On your iPhone , ask Siri “Tell me a Poem”
I’ve had a reply previously “roses are red, violets are blue, haven’t you got anything better to do”.
But the reply below is even better.
Category Archives: Tech News
Skydrive gets updated for iOS with photo uploads and increased security
Microsoft has finally updated Skydrive on iOS and in the process made it iOS 7 friendly and allows automatic photo uploads over wifi or using mobile data.
If you’re concerned about SkyDrive storage space, then you can ask the app to automatically resize photos instead of uploading originals. The app also enables an additional feature for those using Windows 8.1 and an iPhone. SkyDrive automatically pulls out any text captured in a photo using OCR, and the built-in Smart Search in Windows 8.1 will surface that text in search results.
If you’re an Office user then there’s also some improvements for opening up documents from SkyDrive on iOS. You can now select a document and open it directly in Office Mobile or OneNote, instead of loading a viewer inside the app. The app now supports the new two stage sign-in interface that Microsoft is using.
iPhone muggings are in the increase but the carriers/networks won’t cooperate
iPhone crime is a problem. In New York, the crime rate went up for the first time in twenty years because people are getting mugged violently for their iPhones.
Apple has made improvements to iOS, including requiring users to enter their iCloud password to turn “Find my iPhone” off, and the new ‘Activation Lock’ feature which allows users to disable stolen or lost iPhones remotely. However, most thieves circumvent this by simply turning off an iPhone once it is stolen.
Apple wants a cellphone killswitch that would allow you to make your iPhone totally nonfunctional, even if it was turned off. But you the carriers have said no as they are afraid it would effect their bottom lines. Seriously!
Well it turns out the carriers would not be able to sell as many insurance policies if your phone could be rendered useless. Is this world insane? Surely people’s safety should come first.
Clove Technology Bargain Smartphone Deals
Clove Technology is selling a number of different smartphones at a reduced price. These appear to be ex demo or similar.
It’s Christmas and Shopping just got even easier
Google Shopping web page just got a facelift just in time to enable you to buy more before the Christmas holidays.
So what do you think of the new look?
Breaking news – Apple wins $290 million from Samsung in patent retrial
Samsung will be paying an additional $290 million in damages to Apple. A jury in California on Thursday said that the Korean smartphone manufacturer owed Apple $290 million for infringing upon its intellectual property. Apple had asked for $380 million in damages, so the jury’s reward is a good outcome.
Samsung had said that it should only pay an additional $52 million to Apple, so the jury’s verdict is a success for a Apple. Samsung has already paid $600 million to Apple after a jury found it guilty of patent infringement in 2012, which means that the total damages the company will have to pay to Apple will be $890 million for this patent case alone.
But will it matter to Samsung who makes a huge amount of money every day and now has market share.
Nokia Lumia 1020 update
I haven’t written anymore on the Nokia Lumia 1020, partly because I was involved in a car accident a few days ago, and suffering from that. So what does the 1020 have to do with the accident.
Well, it was a very reassuring moment following the accident when I realised that photographic evidence would be needed. I quickly took the 1020 and started taking photos. I now have 34mp pureview shots of the scene and damage which can be zoomed in with incredible detail and accuracy.
And I have a feeling that the other party involved in the accident will not expect there to be such detailed photographic evidence!
As the saying goes, it is the camera in your pocket that often counts to capture that moment.
Here come the Game Controllers for iOS – Logitech Powershell
Yesterday I wrote about Moga’s new iOS game controller. Now Logitech reveals all.
Logitech is using Apple’s standard MFi configuration, which gives you a D-Pad, A/B/X/Y face buttons, and left and right shoulder buttons. Moga, on the other hand, is using Apple’s extended layout, which adds an extra set of shoulder buttons and left and right thumbsticks.
Priced at $99 or £89 again it will be interesting to see which controllers wins the day. Based on using the Moga Pro controller on android I would be confident on Moga stealing the crown again. UK availability will be from December.
It will also be interesting to see who else announces a game controller.
Apple iBeacons being deployed
The Apple Store App already offers a great experience and allows you to pay for accessories without a member of staff.
Now Apple is looking at integration of iBeacons within Apple’s stores which will be used in cohesion with a future update to the Apple Store app, which can give detailed information on a product when a user walks near an item.
Apple is also testing its iBeacon system to better provide services in its stores, such as notifying consumers about upcoming workshops.
This technology has loads of potential and could replace NFC.
Sony Playstation 4 rockets
Sony has sold 1m units of its new PlayStation 4 gaming console in the first 24 hours that it was available in the US and Canada.
So if anyone thought the console was dead, think again.
Gavin's Gadgets & Photography 