlayer (any platform)

Pwnplayer is an iPhone music player app that acts as an alternative to the default ipod.app in your iPhone. Its user interface is almost similar to the iPod.app, allowing you to view your songs in Artists, Albums, Songs, Genre list etc. It also supports album art display.

To use Pwnplayer, you have to first jaibreak your iPhone, then install the PwnPlayer application from Cydia. Once you have jailbroken your iPhone, you can then transfer your songs (over SSH) to any folder in your iPhone (for more information about transferring files over to the iPhone, refer to my older article: 6 Ways To Use iPhone As An External Hard Drive). Pwnplayer will scan the whole iPhone hard disk and add the songs to its library. You don’t have to worry about any compatibility with OS platform since it works regardless which OS you are using. As long as you can perform SSH in your computer, you can get Pwnplayer to work.

6) GtkPod (Linux)

Gtkpod seems to be the only solution to sync music to your iPhone in Linux (The older version of Amarok will work too, but Amarok 2.x doesn’t support iPhone syncing yet), but getting it to work is not as easy.

For those who are geeky and advantageous enough, here are the full instructions to hack your iPhone to get it to sync in Linux with gtkpod.

Enjoyed this article? Maybe you’ll be interested to know that you may also sync and MP3 player with iTunes. Also, find out how you can easily make ringtones for your iPhone.

What other ways do you use to sync your music to iPhone without iTunes? Let us know in the comments.

Source: http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/6-ways-to-sync-music-to-your-iphone-without-itunes/

Here I also show you the useful guide about Syncing movies, music to iPhone 5 from PC/Mac with iTunes – Brorsoft

▲ Tips:
1. If you got some MKV, AVI, FLV, WMV, MTS, TiVo, etc videos and wanna add them to iPhone 5, please go to download and install the excellent iPhone 5 Video Converter or iPhone 5 Video Converter for Mac to convert these video files first to make them compatible with iTunes and iPhone 5.
2. To transfer some DVD/Blu-ray rips to iPhone 5 via iTunes sync, you can get the best iPhone 5 Blu-ray Ripper (or Mac version) to convert your Blu-ray, DVD movies to iPhone 5 optimal H.264 .mp4 video first.

More Articles for Reading:

Convert MKV files so that we will work on a Nokia Lumia 520

How to Convert MKV files to editi with FCP 6/7/X for sharing

Transcode MXF files for Playing with MP4/MPEG/MOV/M4V video formats

Transfer MXF files were shot by HD camcorders to Mac Editing

Some Comments on Windows 8
Whatever you think of Windows 8, it’s certainly speedy. Windows 8 boots faster than previous versions of Windows, has lower memory usage, and has a desktop that feels nice and snappy. Like all versions of Windows, Windows 8 has a variety of settings you can tweak to speed things up and make it even faster.

Nokia Lumia 520 was officially announced in February 2013, it’s Nokia’s cheapest Windows Phone 8 device, takes the company’s latest range to five models, and borrows some of the style from its bigger siblings. With a 1Ghz dualcore Snapdragon processor, 512MB of RAM, 4 inch display with 800×480 screen resolution, 5 megapixel rear camera with 720p video recording and 1,430 mAh battery, the Lumia 520 isn’t exactly a bad entry-level smartphone.

MKV is open source HD video format which is flexible and open standard. Because of its advanced encoding method, MKV video can store a large number of video/audio data in relative smaller file size. It is wildly used by HD movie spread on the internet due to its befitting size and HD capacity. Mostly importantly, similar to DVD’s structure, it is awesome to play MKV movie on your Nokia Lumia 520 .

Unfortunately, the Nokia Lumia 520 can only play video created using specific settings and formats, so chances are that your MKV video files will not play, or not play properly.

Convert MKV to Lumia 520 Supported Video before Playing it on Nokia Lumia 520

The following guide explains you how to get all different video file types and formats include mkv videos to play on the Nokia Lumia 520, without having to try different video players or settings.

Required software: Video Converter for Windows | Video Converter for Mac OS

Step 1. Add Files before 1080p/720p MKV to Nokia Lumia 520 Conversion
Click “Add Files” button to import 1080p or 720p HD MKV video file. Or you can also simply drag your MKV file directly to the main interface of this software.

Step 2. Choose Nokia Lumia 520 MP4 video format

Click the Format bar and follow Nokia > Nokia Lumia 900 MPEG-4 Video (*.mp4), which is also the optimal format for Lumia 520.

Tip- Quality settings: You can further customize selected output format by adjusting its presets. H.264 video codec, 800*480 video size, and 1000kps video bitrate are recommended. After settings, you can click Save as icon to rename the profile as “Nokia Lumia 520 MPEG-4 Video (*.mp4)” for later use. You may see the image below to have an idea.

Step 3. Video Editor (Optional Step)

Click option under “Edit” icon to start video editing. For example:

1. Trim: You can trim your video files to capture and convert your favorite video clips for playing on Nokia Lumia 520.

2. Crop: You can crop your video area to remove the black video sides for playing on Nokia Lumia 520 in full screen.

3. Effect: You can adjust your video effects by setting video contrast, brightness and saturation.

Step 4. Start MKV to Nokia Lumia 520 conversion

Click “Start” to begin MKV to Lumia 520 mp4 video conversion. The MKV to Nokia Windows 8 phones converter progress bar will show you the conversion processing. After MKV to Lumia 520 conversion completed, you can transfer the converted video file to your Nokia Lumia 520 and enjoy.

More Topics:
Get Nokia Lumix 720 Simple Reviews

Convert DVD ISO/IFO files to Nokia Lumia 920 video format MP4 for Smoothly Playback

Excellent apps Recommended for Lumia 920 video playback

How to Transfer 1080p MKV/FLV/AVI/MTS/M2TS Videos on Nokia Lumia 920

Copy DVDs to Lumia 920 with best video settings in full screen

How to Convert MKV files to editi with FCP 6/7/X for sharing

Overall rating:

The Sony Xperia Tablet Z features the most impressive design we have seen to date. its most significant benefit is the thin and light form factor, packaged in an elegant -but tough- body. The battery life is excellent and the performance is really good for such a super slim chassis; as a matter of fact, the entertainment experience is highly enjoyable.

The water resistant feature offers extended possibilities in terms of usage, for example, you will be able to read your digital magazine while taking a bath or on a pool floats in your swimming pool.

