The Samsung Galaxy K zoom

Okay so what’s the difference between a camera-phone and a phone that’s a camera? Well Samsung seems to think they found the answer to that question. Yes the Galaxy K zoom, Samsung seems to think that putting an actual camera on a phone is “proactive” I guess you could say. So is it really? Well read along and we’ll find out together.

Announced April 29th 2014 and expected to be released Q2 of 2014, this phone quite literally brand new. Last year’s Galaxy S4 Zoom wasn’t the most popular due to its awkward build and just not needed at the time. But here we find ourselves in 2014 with the likes of the Lumia 1020 and other phones with amazing cameras it comes as no surprise Samsung decided to keep the Zoom lineup. So how do the specs look?
Samsung made this phone to hold its own and it certainly does. An Exynos 5 Hexa system chip is pretty good. Along with a 6-core, 1700 MHz, ARM Cortex-A15 & ARM Cortex-17 processor ( geek talk for pretty fast). Not the fastest phone on the market but again this isn’t meant to be flagship internals. The 8GB built in storage isn’t much; thankfully it does have support for a microSD card slot. The 2430 mAh battery will get you through the day. Plus we have the newest version of Android KitKat 4.4.2 on top of Samsung’s TouchWhiz OS.
 
The display looks to be great. At 4.8 inches it can compete with the best of them. A resolution of 720p and 306ppi isn’t the greatest, but does get the job done. Plus it’s a Super AMOLED which is always looks great on any phone. It feels great in the hand at 7.05 oz (200 g) and it looks like they finally figured put a camera on the back without making it uncomfortable for the user. This brings me to my next point: The camera
At 20.7 megapixels this thing packs a punch. An LED flash does the trick and has all the features in the world, such as; ISO control, face detection, smiles detection, Optical image Stabilization just to name a few. It has a focal length of 24-240mm, now I’m not a camera expert by any means (we’ll leave that for Dave) but I’m thinking that’s pretty good. It also can capture 1080p video recordings and has front facing camera of 2 megapixels, which isn’t that much.
 
So all in all what do I think of this phone? Intriguing is the word I would use. I like the idea; especially in the age of social media cameras are important. It will be interesting to see how this phone sells. I think that even without the best specs, this phone seems to be a viable companion in your pocket for the next two years. Stay tuned to our full review coming soon and as always, be sure to leave a comment and tell us what you think.
 
By: Ben Smith - Twitter

The OnePlus One

OnePlus, a company we haven't heard much about just made a big splash. This past week they announced the One, not to be confused with HTC, but it was impressing. It is often perceived that in order to make a good phone you must be an established brand. Well they might have proven that wrong too.

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We will have a full review coming later on so stay tuned so you don't miss out, this is to provide a overview of the product. So let's begin, right off the bat OnePlus gives us flagship quality especially for a new company. We get the new Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 processor along with 3GB of RAM. The 5.5-inch screen is eye popping with a resolution of 1080p. The phone is running an OS called CyanogenMod, that has been known as a popular option for rooters but now it's a solid part of the phones OS. It provides a modified version of Android and gives the user plenty of helpful and easy tweeks and plenty of features too.

OnePlus also started a campaign that was rather impressive. It is called "The smash the past campaign". It is basically a ticket to get this phone early, but does come at a cost; you must smash your current phone. OnePlus recommends using a hammer,screwdriver,lighter, somthing of that nature. OnePlus will be contacting the 100 winners and give you your phone. That is sure to be an interesting contest.

This is just a short story but like I said stay tuned for our full review. If you have a phone you don't use anymore, I'd recommend participating in the contest, you never know; you might win. This is a very high quality phone by the looks of it and will be interesting to see how this goes for OnePlus. So far OnePlus has broken all the rules on "new phone companies" and hopefully the continue.

Author: Ben Smith - Twitter

The .1 that just made Windows a whole lot better

Throughout the history of the phone a thought that has plagued many people's mind is that there are only two phone platforms: Android and Apple. This couldn't be farther from the truth, there are many more but probably the most recognizable is Windows. Microsoft's title of "#3" or "the third choice" hasn't stopped them from making a great product that is Windows phone. So when this past week we saw Microsoft announce Windows 8.1, I couldn't help but asking myself; is this really the answer to our players. Is this really the update we've been waiting for. Well read along and we'll find out together.

