Ideas and Travels

Hi, My name is Jay, Photographer, Graphic Artist, Traveler and Adventurer. :) Welcome to my Ideas

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Instagram for Android, at last.

To longtime Android users, the name Instagram might not mean much. What is it, exactly? Is it just a bunch of camera filters?

Based on Wiki, Instagram is a free photo sharing application that allows users to take a photo, apply a digital filter, then share it on a variety of social networking services including Instagram's own.

On its site it says: It’s a fast, beautiful and fun way to share your photos with friends and family. Snap a picture, choose a filter to transform its look and feel, then post to Instagram. Share to Facebook, Twitter, and Tumblr too – it's as easy as pie. It's photo sharing, reinvented. Oh yeah, did we mention it’s free?

The App comes with simple flash controls and a camera-switch button to go from front-facing to rear-facing in a single tap. Beyond that, though, there's not much else to the basic shooter. There's no spot focusing, and no cropping or zooming once a shot is taken.

After you snap your photo, Instagram gives you the option to use any of its 18 photo filters, each of which adds a slightly different look to your work. While each of the filters is uniquely interesting, what I noticed is that all of them evoke a similar retro/vintage feel. This isn't necessarily bad (unless you think vintage is ugly), but it is worth noting. At this point in the workflow, you also get the option to rotate your photo, add a border, or enhance its brightness.

So every is just that, but for me, if you love sharing your photos with a large audience then the reality is that downloading Instagram is not a must. Yes it has a huge network in tow, and it makes it dead simple to share and interact with your friends' photos. But if you're mainly looking for a high-end photo enhancement app to really make your pics shine, then this is probably not the right option.

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Reasons NOT to buy iPad3

You’ve heard all the praises and maybe even queued up on launch day to get your hands on the newest iPad. Everyone knows why you should get the iPad.

For some people, these explanations may bring to light why they, too, probably shouldn't buy it. For others, these reasons will just help them to understand those other crazy people. So if you’re still sitting on the fence,here's why you might not be buying the iPad 3.

1. You Want to Save Money

We feel bad even mentioning this one because of course it's a luxury item and we should all really get over its price already! But the iPad 3 will be expensive, and many people will cringe at the price. If you want a money-saving option, buy the iPad 2 once it goes on clearance (or pick up a refurb from Apple). After all, no matter what bells and whistles are crammed into the latest model, the iPad 2 is probably still going to do 90% of what the iPad 3 will.

2. You already got an iPad 2

Apple has the largest market share in this category, so a lot of you are probably reading this on your iPad 2 or iPad.

Skip the iPad 3 and wait for the iPad 4 (which will most certainly be announced in about a year's time). The camera upgrade? Even the point-and-shoot kind is just plain silly on a tablet and should not influence your decision to get one. Also, you don't need to have the latest and greatest to feel good about yourself.

3. The screen alone is not worth the upgrade

Admittedly, the screen is fantastic. Text looks razor sharp and colours are extremely vivid. But a major reason for the hoo-hah over the Retina display is the fact that the original iPad screen sucked, displaying only 1,024 x 768 pixels worth of information. Still, it was functional enough and did not provide any difficulty in reading and browsing.

If you don’t have a problem with the 1080p display on a 40-inch HDTV, and are completely satisfied with the 1280 x 800 displays on typical 10-inch Android tablets, why fork out extra cash for so many pixels on just a 9-inch screen? You won’t be able to tell much of a difference at a distance anyway.

Plus, developers who want to make their app pretty on the Retina display will have to pack in huge graphics that take up a lot of space. For example, The Verge reports that the Keynote presentation app was previously only 115MB, but its latest version is 327MB.

16GB of storage is starting to look paltry, as you’ll run out of space fast once all the apps start piling up.

4. Still,same as always hardware

The first iPad had only one proprietary port, the iPad 2 still had one proprietary port, and with the new third-generation iPad, we still get only one proprietary port for charging and data transfer. The iPad is still missing USB ports, and micro SD card slots, among others.

The screen, too, is still the 9.7-inch with no hint of extra enhancements like a piece of Gorilla glass for protection. The aspect ratio is still 4:3, which isn’t ideal for enjoying movies.

In fact, if you put the iPad 2 next to the new iPad, very few people will be able to tell the difference from a distance. Compared to the range of hardware available on Android tablets, and the upcoming Windows 8 tablets, the iPad’s design is getting pretty old.