We have always known that “specs” and synthetic benchmarks don’t tell the whole story and the Sony Xperia Tablet Z is probably the embodiment of that principle. In absolute terms, it performs very well, but when you look at it from the prism of design, aesthetics and overall user experience, it performs brilliantly. The Xperia tablet Z is everything that tablets were meant to be: fast, thin, light, with a good battery life — and you get some water and dust resistance as a bonus. What’s not to like?

We bought the Sony Xperia Tablet Z two weeks ago while we were in Tokyo at the Ginza Sony Store, because we could not wait any longer to get one in our hands. The first thing that surprised us when we held the Sony Xperia tablet Z is its beautiful thin and light form factor.

For one, it is really comfortable to read for hours holding a 10-inch tablet, in comparison, the iPad feels heavy and it becomes tiring after a few hours of reading. In fact, the Xperia Tablet Z is the perfect device to read books and watch video while you are in your bath: just like the Xperia Z smartphone which launched earlier this year in Europe and Japan, the tablet is water and dust resistant. You can check the hilarious Chinese video showing someone cooking a soup with the Xperia tablet Z in it, and the device still works after that treatment…

Powered by a Snapdragon S4 Pro Quad-core 1.5 GHz, the Sony Xperia Tablet Z will start shipping on May 24th in the US, for $499.99 (16GB) or $599.99 (32GB).

Beauty and light weight are not quite enough to make us buy a tablet, we need to make sure that performance and user experience lives up to our expectation, and that is what we will describe in the full review.

Xperia Tablet Z Specs Highlights

• Display size 10.1″
• Display resolution 1200 x 1920, about 224 ppi
• Display type LED-backlit LCD capacitive touchscreen 10 points multi touch
• Processor Qualcomm Snapdragon APQ8064 S4 Pro Quad-core 1.5 GHz Krait – GPU Adreno 320
• RAM 2 GB
• Storage GB 16/32 GB
• MicroSD yes > up to 64GB
• Battery capacity 6000mAh
• Camera back 8.1MP with EXMOR R sensor
• Camera front 2.2MP with EXMOR R sensor
• Connectivity WiFi only in the US
• Weight 495g (1.09 lb)
• Dimensions 266 x 172 x 6.9 mm (10.47 x 6.77 x 0.27 in)
• Water and dust resistant : IP 55 and IP-57 certified, water-resistant up to 3 feet for up to 30 minutes

Context

We all use tablets differently, so it’s important that we tell you what I do with my tablet(s): I typically check email often with the built-in email app (via Microsoft Exchange), and typically reply moderately because typing on the virtual keyboard is tedious. In a pinch, writing notes or fragments of a review can come in handy, especially during a long flight. I browse the web to check on news sites, and sometime watch movies or play music.

On the “apps” side, I try to download a few of social networks (FB, Twitter, G+), receipts manager when available and random apps (<20), but we rarely play games or do something super-intensive like video editing. This usage pattern will affect battery life and the perception of what features are useful.

I work on a Windows desktop PC, but also have Mac Laptops (with dual Mac OS/Boot Camp Windows). Until recently, my main tablet was an iPad (9.6”), although we also used Android tablets extensively. Now you know where I’m coming from…

Industrial Design (excellent)

At .37” (6.9 mm), the XPERIA tablet Z is the thinnest 10.1 inch tablet in the world and, as a matter of fact, the most elegant we have seen to date.

When we met with the XPERIA Z team in Tokyo, a Sony engineer explained that his team made sure that the screen looks good even when it is turned off. The technical team tweaked the display so the color difference between the screen and the frame is almost invisible when the device is turned off. On other tablets you can very clearly see the dark gray rectangle that marks the limits of the display within the chassis.

To achieve the development of such a thin device, Sony had to rely on several innovations including the removal of the standard touch layer which was found between the glass and the LCD panel. In the Xperia Tablet Z, the touch technology is directly embedded in the tempered glass layer that covers the LCD panel. Other manufacturers such as LG and its zero gap feature (launched with the Optimus G smartphone), have managed to develop similar technologies.

Before: the touch display assembly was composed of three elements

After: the touch sensor is now embedded into the glass, thus saving one element, and precious space

The Sony XPERIA tablet Z is a very impressive object in terms of product design, and we are very happy to finally see Sony coming back in the high-end mobile arena.

On the top edge, you will find the IR emitter that enables the TV remote control, and at its right side, the microphone for the webcam and for voice recording features found in several apps including the keyboard voice input.

The silver rounded power button, the exact replica on the one found on the Xperia Z smartphone and the Xperia ZL smartphones, is located on the left side, just above the super-thin sound rocker.

At the bottom of the left side, we can see a mysterious connector, that will be probably be used to connect to a dock or wireless charger. The last element on that side is the left speaker, placed at the very bottom of the edge. The right speaker is the only element that disrupts the flat surface of the right side.

At the bottom, the standard USB connector is placed close to the left corner and on the opposite corner you will find the SIM tray and the microSD slots, all hidden behind their respective sealed covers to ensure water-resistance when they are closed.

On the front, the pitch-black surface is only altered by the tiny front camera lens located in the center at the top. The 8 MP camera lens is placed at the upper right corner of the backside, the Xperia logo is printed in the center and the z logo at the bottom.

Display (very good+)

The 10.1 inch TFT LCD display is labeled “Full HD Reality Display” is powered by the latest Mobile Bravia Engine 2 technology and features a 1920×1200 resolution. The image quality is excellent with deep contrast and bright colors, however we found it a little bit more reflective than what we like, although Sony claims that its OptiContrast panel reduces the glare.

The color rendering is enhanced in real time both on the hardware side and the software side, to provide deeper contrasts and brighter colors, thanks to the Mobile Bravia Engine 2.

The panel is not an IPS, however it behaves like one and provides good viewing angles as well as more accurate color reproduction than AMOLED.