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Ahh yes, Windows phone. Windows phone is really a love hate story depending on who you are. That being said most people who buy one know what they're getting themselves into. They want the easy to access live tiles that go up and down on a vertical axis and really give the user everything they need right in front of them. Well it just got better. We won’t go through every change, rather just the major ones that will affect your day to day use. Microsoft has added an extra row of tile at the bottom, a idea we first saw on the Lumia 1520 is now available on all devices, which is a welcomed change. They have also made some new animations which give the interface a new level of “zippiness”. There is sense everything; battery sense, data sense, wifi sense, it really helps the user to track how much of what they are using and how to better their device which is always a good thing.

Something that has always been a personal annoyance with Windows is that on the start screen there isn’t any feature where I can add a wallpaper. It’s just plain and dark, well that also just got changed. Microsoft has brought onboard new custom graphics. That means that instead of your  graphic just being on the tile is floats behind the tile. This essentially makes your tiles transparent giving a new way to have a wallpaper.

Finally! They have also added a notifications center that I can actually use. It’s being called “Action Center” and that name isn’t an understatement. Like on Android and Apple a quick pull-down shade is offered to see all notifications. The unfortunate part is that you have to dismiss the entire thread of notifications rather than just one. For example lets say I get a friend request on Facebook and I also get a Facebook message, but I only want to dismiss the friend request. Well nope, I have to dismiss all of them which is a bit of a pain, but I can live with it.

Perhaps the biggest change is the new voice assistant. Cortana is fast and snappy, she brings a new level of interaction that just wasn’t there in previous versions of the OS. I would make the argument if Google Now and Siri had a kid, Cortana would be it. She brings the level of “friendly” interaction that Siri does, along with the knowledge and information that Google Now does. Now she does have her growing pains but thats expected from such an undertaking like this for it’s first time. Some features that Cortana brings, well she can text someone voice commanded, tell you where the nearest bus stop or restaurant is, remind you to text someone something next time you text them. Not to mention the usual calendar reminders, alarm clock wake-ups and much much more.

I personally am a fan of Windows 8.1. It’s not windows 9 so don’t expect revolutionary, even though some would argue this is. Everyone that buys a Windows phone knows what they want and what they’re getting themselves into, there isn’t much opportunity to change what you don’t like like on Android. But that’s ok, most people with Windows phones right now are happy for a bunch of reasons, but the biggest one is: that it is reliable. Never have i seen or even heard of a Windows device being slow or underperforming and 8.1 will only help that cause. I would recommend 8.1 to anyone.

 In closing Windows has tried to earn our respect from the day they started and many have not given it to them simply because they think Android and Apple are the only two platforms. But I think that Windows has made a new and fresh ecosystem, they have made something that is different and thats what tech is all about isn’t it?  Microsoft has given us something that puts the consumer first, go get it if you have a chance and you’ll be glad you did.

Author - Ben Smith

Best World Cup Apps

With the 2014 World Cup fast approaching, passionate fans will be able to savour a football-filled summer as the best players in the world will swap their domestic duties at the end of the season to put on the national shirt and represent their country with pride. Billions of people across the world will, once again, be glued to their television sets across households and pubs as they cheer their national side onto potentially glory in Brazil. 3.2 billion tuned in to watch the drama unfold during South Africa 2010, with viewing figures set to be even bigger for Brazil 2014 as the four year wait for the most prestigious tournament in football is over.

Image courtesy of http://pixabay.com/

Image courtesy of http://pixabay.com/

Innovative technology now allows football fans to keep tabs on everything related to the World Cup, with a plethora of downloadable apps available to smartphone and tablet users who can access the latest stories, live streams and on-demand highlights, and live score reports whilst on the go. It allows fans to keep glued to the action wherever they are, whether it is during a long commute or waiting for a doctor’s appointment, which is particularly invaluable when they cannot see the action unfold on television. World Cup apps allow users to enter a world of football at the touch of a screen, with the best options providing the best quality betting service, live score system and trending news stories which include who will be included in Roy Hodgson’s 23-man squad for Brazil 2014 and the odds on crouch to get a recall?