5. Not the only tablet

Most of the new iPad’s features can actually already be found in existing tablets, just not in a slick Apple package. You can also get good Android tablets at lower price-points, or tablets with a full operating systems.

At the end of the day, it depends on what you’re going to use your tablet for, and it’s definitely worth checking out other tablets and not settle on the iPad by default.

[beyondmyideas-blog]

Pinterest, A new threat for Facebook?

My girlfriend Kate asked me a few days ago to create an account on Pinterest. Pinterest, the latest social networking craze, allows you to showcase your passion for pictures and objects in a fun and colourful way.

The new social network has been making waves in the internet word. The site allows you to "pin" any image from the web on to a virtual pinboard – curating online moodboards around themes and interests – with categories. So far it's been pretty popular with women. 

So how does How does Pinterest differ from Tumblr?

Tumblr is essentially a blogging service. They offer some layouts that mimic the visual mood board style of Pinterest, but images aren't automatically linked to its source, you can't see all the entries on one page, and you'd have to create a new blog for each new category of images.

Here is an example of my girlfriend's Pinterest site

Simplicity is what has helped Pinterest thrive. It is not a game or a place to network for future jobs or even to acquire the latest news. 

Is it worth using?

If you want yet another way to network with people, sure. If you want to join boards about the latest fashion tips, maybe. Pinterest doesn’t seem to have much room to grow, that is, to become more than what it is. Essentially, I’m using it because I can organize stuff that I like, while my girlfriend Kate uses it to help her organize the interesting things she came across so that she can refer to them quickly on down the road for future writings.

So, while Pinterest has grown perhaps faster than any other social media outlet, I don’t see this growth really taking off in a consistent, sustainable way. I don’t see people coming back to it daily and for years as people do with Twitter and Facebook. That said, it’s easy to sign up and figure out so I suggest spending a few minutes to see if it’s worth your while.

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LG Optimus 4X HD

LG is attacking the top-tier market with the Optimus 4X. The new phone will go head to head with expensive devices like the Galaxy Nexus, iPhone 4S, Motorola Droid Razr, Samsung Galaxy S II, and Samsung Galaxy Note. With a 4.7-inch screen, it’s certainly large enough to compete with the biggest of them.

The 4X HD, as the name suggests, packs in a 1,280x720 resolution - giving it an impressive 313 pixels-per-inch. That's not quite iPhone 4 territory, but it's high enough to make spotting individual pixels practically impossible. It's also an IPS display, so colours are vibrant and viewing angles.

Design-wise, LG is mostly sticking with the same boxy, brushed silver look that has dominated its smartphone line for the last year or so, but representatives were quick to point out a silver triangle cut-out texture that lines the side of the phone. It has no practical purpose, but does give the Optimus a bit of personality — a bit. Not that it needs to scream out its presence. Performance is more important than flash.

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Are Netbooks Dead?

Netbook sales have declined, the trend in the rest of the world is starting to follow.

When netbooks burst onto the scene in 2007, they seemed to be ideal for people looking for a lightweight, on-the-go computer. As the name suggests, netbooks were designed for Web browsing and online content consumption, as well as for light office work.

Performance was limited, however, partly because the machines used the first Intel Atom CPUs and partly because the starter versions of Windows imposed crippling requirements. Microsoft’s licensing limited initial Windows netbooks to a scant 1GB of RAM. In addition, most early netbooks shipped with cramped keyboards, plus tiny, 7- to 10-inch, low-resolution screens.

Despite their limitations, netbooks filled a valuable niche when released. Inexpensive, lightweight, and fairly rugged, netbooks arrived just as the fast and reliable 802.11n Wi-Fi standard began to take off, and most were equipped to support it.

Intel was one of the prime beneficiaries of netbook growth, with its first-generation Atom processors powering most of the netbooks sold. Intelis aware of the decline of the netbook, but remains bullish about its prospects in other markets. 

Apple is likely responsible for another factor in the decline of the netbook. In late 2010, Apple released a more affordable MacBook Air, replacing the original, pricey 13-inch model with lower-priced 11- and 13-inch models.

The base 11.6-inch model costs $999. Taking note of the MacBook Air’s success, Intel developed the Ultrabook idea, a branded standard for very thin laptops. Manufacturers looking to build higher-margin products in the ultraportable-laptop segment, at least for the U.S. market, have turned to Ultrabooks. The jury is still out on the long-term success of Ultrabooks, but early reviews have been favorable.