Sony Custom Software and Features

Waterproof and dust resistant: Sony made a splash at CES with the launch of its beautiful waterproof smartphone and the Xperia Tablet Z also carries this unique feature. It looks like a certain number of people drop their mobile devices in the swimming pool or in the bathroom, so while this is not a necessary feature, it is definitively a great addition. Sony did not trade off the beauty for the durability of the chassis, which is very impressive. Dust and water resistant (IP55 & IP57), the Sony Xperia Tablet Z can stay 3 feet underwater for up to 30 minutes, you can check the hilarious Chinese video that puts it to the (extreme) test. Warning: we can’t verify the scientific authenticity of this video, but it’s hilarious (please note that we do not recommend to do what the cook does in the video to your own Sony Xpera Tablet Z):

Sony’s One-Touch feature, based on NFC

During CES 2013, Sony unveiled a broad array of NFC enabled accessories and devices, including its new Bravia LED TV series. When it comes to its NFC-enabled TVs, the “One Touch” NFC-enabled screen mirroring feature, allows users to literally mirror the Sony Xperia tablet Z ‘s display on the TV screen by simply tapping the tablet once on the TV’s remote control. This features works also with the Sony Xperia Z smartphone. To see how it works check out the video in the “Your smartphone, Now on TV” on the Bravia 47” W802A Series LED webpage (click on the , “See how simple wireless mirroring can be” link)

The One Touch feature might work with other manufacturers’ devices that use the NFC protocol, but without testing we cannot confirm that. NFC has been part of the Android OS for quite a while now, and it is not really a Sony-only feature. However, Sony released a significant number of devices that takes great advantage of this technology.

As a matter of fact, according to Koichi Tagawa, general manager of global standards and industry relations at Sony, “Demand for NFC tag devices equipped in Sony CE (consumer electronics) products is already in the millions and is continuing to grow rapidly and significantly,” quote reported by NFC Times.

Sony TV SideView app: Nowadays the latest high end smartphones and tablets feature a IR emitter to remote control the Tv and mobile devices manufacturer ship their devices with companion apps. We have seen similar features in the Sony Xperia Z smartphone, the HTC One, the Samsung Galaxy S4, the LG Optimus G Pro and the Samsung Galaxy Note 8.0.

The Sony TV SideView app allows users to flip through the channel guide, switch channels, or search for content online while watching TV. We did not try either the IR remote fucntion nor the TV SideView. More information on the Sony website.

Mini App Tray: Sony added two system commands at the bottom of the screen in the center: the left icon gives access to a tray where you will find a calculator, a clip manager, a note app (virtual post-it), a recorder, the remote control and a timer.

PlayMemories Online: PlayMemories Online is the cloud-based image sharing service launched by Sony in 2012. The service is accessible from a number of mobile devices, and there is a dedicated Android app to manage it, you can get a free account with 5GB of storage.

Sony Video Unlimited and Music Unlimited – Sony Entertainment Network

Besides designing top electronic devices, Sony is also a content producer. The Sony Video Unlimited and Music Unlimited applications comes preloaded on the Xperia Tablet Z, and from there you can register to both services. More info about pricing on the website.

Other applications highlights

Virtual Keyboard: The default virtual keyboard features a clean and nice design, however, it is slightly less productive than other keyboard such as the one found in Samsung manufactured Android devices: to access the numeric keys you need to go to a second screen. We know from testing it that numeric keys directly accessible from the top row allows for faster typing. You can add additional language dictionaries if you go into Settings>Language>Keyboard>Language. The Google voice input key is not displayed on the keyboard by default, you will need to activate it in the language & input settings.

Skype: the Skype application for Android tablets is very functional and offers a vast amount of the display real estate to watch the video, while leaving the menus and text chat field easily accessible. We tried Skype over Wi-Fi, calling the Sony tablet from a PC equipped with a Logitech c920 webcam that records full HD video. The video quality on the Xperia Tablet Z receiving side was good, and as usual with Skype video compression on mobile devices, not rendered in crisp full HD. On the PC side, the image was a little more compressed, while it was not “blocky” at all it was slightly blurry. overall the experience is good to perform video calls.

Skype running on the Xperia Tablet Z. I’m calling Hubert on his PC

Seen from Skype PC: Eliane is calling from the Xperia Tablet Z

Read More From Source:……. http://www.ubergizmo.com/2013/05/sony-xperia-tablet-z-review/

More Others to Read:

How to control your home with your iPhone or iPad

Windows 8 Security: everything you need to know

Add/Copy AVI files to Galaxy tab 3

Transfer DVD, Blu-ray and HD videos to Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 10.1

New Windows 8 PCs have UEFI Secure Boot firmware, which enables your PC to check security certificates for the boot loader, kernel, system files and drivers against a database as Windows loads. Think of it as a mini operating system that checks that your usual OS hasn’t been tampered with.

Mind you, Windows RT is one way of avoiding a lot of security problems; if you can’t install your own desktop software, Windows malware is going to have a hard time running as well.

Windows RT will certainly come under attack, but it has the same protections as Windows 8, starting as soon as you turn it on.

Your anti-virus software starts running while Windows is still booting (as long as it supports Early Load Anti Malware or ELAM), so it is running before any malware that’s managed to get onto your PC.

UEFI is easier to use than your Bios, and more secure

If there’s a rootkit on your PC waiting to change Windows components when you boot, Windows will find the code it changes and replace it with the original, legitimate code from the Windows ‘side by side’ store. You don’t see a warning for that during boot, but the details will show up in your anti-virus warnings in the Action Centre.

Guard pages

Windows 8 coverage

Once Windows is running, it’s harder to use the way it handles memory that’s in use (called the heap) to attack the OS or the programs you’re running.

In previous versions of Windows it’s not hard to allocate too much memory, have it overflow the buffer it’s supposed to fit in and use that to run an attack. The Windows 8 kernel has much stricter limits on how much memory can be allocated, so an overflow attack would have to be exactly the right size.

The kernel can put ‘guard pages’ of memory around important code, like a moat, so that if malware tries to attack by corrupting the next chunk of memory and overflowing, it’s more likely to end up in the memory moat, and Windows will shut down the process for accessing invalid memory.

Randomising memory

The tools for keeping track of the memory allocated to applications are smarter – they now make sure that the memory allocated starts in a random place, rather than picking it based on a value that malware could interfere with to make it point to malicious code, or using a predictable location such as the next free chunk of memory.

To make the random number really random, Windows collects a mix of data when it boots, from the clock, performance logs, power management systems and other sources, which it combines into a new random number seed every time.

