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Monday, 8 July 2013
How to: send Facebook stickers from your PC or Mac
PublisherNiamh Lynch |DateJuly 2, 2013
Following in the steps of Path, Line and Viber, Facebook is the latest to adopt stickers, the little virtual stickies that are gradually replacing the emoticons and smileys of old. Right now, Facebook's stickers are limited to people using Facebook's mobile applications, Facebook and Facebook Messenger. Fortunately, the facemoji extension allows you to overcome this restriction. We're going to show you how to use Facebook stickers on PCs and Macs!
Warning: the facemoji extension can only be installed on Google Chrome (PC | Mac) or Firefox (PC | Mac).First install facemoji on you normal browser: To learn more about installing extensions and add ons, take a look at these guides: Firefox| Chrome.Log in to your Facebook account.Send a private message to a contact of your choice, or send an instant message.You'll see a new icon appear to the bottom right of the text box - click on it to activate facemoji.
Remember that you can change the set of stickers by clicking the icon bar that runs beneath the stickers menu. 
Via Softonic FR
New PES 2014 trailer shows off "next-gen equivalent" graphics
PublisherLewis Leong |DateJuly 1, 2013
Althought PES 2014 has only been confirmed for release on current generation consoles, Konami claims that the FIFA rival will have graphics that are on par with what's being offered on the Xbox One and PlayStation 4.
In a new trailer released by Konami, in-game graphics and new game features like the "barycenter" ball handling system, which controls the player's weight separately from the ball's movement for a more realistic feel.
The trailer also shows off the Bayer Munich team doing some technical moves and precise ball control. The ball always acts as the center for the player, which makes feints and dodges much more realistic. The new barycenter physics engine also influences the defensive play in the game where balls can be cut in ways that weren't in the previous versions of PES.
The Fox Engine provides impressive graphics as displayed by the close-ups of players from the team. Facial expresions are more detailed and realistic to the point where you can even see the veins in their necks.
PES 2014 looks like an impressive game, especially if can live up to the claims of "next-gen" quality graphics. We'll reserve judgement until the game comes out on September 20th of this year for current generation consoles. Konami has not announced a release date for next-gen consoles yet.
Two PC viruses discovered that work together
PublisherJonathan Riggall |DateJuly 1, 2013
Microsoft's Malware Protection Centre has described two families of PC virus that actually work together to download new versions of the viruses, making them harder to eradicate. Called Vobfus and Beebone, one works to download new versions of the other.
Vobfus is usually the first infection, arriving through fake links, infected USB drives or across networked PCs. This then downloads Beebone, which enlists your PC in a botnet - with all the other Beebone infected computers. Beebone can then download fresh versions of the Vobfus virus.
The advantage of this collaboration for the viruses is that they may be able to stay ahead of malware detection. You could discover a known version of one virus on your PC, but it might have already downloaded a newer version of the other which has not yet been detected.
Microsoft recommend making sure your browser is always up to date, which helps prevent you from visiting potentially dangerous sites. Disabling 'autorun' on Windows XP is also a good way to avoid viruses installing themselves from infected drives. You should always make sure your antivirus suite is up to date.
[Source: Malware Protection Centre]
Wikipedia launches new simple VisualEditor for contributors
PublisherJonathan Riggall |DateJuly 2, 2013
Wikipedia has launched a WYSIWYG (what you see is what you get) editor that makes contributing to the site easier for everyone. The old article editor, wiki markup, is difficult for newcomers. The simpler VisualEditor will mean contributors can focus on their articles, without being wiki markup experts.
The new VisualEditor has been available as an alpha test for a few months on Wikipedia in English, and now all registered users can use it. The classic editor is still available, and according to the site, there are still some functions in wiki markup that are not available in the VisualEditor. Experienced Wikipedia editors will therefore still be able to work as normal, but the foundation is trying to convince as many people as possible to use VisualEditor by default, so any bugs or problems can be ironed out as soon as possible. There are no plans to to remove the wiki markup editing ability.