The netbook seems to be returning to its roots in the education market. Originally launched as a response to the One Laptop per Child (OLPC) initiative, the netbook is once again targeting education, particularly in emerging markets outside the United States. But the rising tide of low-cost Android tablets may eventually swamp even that niche.

The netbook isn’t dead yet, but it’s clearly on its last legs as a general-purpose, lightweight machine for Web computing. Tablets are filling that role for content consumers, low-cost but better-performing laptops are taking over for home users, and Ultrabooks plus the MacBook Air are taking the higher-end slots. The netbook may have a niche in certain markets, but its future is clearly limited and shrinking.

What I can say,for those who wants to buy: Don’t buy a netbook today, however attractive the price. You’ll just end up with a dead-end product.

[beyondmyideas-blog]

Windows 8: Up close to an all new UI

Most people with any interest in technology have now seen or maybe even had hands-on experience with Microsoft's next big thing: Windows 8. And it's clear most that the hybrid mobile-desktop operating system represents a huge risk for the software giant. But many would argue that it’s a risk the company must take in order to become a major force in the brave new world of tablet computing.

Windows, being one of the most used OS, brings great challenges for Microsoft to keep its users impressed in the next version of Windows.

Although Windows 7 has done exceptionally well since its release, Microsoft has been constantly working to make the next version of Windows a better one by further improving upon the existing features, and have added new impressive Windows 8 features along with a stunning UI.

Here are some of the UI:

Windows 8 is Microsoft's combined desktop, laptop and tablet operating system, designed to go from 10-inch touch-only tablets to big screens in your living room, from ultra-portable notebooks to massive gaming systems and business desktops.

Here is an example of Windows 8 desktop:

Windows 8 offers a number of new Windows 8 features from its all new UI to Windows App Store and improvised security features. Here’s a list of new features and improvements which will arrive with Windows 8:

Support for both x86 PCs and ARM tablets

Windows To Go

Windows Store

Windows 8 User Interface

Windows 8 Minimum System Requirements

It is reported that Windows 8 is expected to have the same system requirements as Windows 7, and will run on existing machines that run Windows 7. Here are the following minimum system requirements to run Windows 8:

Processor: 1GHz or faster 32-bit or 64-bit processor

RAM: 1GB (32-bit) or 2GB (64-bit)

HD Space: 16GB for 32-bit (or 20GB for 64-bit)

[beyondmyideas-blog]

Introducing Qwiki: A short, interactive story.

Qwiki is a platform that creates interactive, on-the-fly, multimedia presentations of information.

Users type in and select the topic they would like to create a 'Qwiki' video about. It reads automatically selected information from various websites and automatically grabs photos and associated pictures on the subject. Its co-founders are entrepreneur Doug Imbruce and Louis Monier, founder of the AltaVista search engine.

Unlike traditional rich media content, all Qwikis are created on the fly from web sources (without any human intervention).

Experience Qwiki now. 

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Polaroid SC1630: Android HD smart camera

The camera modules in smartphones continually improve, and these days there are phones like the iPhone 4S and the Nokia N9 who can take snapshots as good and sometimes better than point-and-shoots. Polaroid's known for making cameras, but its newest device flips the script by taking a 16 megapixel point-and-shoot and shoving an Android phone inside.

SC1630 Android HD Smart Camera as they call it, is packed with 850/1900/2100MHz WCDMA and 850/900/1800/1900 GSM radios, along with WiFi, Bluetooth, GPS and an FM antenna thrown in for good measure. The SC1630 sports an 800 x 400 3.2-inch capacitive touchscreen, while underneath there's 512MB of built-in storage and 512MB of RAM, along with proximity and G-sensors, micro SIM slot, Micro USB and a 2.5mm headphone jack.

The camera is a 16 megapixel unit, with aperture of F3.1 - F5.6, 3X optical zoom and 5X digital zoom, a max shutter speed of 1/1400 and ISO tops out at 3200. It's got geotagging and anti-shake support as well, and can shoot videos in 720p. 

The SC1630 utilizes Polaroid proprietary compression technology and allows users to choose the size of the photos they want so sharing pics won't run up massive data charges. We must say, this new Polaroid device has our curiosity piqued and we're looking forward to seeing the final version.