Turning secure boot on and off on a Windows 8 PC

Memory that’s no longer needed is less vulnerable as well. Malware used to be able to force the kernel to allocate memory to a program and then release it so that a virus could use memory that Windows thought wasn’t in use; that’s now blocked.

Memory allocation

In Windows 7, Data Execution Prevention (DEP) can already mark memory allocated to applications for storing data so it can’t be used for running code. And Address Space Layout Randomisation (ASLR) 7 means program code isn’t always loaded into the same place, which makes it harder for malware to find where to attack.

They protect Windows, but you have to rely on developers turning them on when they write their own programs. Windows 8 won’t run on CPUs that don’t have the hardware to mark memory as only for data (NX – Non executable) and the improvements to the memory heap are on by default, so they protect everything.

Windows 8 also uses the Supervisor Mode Execution Protection (SMEP, or OS Guard, as Intel calls it) in Ivy Bridge CPUs to stop the CPU running any memory pages that are marked as ‘user’ rather than ‘kernel’ (user pages are only for data).

So using NX to protect kernel memory is important, because otherwise malware would just target kernel memory to bypass SMEP.

Safer Wi-Fi

When you connect to a secure Wi-Fi hotspot, you need to type in a password – and for very secure networks you might need to have a certificate installed on your PC.

Windows 8 adds support for several wireless and mobile Extensible Authentication Protocol standards that enable you to connect to secure networks without having to get a certificate or roam between different wireless and mobile broadband networks.

There’s a new standard on the way called Hotspot 2.0 that will make it easier to automatically connect to Wi-Fi hotspots as you travel around; these new protocols are what you’ll need to use it.

So when your mobile operator supports Hotspot 2.0, your Windows 8 tablet will be ready to get you online with it.

Source Original: http://www.techradar.com/us/news/software/operating-systems/windows-8-security-explained-1107206

More others to read:
How to control your home with your iPhone or iPad

The LG Optimus GK has been launched in Korea in late April, and it happens to have the exact same hardware as the Japanese LG Optimus G Pro. For those of you who have heard of the LG Optimus G Pro, you are probably picturing a 5.5″ smartphone with a 1080p display, and you would be right. For some reason, LG and its partner Docomo are marketing the 5″ Optimus GK with the name “Optimus G Pro” in Japan — go figure. For the purpose of clarity, I’ll call this one with its “GK” Korean name. Now that we have clarified the naming conventions, let’s take a closer look to the device itself.

To make a long story short, the GK is supposed to put the power of the LG Optimus G Pro into a more compact 5″ form-factor, for those who prefer something “smaller” – it’ a bit funny to use that word since a lot of iOS devices still have a 3.5″ display. We’re not sure if the LG Optimus GK will appear in the USA at some point, but since AT&T as an exclusive on the Optimus G, maybe another carrier will get the GK, and that would be a very good thing… for the international crowd, the Optimus GK will also launch outside of Korea very soon (LG has announced an Asia event, so this is probably it).

Industrial design (very good)

Despite being released after the LG Optimus G Pro was, the Optimus GK does not use the exact same design language as its 5.5″ predecessor. Instead, it is a hybrid design between the original Optimus G, and the G Pro. The front truly looks like the “G” except for two improvements: the ear-speaker and the home button. I really love a good, crisp, home button since you can use it to wake up the phone (the average user looks at its smartphone 150 times a day according to a recent study, so how many times do you think we’re touching that button?). The home button is also more comfortable than using the side button which is a bit too recessed in my opinion.

On the right side, you will find the volume control, the Power button and the SIM+micro SD trays. The presence of a tray is an improvement over the original “G” design (Korean version) which was integrated in the AT&T SKU of the “G”. We’re glad to see that users have a good option for cheap additional storage. This particular unit came with 32GB (20GB available), but this may vary from regions.

In the back, you will find the camera module placed prominently in the top/center of the smartphone. The plastic cover looks great and has a “pearl white” finish that we find quite elegant. It looks different than the Optimus G Pro’s cover, and I’ll let you decide which one you prefer (I can’t decide myself). It also has a downside: it is *not* a removable cover, and the battery isn’t removable either. It’s not a big deal to me, but I know that there is a crowd which really wants removable batteries. Design-wise, I think that the back cover could have used a little less branding to make it classier.

Display (excellent)

The 5″ 1080 display is beautiful and renders bright and accurate-looking colors. Things don’t look over-saturated and there is certainly a crowd which likes that is completely “pro-IPS” for that reason. I personally think that this is a matter of preferences, and that the AMOLED vs. IPS “war” is a bit over-rated. It’s true that IPS displays tend to have better color accuracy, but AMOLEDs have better “black levels” and contrasts. The only practical difference in my view is that IPS displays are often a bit more readable in direct sunlight, so you should be mindful of that depending on your situation.

Software and OS

LG has loaded this smartphone with Android 4.1.2 (build JZ054K), and yes, the purists may not be 100% happy about not having 4.2. That said, we’ve covered Android 4.2 extensively, and the only features that I *really* miss in 4.2 are Photosphere and the sock UI itself, but no smartphone outside of the Nexus 4 has them anyway… LG has a number of software features that you may be interested in, so you might want to check our LG Optimus G Pro review to get an overview. Qmemo and Qremote are among my favorite LG apps, but you have access to the Google Play store anyway, so nearly all the popular apps are just a few taps away.

What I think is the most remarkable software aspect in LG’s “Optimus G” line of smartphones is the overall responsiveness of the user interface. LG has done a great job of integrating a number of features (like multitasking) very deep in the OS, without adding noticeable “lag” to the user experience (when compared to “stock Android”). This is one of the great advantages that LG has over Samsung’s TouchWiz which is a little slower to react to user input (I suspect that Samsung has been focusing on “adding features” rather than improving UI speed). This is extra speed that you can actually “feel” and it makes you a little more productive every single time you touch the phone. In my opinion, this compounds nicely over time.

Camera (good++)

In broad daylight the LG Optimus GK can take good and detailed photos. I’ve snapped a few examples to show you, although these are arguably not the most artistic ones ever… (I’ll work on that). I don’t expect people to complain about the daylight photo quality — beyond that, it depends how good the camera app is at choosing options like HDR or “night mode” automatically, but right now, I don’t think that it is so smart (this is common to most smartphones, including the S4, and the Sony XPERIA Z is the one raises the bar for Android phones when it comes to camera auto-mode). If you are curious, I have full size samples on our Ubergizmo Flickr account.

