Category Archives: Tech News

Why are there such shortages on new phones?

Tech News

Samsung Note 4, Nexus 6 and other phones and smart watches all claimed to have been released. In fact, Samsung claimed to have shifted 4.5m Note 4 phones in the first month. Nexus 6 went on sale and supposedly sold out in minutes. Maybe only 10 phones were in stock at the warehouse.

So what is going on. Forums are alight with grieving users. Quite simply, either the phone production was sufficient from day one. Or there has been a manufacturing issue. Or Apple has hogged all the transit and cargo space for its new iPhones.

So what do you think ?

Nvidia Shield Tablet – Battery and Games Testing

Android, Reviews, Tech News

Today is a do not disturb day. I’m gaming and at the same time running battery tests on the Shield Tablet.

How many hours can the tablet last playing Half Life 2 or Portal? It’s a tough test to undertake!

According to Nvidia the Shield can last up to 19 hours. Somehow I’m not sure it will playing Half Life 2 !

Nvidia Shield Tablet – hardware and cover review

Android, Reviews, Tech News,

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Today I am going to look at the Nvidia Shield Tablet hardware in more detail. I will start by stating this is not built to the same standards as the Apple iPad. Nor is its 1080p screen as good as the iPad. But it is nonetheless a decent enough screen by far.

If you look at the photo above you can see on the screen side the right “front” loudspeaker. The stereo speakers are dual bass reflex port with built-in microphone. The sound from the left and right front speakers is reasonable and adds to the media enjoyment. You will notice sound also comes out of the side too, top right side slat. On the front screen side is also the 5mp front facing camera. The rear also has a 5mp front facing camera. I will cover off the cameras in another post, but needless to say the camera software included is more than expected. Going back to the right side, from the bottom right you can see the headphone jack, HDMI and then micro usb socket. You will notice the micro usb port has green paint on the top. The cable also has one side green, allowing for easier connecting.

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The rear is a soft plastic finish. Nothing special but easy to hold. It does show my fingerprints a little. On the rear you can see the 5mp rear camera and the stylus.

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The Nvidia Shield cover is a smart cover. It has two stick out bits that slot in to the gaps on the side of the tablet. The cover is held in place by magnets and can only be held one way around. It is a strong magnetic connection. The cover has a keyboard, and two upright modes. Opening the cover turns the tablet on and off.

On the top edge is the power and volume controls. I must admit I find the power button fiddly to use.
The top edge also house the micro SD slot and micro SIM card as well as the stylus.
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So overall the hardware is fine and to be honest I don’t miss my iPad, and at £239 for the 16 GB WiFi only model and £299 for the 32 GB LTE/WiFi it really is a great offering.

The full specs are as follows –

– Processor NVIDIA® Tegra® K1 192 core Kepler GPU, 2.2 GHz ARM Cortex A15 CPU with 2GB RAM
– Display 8-inch 1920×1200 multi-touch Full HD display
– Audio Front facing stereo speakers, dual bass reflex port with built-in microphone
– Storage 32 GB (WiFi+4G LTE) / 16 GB (WiFi-only)
– Wireless 802.11n 2×2 Mimo 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz Wi-Fi
– Bluetooth 4.0 LE
– GPS / GLONASS
– Connectivity WiFi+4G LTE or WiFi-only
– Mini-HDMI output
– Micro-USB 2.0
– MicroSD storage slot
– 3.5 mm stereo headphone jack with microphone support
– SIM Card Micro-SIM
– Motion Sensors 3-axis gyro
– 3-axis accelerometer
– 3-axis compass
– Gaming Features SHIELD wireless controller compatible
– NVIDIA GameStream™
– NVIDIA ShadowPlay™
– GRID Cloud Gaming Beta
– Console Mode
– Gamepad Mapper
– Cameras Front: 5MP HDR; Back: 5MP auto focus HDR
– Video Features 4K Ultra-HD Ready
– Stylus DirectStylus 2 with 3D Paint (Included)
– Software Updates SHIELD software upgrades directly from NVIDIA
– Battery 19.75 Watt Hours
– Weight and Size Weight: 13.7oz / 390g
– Height: 8.8in / 221mm Width: 5.0in / 126mm Depth: 0.36in / 9.2mm
– Operating System Android KitKat OS (Android 5.0 Lollipop ready)
– Software Google Play™, NVIDIA SHIELD Hub, Trine 2: Complete Story, Multi language Handwriting Recognition, NVIDIA Dabbler™, JusWrite, Evernote, Adobe Reader, Camera Awesome

-Cellular Connectivity
North America: Unlocked (compatible with AT&T, please check bands supported)LTE, HSPA+, 3G, 2G, GSM, EDGE
-Outside-North America: Unlocked (please check bands supported)LTE, HSPA+, 3G, 2G, GSM, EDGE
Cellular Bands North America:LTE: Bands 2,4,5,7,17 (1900, 1700, 850, 2600, 700)
HSPA+: Bands 1,2,4,5 (2100, 1900, 1700, 850)

Outside-North America:LTE: Bands 1*,3,7,20 (2100/1800/2600/800)HSPA+: Bands 1,2,5,8 (2100/1900/850/900)
* In certain regions band 1 and voice support is enabled

Microsoft launches the Microsoft Band – cross platform fitness band – details

Android, Apple, Tech News, Windows

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Microsoft has launched the Microsoft Band. It lasts 48 hours on a single charge and tracks all activity including your sleep. There are 10 sensors that track standard health statistics like heart rate, a UV sensor to measure sun exposure and galvanic skin response, which can identify stress. Like smart watches, the Band can also receive notifications from a user’s smartphone.