[beyondmyideas-blog]

Project Fiona: For Gamers. By Gamers.

Project Fiona is a gaming PC that takes the tablet form factor and adds controls on either side of the screen. Combine that with internal components that will allow all modern PC games to run and a projected sub-$1,000 price point, and you have a system that is like nothing else we’ve seen, for better or worse.

Right now the hardware is running a skinned version of Windows 7, so you can navigate through the games and tabs such as video and an Internet browser, but this is a concept device, and Razer is hoping to launch by the end of the year with Fiona running Windows 8. The only detail they’re willing to reveal about what’s under the hood is the CPU; the rest is being worked out. The audio on the hardware will also be THX certified, and will include force feedback in the controls.

Here are some of the device specs:

Hybrid user interface for PC gaming

Intel® Core™ i7

10.1" 1280x800 display

Full-screen user interface supporting multi-touch

3-axis gyro, magnetometer, accelerometer

Force feedback

Dolby® 7.1 surround sound

WiFi 802.11b/g/n

Bluetooth® 3.0

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Samsung Breathes Life Into Tizen By Merging With Bada

Samsung has announced its plans to replace its homegrown smartphone platform - Bada - with the Linux-based Tizen, which was recently created in collaboration with Intel.

Launched back in 2010, Bada was meant to feature on Samsung's low-end touchscreen phones. Compared to the feature phone OS found on these phones, Bada was much better because it had an improved user interface and smartphone features such as proper multitasking and native third party application installation through Samsung's own application store.

Now, however, with Samsung starting work on Tizen, it makes little sense to keep both the platforms existing simultaneously. Then there is also the fact that Samsung has Android and Windows Phone devices as well.

So starting this year, Bada will be replaced with Tizen and as such, will cease to exist on its own, outside of the devices that are currently running it. Samsung has said that the current Bada applications and the SDK will be backward compatible with the new OS. No mention of whether the current devices will be upgraded to Tizen, although we wouldn't hold our breath for that.

Samsung has also mentioned that they will be launching one or two Tizen phones this year. Our guess is that they will be low-end or mid-range devices, since Samsung has already got the high-end covered with Android and Windows Phone devices. Hopefully we will find out more at MWC this year.

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Internet addiction may change brain in ways simliar to drug, alcohol addiction

New groundbreaking research suggests that the brains of Internet addicts change in similar ways to those who are hooked on alcohol and drugs.

The study, scanned the brains of Chinese 17 men and women between the ages of 14 and 21 affected with Internet Addiction Disorder, as well as 16 control subjects (i.e. non-Internet addicts). The research team, led by Hao Lei of the Chinese Academy of Sciences in Wuhan, found more “abnormal white matter” on brain scans of Internet addicts than non-web addicts.

That abnormal white matter wasn’t cocaine itself, of course, but it’s similar to what you would find in the brain scan of a cocaine addict, or an alcoholic, or a meth addict. Since these white matter areas are the parts of the brain that contain nerve fibers, any disruption — like what researchers see in addicts — can lead to a lack of self-control, extreme emotional disturbances and poor decision-making.

Here’s the scientific conclusion, in case you wear a white lab coat in your spare time:

Our findings suggest that IAD demonstrated widespread reductions of FA in major white matter pathways and such abnormal white matter structure may be linked to some behavioral impairments. In addition, white matter integrity may serve as a potential new treatment target and FA may be as a qualified biomarker to understand the underlying neural mechanisms of injury or to assess the effectiveness of specific early interventions in IAD.

So what? What does it mean? 

What’s the big deal here? 

Essentially, this study tells us that abnormalities in the brains of addicts can be caused not only by substances but by behaviors as well. And that can lead to groundbreaking treatments and new ways of looking at these 21st Century problems.

[beyondmyideas-blog]

YouTube spends $100 million to redefine TV

Google's YouTube plans to invest $100 million in professional production companies producing YouTube-only content beginning this month

The show's creators will produce programming for viewing on mobile devices, computers and Internet-connected TVs.

YouTube VP of Global Content Robert Kyncl announced at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) the first wave of YouTube channels from artists like CSI creator Anthony Zuiker and Deepak Chopra.

Within a few years, online video will contribute 90% to all online traffic; and by 2020, the Web will give birth to 75% of all media channels, Kyncl said, calling the Web a vehicle for distribution.  