This leads us to the low-light performance. I shot this photo in a controlled environment with a very dim lighting. The Optimus GK does pretty well, but it is challenged by other phones in terms of sharpness. I guess that’s because the auto-focus system has a hard time figuring out what to do since it is contrast-based and can’t “see” very well in the dark. The addition of a focus light may help, but the ultimate solution is to add phase-detection based autofocus down the road. I’m not aware of any smartphone using phase detection, but I sure hope that it will come sooner or later.

The video recording capabilities reflect much of the same properties, and in the end, I would say that while it provides a very decent camera experience, I think that LG can further improve the optics/sensor and software aspect of the camera in order to compete with the best players out there. There is no doubt that “software” is actually the final frontier when it comes to maximize the camera hardware usage, mainly by selecting the best camera modes for any given shot.

Multimedia

The Optimus GK is a great multimedia system, and it is capable of displaying beautiful movies, run modern games and run trivial content such as music and eBooks. The rear speaker in the back is quite visible and while it doesn’t provide the most powerful sound in the smartphone world, it seems like LG has opted for quality instead of pure sound power. I feel like the loudspeaker may be a little weak for voice conversations in a noisy environment, but I have yet to test this case. To make a long story short: this speaker is decent, but we’ve seen better ones out there, so it won’t be a differentiator.

Hardware Performance

In terms of raw horsepower, I was initially surprised that the LG Optimus GK did not have a performance parity with its Optimus G Pro (5.5″) sibling during our benchmark. In theory, its performance should be very similar since runs at the same 1.7GHz speed, but here’s what’s happening:

Although the specifications and hardware are the same, the chassis design is much more compact and doesn’t allow a cooling system that is as efficient as the one in the larger Optimus G Pro. As a result, LG makes sure that the smartphone doesn’t get uncomfortably hot by clamping down on the “maximum” performance of the phone.

That makes sense and it’s true that the phone didn’t get all hot on me. I guess that if you are seeking a gaming device, you should look into the 5.5″ version of the Optimus G Pro, since it is better in terms of size, cooling efficiency and battery capacity. If you’re not playing games, chances are that you will not feel the performance difference anyway, so choose based on your lifestyle/usage.

Conclusion (very good+)

The LG Optimus GK (aka Optimus G Pro in Japan) closes the gap between the 4.7-inch “G” and the 5.5 “G Pro” smartphones from LG. It basically brings the 1080p resolution and some of the performance boost of the G-Pro, but in a form factor that is more pocketable and close to the regular smartphone format that most people are comfortable with.

While it doesn’t have the best raw benchmark numbers, I would point out that the user interface is ultra-responsive, which is an asset for fast interaction. Fast typers will love this phone.

In terms of industrial design, I really like what LG has done with this model. It feels more “premium” than the original Optimus G, and its plastic back cover looks and feels nice with the “white pearl” color treatment. Obviously, if you need to feel aluminum or glass on your fingers, this won’t change your mind – but those material come with a “weight tax” that is not negligible either.

I’m not sure if we will get the LG Optimus GK outside of Asia, but I hope that a US carrier will pick it up. AT&T has an exclusive on the 5.5″ Optimus G Pro, and it would be nice if customers from other carriers could get a taste of the new LG phones. Let’s wait and see… what do you think?

Source: http://www.ubergizmo.com/2013/05/hands-on-lg-optimus-gk-review/

Related articles:

Get Blu-ray movies playback on Google/LG Nexus 4 with HD video quality

Convert and transfer Blu-ray movies to Galaxy S4 with best quality

Playing MTS files on Android Tablets/Phones

Transfer DVD ISO to Samsung Galaxy Note 8.0 with best quality

“I wonder if the Nexus 4 is able to play “movies” digital copies, i own several BluRay movies that have a digital copy for free and i really would like to tranfer those movies. I want to get the Google/LG Nexus 4 but i dont see the point in getting a smartphone if im not able to play the movies i own. Any help? Thanks”

The HD resolution display of Nexus 4 is really a great selling point. Especially for people who often watch movies on their smartphone. Based on this, we can stream kinds of HD movies to it for playing. Today, this article is mainly talking about how to transfer Blu-ray movies to Nexus 4

To Play Blu-ray movies on Nexus 4, we will need a powerful Blu-ray ripping software, Brorsoft Blu-ray Ripper is an outstanding one.

Brorsoft Blu-ray Ripper is a decent Blu-ray conversion software that lets you convert Blu-ray to Google Nexus 4 at fastest speed and excellect output quality. In fact, this Blu-ray encoding tool is capable of ripping any commercial 3D/2D Blu-ray discs and standard DVDs to your required HD and SD media formats like MOV, MP4, MKV, AVI, VOB and more. It supports creating video files from Blu-ray and DVD movies for use in your Home Theater System, Tablets, smartphones, media players, and video editing software, etc. What’s more, it supports full disc copy (1:1) to the hard drive of your PC with Blu-ray and DVD’s original structures without any quality loss. If you are using Mac computers, you could use Blu-ray Ripper for Mac to rip Blu-ray to Nexus 4 on Mac OS X with ease. Now just download it and follow step-by-step guide to freely transfer your Blu-ray movies to Google Nexus 4 for enjoyment.

Here is a tutorial telling you how to convert Blu-ray discs or folders to Nexus 4.

First Free download the Blu-ray to Nexus 4 Converter:
(Note: Click here for OS X 10.5. For Windows users, just follow the detailed guide to complete your conversion. The way to load Blu-ray movies to Nexus 4 on Mac OS X is the same. Just make sure you’ve downloaded the right version.)

Rip Blu-ray for Nexus 4: Step 1 ->Add source Blu-ray movies

Open this Blu-ray Ripper for Google Nexus 4 to load source Blu-ray movies by clicking Load BD button for processing.
Tip: You can also load DVD files to convert DVD to Google Nexus 4 videos within this Blu-ray ripping tool.

Rip Blu-ray for Nexus 4: Step 2 ->Set subtitle language

Select the main movie, and set desired language from drop-down list of “Subtitles” box.

Rip Blu-ray for Nexus 4: Step 3 ->Choose output format

Click the “Format” option and choose “Google Nexus 7 H.264 Video(*.mp4)” under “Android” column. The preset exports Blu-ray movies in 720p HD 16:9 to fit in Nexus 4’s display.

