Sometimes the smartphone is not the camera you want to use …
Lets face it, the camera market is struggling because most of the phones that people are buying come equipped with pretty decent cameras. They offer high enough megapixels that they can be used for more than just posting pictures to the web and actually have some decent quality. But even though that smartphone camera will work just fine for the majority of the pictures you take, there are still instances when the pictures just don’t live up to what they could be or it is just too impractical to use. Find out five instances where you will probably be better off using a dedicated camera rather than your phone …
Some Tips On Fingerprint Scanner Security
Biometric security is one way that many people are looking to improve security of their information without having to generate increasing longer and more complicated passwords. The most common form or biometric security used is the fingerprint scanner. While they have existed for some time on laptops, they are now found on several popular smartphones. The use of fingerprint scanner security can be easier and more secure than a simple pin but they are not immune to hacking. Both the and biometric security can be circumvented by fake fingerprints. This is done by obtaining a clear image of the fingerprint and then creating a false fingerprint to pass over the sensor. While incidents of such hacking is going to be quite uncommon, there are some steps you can take to help improve the security when using a fingerprint scanner. Continue reading
Cloud Storage – Backing Up And Sharing Data Online
Backing up your computer, mobile phone or tablet PC onto another drive at home is a quick and easy way to try and prevent data loss in the event that the device has a failure. The big problem with this is a catastrophic failure such as a home burning down will not prevent the loss of that data. This is where remote storage comes in handy for ensuring that vital data is not lost from just such an event. In the past, many companies did this by using tape backups that were generated at their servers and then shipped off site for storage. Thankfully networking and storage has improved that we can now do these tasks over the Internet in what is frequently called cloud storage.
Each of the major companies has developed a cloud storage service that can be activated and used with their devices. While those services may have been developed with a specific product in mind, they have expanded out to more devices in response to the third party solutions that are available and can be used across multiple platforms. So let’s take a look at what it means to use a cloud storage service and some of the options available. Continue reading
External Batteries Can Extend Your Smartphone Or Tablet
Anker Astro3
Will Google Cardboard Drive VR Adoption?
Virtual reality is one of the big trends for technology right now. The Oculus Rift has been in development for several years and is likely to be released early next year but it is going to be very expensive and have some serious hardware requirements in order to use it. The Samsung Gear VR is available now and only requires a compatible Samsung Galaxy Note 4 to use but it is still fairly expensive. Google last year showed off the Cardboard, a low cost VR setup designed to be used with compatible Android smartphones and applications that cost as little as $25. Now the updated version of the has been announced at Google I/O 2015 and it opens up the experience to even more people. Continue reading
What is a Phone Kill Switch ?
It has been six months since California’s law took effect. This law effectively mandated that phones solid in the state be required to have a kill switch function. Not all phones are technically required to have this as older phones that predate the law that cannot be patched for the feature can still be sold. Several other states have passed similar laws and there was a push to have a federal law in the US for the same function. So what exactly is this feature, what is the purpose of having it and why should you care? Continue reading
Tech Rant: Smartphones Are Not Good Holiday Gifts
You have probably seen the ads on TV, in retailer flyers, online or even sent to you from your own phone carrier. The ads essentially tell you that now is the time to go out and buy the latest smartphone for a friend or family member this holiday season. There are even a couple websites out there that have put together holiday gift guides highlighting the various phones to get. Frankly, I think this is a terrible idea for a holiday gift for another person for several reasons. Continue reading
Is Your Technology Spying on You?
Earlier this year, a news story broke regarding Samsung’s Smart TVs with voice control capabilities and the face that the data captured by the TVs could be shared with third parties. This was discovered through a careful reading of the user agreements regarding use of the Smart TV functions. Samsung is not the first company to encounter problems with regards to data captured by technology and it certainly won’t be the last either. So, what exactly is the issue that has privacy advocates citing George Orwell’s 1984 and its themes of surveillance? Continue reading
Will the Intel RealSense Technology Really Change Computing?
Back at CES, Intel’s big announcement was their new technology. This solution is just now starting to roll out to consumers in the form of new tablets and computers. Intel keeps touting the feature as the future of computers but is it really all that new? What exactly can the RealSense technology bring to consumers? Let’s find out and see if you might want to get it on your next computer, tablet or smartphone. Continue reading
Lenovo Smart Cast Concept Phone Adds Projected Keyboard
Let’s face it, that last few generations of phones have not really been that innovative. We have gotten larger and more detailed screens and cameras but nothing truly revolutionary in terms of features. Lenovo is looking to change that with the introduction of the Smart Cast conecpt phone. The phone differentiates itself by including a built in pico-laser projector system. Now, this is not the first phone to have a projector built-in but it adds a gesture control system to essentially turn the projected image into a gesture control keyboard and screen. But is this a feature that people really want or will use? Continue reading