Official FIFA app
The official FIFA app is the perfect download for every football fanatic who wishes to keep in touch with everything that is happening throughout this summer’s World Cup. Available in five languages, the multi-purpose app also covers every domestic league across the world via a live score system, league tables and fixtures to ensure you remain up-to-date across the football world. The app also allows users to watch live matches through extensive tournament coverage, with official FIFA stories and highlights provided after the action has ended on the pitch. Football fans can also benefit from receiving live score updates as goals fly in during the World Cup, which includes the goal-scorer and minute it was scored which can be handy for football punters who have a bet on and, more importantly, for those on the go.

Coral
Gambling via smartphone and tablet devices has further revolutionised the multi-billion gambling industry in providing punters with a more convenient and efficient method to place bets at their own discretion. The Coral app perfectly condenses their desktop service onto handheld devices which allow users to gamble during the World Cup whilst on the go without having to sit in front of a computer or travel to their local bookmaker office. Coral’s mobile app provides a comprehensive selection of betting markets to choose from, such as tournament top scorer and outright World Cup winner, to ensure football punter can enjoy the very best gambling experience during every game. Their service is supported through a live in-play market that offer regularly updated odds during each World Cup game, thus offering more opportunity for football fans to enjoy the action and potentially win variable amounts of money in the process.

LiveScore
Keeping tabs on the latest football scores is arguably the prime use for football apps by fans who wish to be up-to-date across every domestic and international fixture. The LiveScore app is a simplistic, yet effective, app that allows you to access a wealth of football scores across the world, and is regularly updated minute-by-minute. Its layout is filtered through each domestic league and international tournament, with the screen packed with latest, half-time and full-time scorelines. Tapping on each score bar can allow users to see which players have scored, who provided an assist if there is one, and yellow and red cards that are branded by the referee during the game. LiveScore can be utilised through Brazil 2014 as a direct portal to the latest scores which keep you instantly informed on how well teams are doing in every game, and whether your home nation are set to go all the way to the Final.

PS4 vs Xbox One results

Well I'm pretty confident that we can say that Microsoft's Xbox One and Sony's PS4 are this years flagship gaming consoles. Both beast's in their own right, with fantastic specs, killer game titles and unique experiences each. But just which one has done better, which one has won over more of the hearts of our ever growing tech and gaming society? Well read on and find out.

The Xbox One made by Microsoft released November 22nd 2013 was the sucessor to the Xbox 360. How has it done? Well lets just cut to the chase, the One has sold according to Microsoft 3.9M as of Janunary 1st 2014, then April 17th 2014 the company came back saying that they sold 5M units. Now that sounds like amazing sales, but is it really? Without a doubt this console should be compared to the Sony PS4 it's ultimate rival, and how did that console do?

The Sony PS4 the sucessor to the PS3 is also an amazing gaming console in it's own right. Sony came out saying that they sold 4.2M units as of Janunary 1st coincidentally also the same day as Microsoft announced their results. Then April 6th they said over 7 million units have been sold and thats an impressive number.

Sony apparently made a goal of selling 5 million before the end of 2014, well the good news for them is they surpassed it by 2 million. Not so hot news for Microsoft as now they have to sell 2 million more of their Xbox One if they want to catch up to Sony. We have already done reviews on theses two consoles but what does theses results mean to you? Which console do you prefer? All in all theses gaming consoles are fantastic at what they do and would definitely be a great addition to your home entertainment system. 

Author - Ben

Samsung U28D590D Budget 4K

The Samsung U28D590D 28-inch Ultra brings 4K to the table (or your desk) at an affordable price. As screen technology goes, you do not get an IPS display for this money, but you do get a very colour accurate TN panel with a 60Hz refresh rate (when using the mDP connection). Older generation 4K displays only offered 30Hz which was fine for movie watching, but not that great for business/work use and abysmal for gaming. 

You can pick up the Samsung U28D590D here in the UK, or here in the USA (pre-order in the UK with a 1st May 2014 release date, in stock in the USA).