Tip: To get higher video quality, simply click “Settings”, find “Bitrate” in Video column, and set it to up before starts. To get smaller file size, set bitrate down to 1000kbps or lower.

Rip Blu-ray for Nexus 4: Step 4 ->Start to rip Blu-ray to Google Nexus 4

On the main interface, click the convert button to begin to compress and format Blu-ray movies to Nexus 4 supported MP4 videos.

When the conversion is completed, press “Open” to find converted movie. Then, you can connect Nexus 4 as Mass Storage and drop your converted video into Google Nexus 4. So, you can enjoy your favorite Blu-ray movie on Nexus 4 anywhere anytime.

Related Guides:

Downloading DVD movies onto Google Nexus 4

Brorsoft DVD Ripper for Google Nexus 7

Playing DVD discs/folders/movies on Transformer Infinity 700 MP4

Play 1080p/720p videos on Microsoft Surface RT MP4

Converting videos/movies/musics/photos from PC to Galaxy Tab 2 7.0

How to rip and enjoy DVD discs/movie folders on Kindle Fire HD(7/8.9)

Samsung launched a large-screen Android phone Galaxy Note 2. Mobile even this comes with better specs than its predecessor, the Samsung Galaxy Note. However, what are the differences between these phones?

Screen
Part of the screen is the most striking difference from the second mobile phone. If the Galaxy Note has a 5.3-inch screen size, the Galaxy Note 2 comes with a 5.5 inch screen. In addition, if the Galaxy Note offers a layer of Gorilla Glass screen, the Galaxy Note 2 uses its successors, the Gorilla Glass 2.

Dimension
In terms of dimensions, it is clear the Galaxy Note 2 has a larger size. However, in terms of width and thickness, the Galaxy Note 2 is still smaller than the Galaxy Note. For weight, the Galaxy Note 2 has a weight of 2 grams more.

Processor and RAM
Processor is another striking difference of the two big-screen mobile phone. Galaxy Note 2 comes with a quad-core 1.6GHz Exynos 4412 is supported with 2GB RAM. While the Galaxy Note relying Exynos 1.4GHz dual core processor with 1GB RAM.

Operating System
In terms of operating system, the Galaxy Note 2 comes with Android Jelly Bean OS 4.1, while the Galaxy Note is using Android OS Gingerbread, although the Samsung also provides Android ICS OS upgrade for this phone.

Source: http://netpoin.com/the-difference-between-the-galaxy-note-2-to-the-galaxy-note/

More Topics:

Step by step to Converter MKV/AVI/WMV/FLV/M4V/MTS files to Final Cut Pro

Downloading DVD movies onto Google Nexus 4

How-To: Rip/Copy DVDs to Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 10.1

Can Galaxy S4 play MKV, AVI, VOB, TiVo, MPG, FLV/F4V videos

Best Blu-ray/DVD Video Converter for Google Nexus 10

Smoothly Editing Sony PMW-500 to Premiere Pro CS4/CS5/CS6

Import Nikon 1 V2/D5100/D3100 1080p MOV to Adobe Premiere Pro CS6

Solving Sony Cyber-Shot WX80 and Final Cut Pro Importing Issues

Q: I got some Flash Video/YouTube video (*.flv, *.f4v) files and HD Video (*.tod, *.mod, *.mov, *.mts, *.m2t, *.m2ts, *.ts, *.tp, *.trp, *.evo, *.mkv, *.dv ), stored on my mac computer, and I wanna import them to video editor FCP for editing. But the editor seems that can not recognize these files. Who guys can give me some suggestion?

Mac users like to edit videos on Final Cut Pro, which is a powerful video editing, and it now import and edit AVCHD, H.264, AVC-Intra, DVCPRO HD, but it can’t import AVI, MKV, WMV, M4V videos, which is really a pain. So how to make it possible?

Yes! There are many ways, but from which we should pick one of the most simple.Take my own for an example. I am a video-editing lover, and I want to edit iTunes M4V movies, TV shows or music videos on Final Cut Pro.But as M4V is DRM protected by Apple’s FairPlay copyright policy, it is not supported by Final Cut Pro. So in order to import iTunes M4V to Final Cut Pro, we should firstly remove DRM from the M4V files and convert the M4V to Final Cut Pro supported formats, like .MOV. In this case, a professional Final Cut Pro Video Converter for Mac can be useful for those who can’t import iTunes m4V to FCP on Mac OS X.

What Can Mac Video to FCP Converter Do?

One good Video to Final Cut Pro Converter is called Brorsoft Video Converter for Mac. It is an all-in-one video converter on Mac OS X. It is able to do format conversion among various popular video and audio formats, including Flash Video/YouTube video (*.flv, *.f4v), HD Video (*.tod, *.mod, *.mov, *.mts, *.m2t, *.m2ts, *.ts, *.tp, *.trp, *.evo, *.mkv, *.dv ), General Video (*.avi, *.mpg, *.wmv, etc), QuickTime video(*.mov), DVR Videos (*.tivo) and more. With it, we can rewrap all video fromat files to Apple ProRes mov for FCP X with fast encoding speed. Moreover, it provides video editing functions like cropping, trimming, adding special effect, etc, bring us a wonderful home movie as we want.

Now following the guide below:

First, Launch the Mac ProRes Conversion program; click “Add” button from main menu to browse your computer hard drive and select the files you want to convert. Or you can easily drag-and-drop files into this application for converting.

Tip: You can check the “Merge into one” box to merge several video files together for easier editing.

Secondly, Click “format” bar and choose “Final Cut Pro -> Apple ProRes 422 (*.mov)” as Final Cut Pro X compatible codec for editing AVI , WMV, MKV files in FCP X smoothly. ProRes 422(HQ), Pro Res 422(LT), Pro Res 444, Pro Res 422(Proxy) are all the proper choice.

Thirdly, Tap “settings” to customize the output parameters- adjust the video size, bitrate, frame rate, audio sample rate, audio channel, etc to get a decent video for editing in Final Cut Pro.

Finally, Click the “Convert” button to start encoding AVI/WMV/MKV to ProRes MOV for FCP X right away. This conversion process will finish soon. Afterwards, click the Open button to locate the output files and import to FCP X for editing smoothly.