Full details of what it can do are –

– Activity tracking and goal setting : Heart rate monitor 24-hour heart rate monitor: Gives you a better understanding of your calorie burn, sleep patterns, and peak and resting heart rate so you can perform at your best.

– Run Run: Whether you’re on the treadmill at the gym or outdoors in the rain or sun, you can view your run summary on your band with personalized metrics in the phone app including pace splits and heart rate.

– Steps tracker Steps: Set a goal and track your progress. Microsoft Band calculates the calories you’ve burned and the distance you’ve traveled each day.

– Built in GPS Built-in GPS: Measures the distance you’ve run and tracks your pace and route. Save your favorites to retrace your steps and challenge yourself later.

– Calorie tracking Calorie tracking: Count the calories you burn each day. View daily or weekly stats, set goals, and receive a virtual “high-five” when you reach them.

– Sleep tracking Sleep tracking: When activated, Microsoft Band tracks the length and quality of your sleep. Analyze the sleep charts in your app to gain insights about your slumber.

– Guided workouts Guided Workouts: Fun and challenging workouts from fitness partners like Gold’s Gym, Shape, and Men’s Fitness with exercise prompts on the band and much more in the app.

-Goal setting Goal setting: Challenge yourself by setting daily step and calorie goals. Microsoft Band notifies you when you meet them so that you can stay motivated.

The Microsoft Band goes on sale for $199. Looks promising.

Source – http://www.microsoft.com/Microsoft-Band/en-us

CurrentC is already hacked before launch – reviews are not good to

Android, Apple, Tech News,

CurrentC, the mobile payment system that is to rival both Apple Pay and Google Wallet, announced on Wednesday that it has been hacked and that some users’ email addresses may have been obtained.

MCX, the company behind CurrentC, sent out the email on Wednesday, revealing that its security systems were breached by unauthorized third parties within the last 36 hours. The company says its investigations suggest that only users’ email addresses were obtained, but not any additional information.

In addition on both Google Play Store and Apple App Store users are leaving one star or dreadful reviews deliberately.

Not a good day for CurrentC!

Source -Appleinsider.com & theverge.com

Moga Rebel Game Controller review – iOS iPhone and iPad Game Controller

Apple, Reviews, Tech News

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The MOGA REBEL game controller is a full-featured controller which includes shoulder buttons, shoulder triggers, four action buttons, and two pressure-sensitive analog sticks. Its S.M.R.T. Lock Arm lets you secure your iPhone or iPod touch directly to the controller, creating an integrated mobile gaming system. Or use the controller as a stand-alone device with iPad. All devices connect via powerful Bluetooth wireless.

Specifications

– Full-size MFi game controller including extended control shoulder buttons and triggers, a D-pad, and two analog sticks
-MOGA S.M.R.T. Lock secures your iPhone or iPod touch to the controller
-Use as stand-alone controller with iPad
– Wireless Bluetooth connectivity
– LED battery-life indicator 680 mAh rechargeable battery
– Height: 2.4 in./6.1 cm
– Width: 6.3 in./16 cm
– Weight: 13.12 oz./372 g
Length: 4.4 in./11.18 cm
– Manufacturer Information

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The Moga Rebel reminds me of Moga’s android game controller the Moga Pro and Moga Pro Power. They all have similar designs along the lines of a Xbox controller. In terms of holding a 6 Plus in the locking mechanism this is a simple affair and works well. Below are some screen shots of games I have played using the Moga Rebel.

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As you can see there are a number of great titles that work with the controller. The problem is there are considerably more that don’t. Unlike Moga’s android controllers which have two Bluetooth modes allowing for more games to work with the controller, iOS games have just one method. And if they developers haven’t implemented the support properly then it is a non runner. Playing games with the Rebel is great fun and a joy to use. My main issue is it costs £59.99. That’s £10 more than the Nvidia Wifi Controller and £20 more than Moga’s android equivalent. And the Rebel is the worst featured out of the bunch.

So despite all the goodness of enhanced game playing it is very difficult to recommend. Whilst iOS might have the larger game catalogue it has the poorest support for games working with a game controller. So if you browse Mogaanywhere.com and there are enough supported games that you want to play then perhaps give it a go.

Tomorrow I will have the review up for the Moga Pro Power for android which offers more functionality. In terms of game control they are very similar.

Any questions just ask as usual.