Not all browsers support VisualEditor yet - current versions of Chrome, Safari, and Firefox are supported, but Internet Explorer is not. Wikipedia is asking for as much feedback from users as possible, to make VisualEditor as good as possible.
[Source: Wikimedia Foundation]
Microsoft's browser benchmark cheats, gives IE 11 speed crown
PublisherLewis Leong |DateJuly 2, 2013
During last week's Build 2013 conference in San Francisco, Microsoft showed off Windows 8.1 and its latest version of Internet Explorer. IE 11 looks to be the most feature rich and quickest version of Microsoft's browser but can it dethrone Chrome as the fastest browser? Microsoft seems to think so and has created its own browser benchmark dubbed Lawn Mark 2013.
The test is performed in browser, loading symbols for different browsers as patches of grass. Unsurprisingly, Internet Explorer 11 took top marks but is this test accurate? The folks over at the Chromium project were skeptical and decided to dissect the test to see what was really going on.
What they found was that Lawn Mark 2013 was improperly setting the smallest timeout value (setTimeout)improperly for the competition. While IE11 was allowed a "0" value for setTimeout, the competition was set to the standard 4 milliseconds.
After adjusting the test to give all browser the same smallest timeout value, Internet Explorer 11 actually came out about 30% slower than Chrome. Even Firefox managed to be quicker than IE 11. In reality, IE 11 is in 3rd place with Opera and Safari following. You can try out the modified test yourself here.
So what did we learn from these benchmarks? Either there's a "bug" in Lawn Mark 2013 or Microsoft deliberately created a benchmark where IE would alway win. Also, don't mess with the Chrome fanboys.
[Source: Chromium]
Mortal Kombat 9 coming to PC on July 3rd
PublisherJonathan Riggall |DateJuly 2, 2013
The excellent 2011 fighting game Mortal Kombat 9 will be released on Steam July 3rd. Ed Boon, the co-creator of the violent series tweeted that he expects MK 9 to be released this Wednesday July 3rd.
Looks like the PC version of MK9 will be available on STEAM Wednesday, July 3 !!
— Ed Boon (@noobde) July 1, 2013
The game has also been listed on some stores, but so far a pre-order page has not appeared on Steam itself. Mortal Kombat 9 is an excellent fighting game. Like Street Fighter IV, it uses 3D characters and backgrounds, but keeps the action on a 2D plane. While 3D fighting games like Tekken have been really successful, gamers and reviewers were happy to see a return to Mortal Kombat's 2D gaming roots. It also re-tells the story of the first three games.
Like its console counterparts, Mortal Kombat 9 on PC will have single and multiplayer modes, 1vs 1 matches, and tag team modes, plus all the gruesome fatalities that made the series infamous.
[Source: Twitter]
Immersion: an MIT project that lets you spy on yourself
PublisherJonathan Riggall |DateJuly 2, 2013
Immersion is a project from MIT researchers that uses your email metadata to give you maps of the relationships you have with people. The metadata can group your relationships by areas, like money, or college or family.
To use Immersion, you simply enter your Gmail address and password. Immersion then scans all the From, To, Cc and Timestamp fields of your emails to create an image of your personal network. You can delete your data from Immersion whenever you want - the group are very clear this is an experiment and are not interested in holding on to people's data.
The point of Immersion is to show you how much can be learned from metadata. Companies like Google and Facebook have huge amounts of metadata on their users, and Immersion gives you an idea of the power and knowledge this gives them.
Currently Immersion's servers are down - but you can give them your email address to be told when they are up and running again.
[Source: NPR/Boston Globe]
Chromium-based Opera 15 out for PC and Mac now
PublisherLewis Leong |DateJuly 2, 2013
Back in May of this year, Opera released its experimental Opera Next browser, which signaled a monumental change. For the first time, Opera would be using the WebKit rendering engine instead of its Presto engine. Today, Opera Next has finally come out of beta and has dropped the "Next." The browser will simply be known as Opera 15.