Additional Tips
1. If you meet any importing & editing problems with kinds of popular video edit programs like FCP, FCE, iMovie, Adobe Premiere Pro, Avid Media Composer, etc, you can link to Video Editors Tips and Tricks colum to get the solution.

2. If you are a Panasonic, Canon or Sony user, you can get the Full HD video camera tips to fast solve the MOV, AVCHD .mts/m2ts, MXF importing and editing issues.

Learn More:

Sharing: Top Smartphon Comparison Guide 2013

Can Galaxy S4 play MKV, AVI, VOB, TiVo, MPG, FLV/F4V videos

Best Blu-ray/DVD Video Converter for Google Nexus 10

Downloading DVD movies onto Google Nexus 4

How-To: Rip/Copy DVDs to Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 10.1

How to import Sony PMW-500 media to Final Cut Pro X/7/6

Converting Sony F55/F5 XAVC format video to iPad Mini/iPhone 5

Shopping for a new smartphone can be overwhelming. Even after you’ve chosen a wireless carrier, there are so many phones – many of which look almost the same – that you might not know where to begin. The choice is made even more difficult by the constantly shifting sands of the smartphone marketplace and this year has already seen a number of major new players enter the fray. So how do you sort through it all?

If we included every smartphone, you’d need to read this on a wall-sized computer. So we narrowed it down to a field of eight. They are (pictured, left to right):

*Samsung Galaxy S 4
*HTC One
*Apple iPhone 5
*LG Optimus G Pro
*BlackBerry Z10
*Sony Xperia Z
*LG/Google Nexus 4
*Samsung Galaxy Note II

We tried to include at least one phone from the biggest manufacturers. The biggest omission is Nokia and Windows Phone, but stay tuned for separate comparisons that give Lumia phones some love.

Specs aren’t everything, but they can suggest what a device can do. We organize our comparison by the measurable, but we also try to put our fingers on those harder-to-define intangibles. If a phone is greater (or lesser) than the sum of its parts, we want you to know that too.

So, without further ado, let’s break down the top smartphones of early 2013.

Size

For this comparison, we’re lumping smartphones and phablets together. You could argue that half of these phones are phablets, but the Galaxy Note II and Optimus G Pro are the only two that are no-question, through-and-through phablets.

The iPhone 5 looks positively puny in this group. BlackBerry’s Z10 isn’t much bigger. This is where the balance of hand size to screen size comes into play:

Are you uncomfortable holding a giganto-phone? Then the iPhone might be the best bet for you. Don’t mind some bulk if it gives you more screen real estate? Then phablet ahoy, matey.

If you’re still on the fence, hop into a store, pick a few of these up, and see how they feel in hand. And don’t be afraid to refer back to Gizmag when the wide-eyed salesperson tries to push you in a commission-friendly direction.

Build

Glass, aluminum, or plastic? Those are your choices when it comes to external build materials. The build of the phone’s chassis can affect how it feels in hand. Since you might be gripping this phone in your hand for the next two years, it’s an important consideration.

Weight

The iPhone 5 is – by far – the lightest phone in this group. If you want something that will disappear in your pocket, it wins that prize hands-down.

The Note II and Optimus G Pro – the fabulous phablets of the group – are the heaviest. Considering their hulking sizes, though, they should still feel relatively light.

Display

In the last few months, the pixel counts in high-end smartphones shot into the stratosphere. The only caveat is that your eyes probably won’t notice a huge difference between 330 pixels per inch (PPI) and 430 PPI. It’s extremely sharp vs. ridiculously sharp.

If you want the very best display at any size, then the HTC One probably wins that prize. But several others aren’t far behind. And even the Note 2 – with the lowest pixel density in this group – still has a very nice screen.

Display quality isn’t really a problem with any of these phones, so your decision may come down to size. Here too the iPhone is the smallest, and the two phablets the biggest – they each sport an enormous 5.5 inches of real estate.

Processor

Much like screen size, the iPhone and BlackBerry are the only throwbacks to the days of dual core processing. We wouldn’t worry too much about performance with either of those phones though. Their hardware/software integration (made by the same company) helps them to squeeze more performance out of a dual core chip than you might expect.

The Galaxy S 4 has two processors listed, because that will vary depending on where you live. U.S. customers get the quad core version, and much of the rest of the world will get the octa core (yes, eight cores) edition.

Honestly, we wouldn’t worry too much about this category. Like pixel density, processing has gone past the point of concern. Every phone in this batch is going to be very fast … some just push that a little farther. There are much bigger differences to think about – like size, software, and app selection.

… but with that said, the octa-core version of the Galaxy S 4 is the fastest phone in the world right now. The quad-core version is probably the second fastest.

RAM

It’s 2 GB of RAM across the board, with the iPhone 5 the lone exception. Again, though, there isn’t much to worry about with it – the Apple integration between phone and software makes performance zippy and smooth.

Storage

Do you keep full-length HD movies, thousands of photos, and console-quality games on your phone? If so, you’ll want to max out your storage.

For most customers, though, 16 GB is probably a safe mark to shoot for. Remember you can store lots of apps and data in the cloud, so it isn’t likely you’ll need to have everything stored on your phone all the time.

Also remember that the phones with microSD slots let you store much more than their internal memory suggests. Typically you can add up to 64 GB with an SD card.

Cameras

Take these numbers with grains of salt. When you’re making an easy-to-digest visual about camera specs, megapixel count is the best metric to use.

But it’s an imperfect measurement. Sensors, pixel sizes, lenses, and lots of other factors also play into actual image quality. The HTC One, for example, has a crummy megapixel count, but it uses larger pixels. So image quality might be quite good.

The best way to make up your mind here is to take some shots yourself, and look at them on a high-res display. Failing that, look at some full-resolution sample shots in reviews from Gizmag or another reputable tech site.

Battery

Here’s another spec that’s not exactly cut-and-dry. The amount of juice a phone holds is extremely important. But processor, display resolution, and software can also play into actual battery life.

There shouldn’t be much to worry about with any of these phones. With regular use, they should all last a full day.

Several of them also have removable batteries: the Galaxy S 4, Optimus G Pro, BlackBerry Z10, and Galaxy Note II. Notice anything? Yep, it’s the phones with plastic bodies: a nice bonus that aluminum and glass phones don’t provide.