Now, the question becomes whether YouTube will create a subscription service or whether the site will monetize original content, movies and television shows from major broadcast companies with ads like TrueView, which doesn't charge advertisers to serve up an ad until the ad runs in the screen for more than 30 seconds.

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Philippine-born NFL star to set up hospital in the Philippines

Tim Tebow, one of America's hottest new sports heroes, will help pay for a children's hospital in the poverty-stricken Philippines where he was born, his charity partners said Friday.

The $3 million, 30-bed facility will open in the southern city of Davao in mid-2013, the US-based charity CURE said in a statement on its website where a video message from theDenver Broncos quarterback was also posted.

"I've always had a a special place in my heart for the country in which I was born and I'm very excited about this project," Tebow said in the message as he appealed for the public to join him in donating to the hospital's fund.

"This hospital will change the lives of thousands of children in the Philippines."

The Tebow CURE Hospital will specialise in bone disease and injuries for children, with about of a third of the young patients expected to be charity cases.

The hospital will house a "Timmy's Playroom" to be used by children who undergo surgery.

The Tim Tebow Foundation, established in 2010, plans to build playrooms in children's hospitals around the world, and the Davao one will be the first.

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Yi Jianlian for the Mavs

Yi Jianlian joined the reigning NBA champion Dallas Mavericks for his first workout on Tuesday, the 24-year-old Chinese forward declaring himself ready for the challenge of the NBA campaign.

One day after the Mavericks visited US President Barack Obama at the White House to celebrate last June's NBA Finals triumph over Miami, they welcomed Yi into a workout to prepare for a game later Tuesday at Detroit.

The 7-foot forward, who helped China win last year's Asian Championship and a berth in this year's London Olympics, averaged 23 points, 12 rebounds and two blocked shots in two games with the minor-league Texas Legends last weekend.

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Nokia declares war in US smartphone market

Microsoft chief executive Steven Ballmer joined Nokia boss Stephen Elop to reveal the Finland-based mobile phone titan’s plans to hit the US market in coming months, with a Lumia 900 smartphone designed for the media-gobbling habits.

The price and release date for Lumia 900 was not disclosed, but it will be offered exclusively on the latest generation 4G LTE network of US telecom giant AT&T.

Lumia 900 runs on Windows mobile software and will tap into the growing trove of hip, fun, or functional mini-applications for handsets based on Microsoft’s latest mobile software.

The company planned to start the US invasion on January 11 with a Lumia 710 model.

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iPhone 4S application Siri swears at 12-year-old boy

Apple's voice assistant app Siri gave the parents of 12-year-old Briton Charlie Le Quesne a shock after it blurted out obscenities when the boy asked how many people there were in the world.

Charlie picked up a demo handset of the iPhone 4S at a Tesco store in the UK, and asked Siri: "How many people are there in the world?". The personal assistant app, which uses a natural language user interface to answer questions, said in response: "I'm not sure what you said there, Shut The F**k Up, You Ugly T***."

The horrified Kim, mother of Charlie said that the phone was a demo version and was low enough on the shelf for Charlie to have a go with it. His son asked it a simple question and she couldn’t believe the filth it came out with.

So from this news, will this be the start of AI Rebellion? 

We have to find out in the coming years, from now watch the Ad below. 

[beyondmyideas-blog]

Samsung Galaxy Ace Plus with more memory, faster processor

Samsung Electronics has launched the Android-based Galaxy Ace Plus, which has more memory, a faster processor and a slightly larger screen compared to its predecessor, the company said on Tuesday.

The Galaxy Ace Plus is powered by a 1GHz processor, compared to an 800MHz processor in the original Ace model. Performance will also be helped by roughly twice as much RAM; the new model has 512MB for applications to use.

The screen has the same resolution (480 by 320 pixels), but has grown from 3.5 inches to 3.65 inches, according to Samsung's spec sheets.

The Galaxy Ace Plus will be available in Russia starting this month, and will then be gradually rolled out in Europe, Latin America, parts of Asia, the Middle East, Africa and China. The company didn't provide any details on what it will cost.

The Ace Plus may be the first Galaxy phone Samsung has launched in 2012, but it won't be the last. For example, the company is expected to introduce a third iteration of the Galaxy S later this year.

The Galaxy S III is rumored to have with a Super AMOLED Plus HD display at 1280-by-720 pixels, a quad-core processor and a 12-megapixel camera.