Twelve South HiRise for Style

One of the most interesting products I have tested this year displays & allows you to charge your iPhone 5s, 5 or iPad Mini in style. It even has some adjustment to enable the use of the stand whilst your device is in a case. 

Check out the details below, along with the video I produced showing the HiRise. 

Available to buy in the UK here and the USA here. 

Nest Learning Thermostat

The Nest Learning Thermostat arrived in the Geekanoids studio a few weeks back and the installation was pretty straightforward. It brings full home automation one step closer. Being able to control our lights, media recording & playback, house & smoke alarms and now the heating in our houses with this latest addition. 

I love the fact that it has physical controls, so any member of the household can walk by and turn the dial to their preferred temperature. Add to this "app control too" and you are onto a winner.

The main kit comprises of everything you need to install this on most combination boilers. You get a wall mounting plate to make everything look neat & tidy, or you can sit the thermostat control on an optional stand. The Nest then learns your preferred temperature over the coming weeks, saving you money along the way. 

Pick up your Nest here in the UK, or in the USA here. The optional Nest stand is just £29 here in the UK.

Google releases standalone Camera App

You may have noticed that Google has been slowly moving many of the core apps and features from Android into separate apps available in the PlayStore. A good example of this was the Google Keyboard which was made available for anyone to download. Today Google has released the Android Camera app to the PlayStore as a standalone app simply titled 'Google Camera'.

There are a number of improvements and refinements in the Google Camera app from that found in Android KitKat firmwares. The new app introduces a much cleaner interface with a more prominent shutter button.  Also present is a brand new Lens Blur mode which promises to produce SLR quality photos and a shallow depth of field. A detailed list of features are listed below:

• Photo Spheres for immersive 360º views

• Lens Blur mode for SLR-like photos with shallow depth of field

• Panorama mode with high resolution

• 100% viewfinder for getting the maximum resolution from the sensor (no dropped pixels)

• Updated UI that gets out of your way and is centered on an extra large capture button

• Works on phones and tablets running Android 4.4+ KitKat

The new Google Camera app is available to download now from the Google PlayStore to anyone running Android 4.4 or above (KitKat). Whilst the camera apps found in flagship devices such as the new HTC One (M8) or the Samsung Galaxy S5 are pretty decent anyway it never hurts to have more options available.

 

Think before you tweet

It’s so easy to make a status update on social networking sites like Twitter and Facebook that many of us do it without really thinking about it. Whilst this is okay for general status updates or tweeting about that delicious sub that you had for lunch, it can be problematic when you write a badly timed joke or something that you may think is harmless fun but actually has great consequences.

This week the internet learned of a teenage girl in the Netherlands that for some reason though it would be a good idea to tweet a terrorist threat to one of America’s biggest Airlines. Whilst I’m pretty sure Sarah or (@QueenDemetriax_) as she is known on Twitter had no idea of the seriousness of her actions, she must have known that this wasn’t going to end well? Shortly after receiving the tweets American Airlines responded to her pointing out the seriousness of the threat and informed her that they would be passing her details on to the FBI.

Upon receiving the message from American Airlines it seems that Sarah quickly realised the seriousness of her actions and began to plead with the Airline to not take the matter any further stating that she was just a girl and not from Afghanistan or a member of “Al qaida”. The initial message from American Airlines claimed that they had Sarah’s IP address and that they would be passing this onto the FBI, something which isn’t actually within the power of American Airlines. A Twitter spokesman later confirmed that the Airline didn’t have access to the IP or other details of the girl and that only a law enforcement agency could request such information from Twitter.

Sarah was arrested following the incident by Police in Rotterdam and investigations are still ongoing. I sincerely hope that this incident is a warning to others about the serious implications that can happen as a result of what we say on social networks. If you're unsure if the tweet you are about to send is inappropriate or likely to cause any repercussions the safest and most sensible thing to do is not post it.

Back in February there was a video uploaded to Geekanoids titled ‘think before you tweet’ which although it talks about businesses and banks looking at your Twitter account before making a decision on offering a loan or employment, it still hammers home the importance of thinking before you tweet so I have included the video below for reference.