Wireless

LTE – the fastest and best 4G technology – is now the norm with high-end smartphones.

The lone holdout here is the Nexus 4. The politics of selling a phone without carrier intervention led to Google passing on LTE. If it’s available in your area, though, the Nexus 4’s HSPA+ is a pretty fast 4G network in its own right.

It’s possible some of the other phones here won’t ship with LTE radios in your region. The best avenue here is to check with your local carrier.

The best questions to ask: “does the phone I want have LTE radios?” and “Does my area have LTE coverage?” Failing that, “is HSPA+ available?” If the answer to all of these questions is no, then you’ll be stuck with 3G (or worse) speeds.

Software

This is one of the most important questions to ask in your smartphone buying decision. Do you want iOS, Android, Windows Phone (not included in this edition of our guide) or BlackBerry?

… and if you choose Android, which manufacturer-specific software do you prefer? Samsung has TouchWiz, HTC has Sense, LG has its own Optimus flavor, and Nexus devices run “pure Google” (stock) Android. Each offers something a little different on top of the Android core.

Each platform also comes with its own app store:

Apple’s iOS App Store and Android’s Google Play Store have the best selections. Apple’s is still better for games. It also often favors simple, user-friendly apps with minimalist designs. Google Play has a leg up with customization-oriented apps and tweaks that Apple wouldn’t allow in its store.

BlackBerry’s App World and the Windows Phone Store have a lot of catching up to do. Finding your favorite apps might be a crapshoot in their app stores.

Mobile operating systems have come a long way, and get better every year. We’d recommend tuning out all the fanboy fanaticism and playing around with each. Find your favorite, then narrow down your search from there.

Release cycle

Most device-making companies like to keep their plans secret. And for good reason. If customers know that a new iPhone is coming in September, they’re less likely to buy the old model in July. Secrecy has financial ramifications.

But you can often make a pretty solid guess just by looking at the older version’s release date. If a phone gets upgraded once a year, the safe money is on its follow-up arriving at around the same time. The dates above show when all of these smartphones originally shipped.

The Galaxy S 4, HTC One, and Optimus G Pro are still hot off the press, so it’s a safe bet we won’t see their follow-ups for quite a while. But we could see a new iPhone and Galaxy Note by August or September of this year.

The older phones listed here are still among the cream of the crop. But this is something to keep in mind, especially since newer models usually ring up for the same prices that their predecessors sold for.

Intangibles

So what about everything else? Those harder-to-define intangibles, and extra goodies that each phone brings to the table? Let’s break down a few things to consider about each phone.

The Galaxy S 4 has a ridiculous amount of new software features. Some of them might be gimmicky, but you don’t have to use any of them – so no harm done, right? Some of the more notable S4 features are Smart Scroll (scroll emails and web pages with facial recognition), Smart Pause (automatically pause a video when you look away), and S Translator (translate foreign tongues in real time).

The HTC One probably won’t come close to outselling the Galaxy S 4, but that doesn’t mean it’s an inferior phone. Some critics have knocked Samsung for sticking with a plastic design and relatively minor updates for the Galaxy S 4. Many of those same critics are cheering HTC for the One’s bold new design, amazing screen, and terrific user experience. If nothing else, it’s one hell of an effort from a company that desperately needs a hit.

Then there’s the iPhone 5. Apple’s recent “troubles” have been blown out of proportion, but I think that stems from a general impression that its product line is growing stale. The iPhone – once the revolutionary groundbreaker in the field – has become the solid, reliable, “you know what to expect” candidate. Still, millions of customers embrace this familiarity. The iPhone is smooth, simple, and easy to use. It may no longer be on the forefront of innovation (at least for the time being) … but everything just works.

It’s hard to go into too much detail about the Optimus G Pro, since LG hasn’t even announced it for the western hemisphere. But we know that it’s a phablet, its specs look good next to the Galaxy Note II, and it ditches its predecessor’s glass in favor of plastic. Stay tuned for more from Gizmag on this front.

BlackBerry finally delivered an iPhone/Android competitor in 2013, with the Z10. It runs BlackBerry’s slick new OS, BB10. Apart from the company’s reputation for business use and security, it offers some cool gesture controls. No home button, no on-screen navigation keys. Just a few simple swipes to get where you’re going. Gesture controls aren’t for everyone. But once you get the hang of them, you can get a nice swipe-centric workflow going.

Sony’s Xperia Z (and its U.S.-bound sibling, the Xperia ZL) got a lot of buzz at CES 2013, but got quickly overshadowed by the One and Galaxy S4. It’s still a solid Android phone, though. Its killer feature just might be its water and dust resistance. You can soak it in a bowl of water for half an hour, and it will come out as good as new. You won’t want to try that with any of these other phones.

The Nexus 4 just might be the best dollar-for-dollar buy on this list. You can order one from Google Play for US$300. Yes, that’s the off-contract price. No commitments or subsidies: just a terrific stock Android phone with no strings attached.

The Galaxy Note II is the only smartphone/phablet on this list that uses a stylus. Samsung did some truly innovative things with its S Pen. Scribble notes from anywhere. Scroll through pages by hovering the stylus over your screen. Take full advantage of the huge display by opening multiple apps in multiple windows. The Note 2 is a productivity beast, and pretty fun to boot.

Wrap-up

The Smartphone market moves quickly. Six months ago, we did a similar comparison – and most of the phones were different. If we do another one six months from now, there will probably be an entirely new line of high-end phones competing for your dollars.

The bottom line is that there will never be one single phone that’s the be-all-end-all for everyone. Even if it looks like there is, something else will come along a month or two later to push it out of the spotlight. Technology is always moving on to something bigger, better, faster, stronger.

So find a phone that you love, and enjoy your two years (or however long) you spend with it. Hopefully this guide makes it a little easier to find one worthy of that long-term relationship.

Source Original:http://www.gizmag.com/smartphone-comparison-2013/27259/?utm_source=Gizmag+Subscribers&utm_campaign=36d9b499e6-UA-2235360-4&utm_medium=email

More Topics:
Big Sale – 20% Off For the Best DVD to Android Converter

20% Off Brorsoft DVD Ripper for Google Nexus 7

The easy way to play DVD on Samsung Galaxy S4 in full screen

Play DVD ISO/IFO on Samsung Galaxy S4 with preferred subtitles