Opera 15 is actually based off of Chromium so it's actually using Google's "Blink" engine, which is a streamlined version of WebKit. The browser hasn't changed much from what we saw with the Opera Next beta. Users can look forward to a Chrome-line interface as well as the new "Discover" feature, which lets you read the news in a magazine style layout.
Opera has always been known for saving bandwidth and the "Off-Road mode" makes a return. If you have a slow connection or have a limited bandwidth cap, Off-Road is a great tool for helping you keep data use under control.
Since Opera 15 is now Chromium based, you can expect performance on par with Google Chrome, which is a very good thing. Still, Opera's features may not be enough to sway the Chrome and Google loyalists.
[Source: Opera | Download: PC, Mac]
Track your WhatsApp usage with WhatStat
PublisherLewis Leong |DateJuly 2, 2013
Are you addicted to WhatsApp? Ever wonder just how many messages you send? There's an app for that, of course. WhatStat for Android provides tons of information about your WhatApp habits from the number of messages sent do the percentage of conversations you've started with your friends.
The interface of WhatStat is simple and resembles the Google Analytics app. There are charts showing how many message you've sent from a specified amount of time. There's a clock icon up at the top where you can define the period of time to analyze. There's also a visual breakdown of which contacts you've had the most chats with. The app is ad supported but you can pay $0.99 to get rid of them.
With WhatsApp reaching a record 27 billion messages sent daily, wouldn't you like to know how much you contribute to that number? Try WhatStat for yourself at the download link below.
[Source: Google Play | Download: Android]
Spotify for iOS updated with Discover feature, new logo and more.
PublisherJonathan Riggall |DateJuly 2, 2013
Spotify's Discover was launched on the web in May, and with the release of 0.7.1 for iOS, you can now use it on your mobile or tablet. The update also brings a new Now Playing view, which includes an 'Up Next' queue on iPhones. You can now edit playlists from your iPhone, and there's also a new logo.
It's great to have Discover arrive on iOS, as finding new music on Spotify has never been that easy. Having a feed of recommendations based on what you're listening to, plus more news about your favorite artists is a welcome addition.
Here's the full list of improvements in Spotify 0.7.1:
New: Ever find yourself wondering what to play on Spotify? Introducing the new Discover experience on iPhone. (Coming soon to everyone.)New: A shiny, new Now Playing view, featuring the 'Up Next' queue on iPhone. (Again, rolling out to everyone soon.)New: Say hello to our new logo.New: You can now edit your playlists on your iPhone.Improved: We’ve changed the order of the iPhone search tabs. Now it’s Artists, Albums, Tracks. (iPhone/iPod only.)Improved: We’ve moved the … context menu button in the Playlist and Album views to the top right of the screen. It’s better there. (iPhone/iPod only.)Fixed: Ford integration now works correctly when your iPhone/iPod is set to a language other than English.Fixed: In your playlist folders, "All Tracks" will now show you the actual number of tracks.Fixed: The unread messages in your inbox will now update correctly.[Source: iTunes]
Ubisoft hacked, user names and passwords compromised
PublisherLewis Leong |DateJuly 3, 2013
Gamers with an Ubisoft account will see an email in their inboxes today about a massive security breach. The French company announced that user names and passwords have been compromised. Ubisoft accounts do not store any credit/debit card records so that information is safe. However, it's a good idea to change your passwords if you use the same password with your banking institutions.
Over the past year, internet companies have been taking steps to make hacking attempts more difficult with two-factor authentication. Companies like Google, Facebook, and Twitter all have this system in place, which requires two forms of identification before you can log in. Unfortunately Ubisoft had no two-factor authentication system in place to prevent this wide-spread breach.
The information released by Ubisoft lacks details about the extent of the hack. There's no exact number of accounts that were hacked but users should err on the side of caution and change passwords anyway.
[Source: Ubisoft]
Stickers finally come to Facebook on the web
PublisherJonathan Riggall |DateJuly 3, 2013
Facebook stickers have been launched on the web version of the social network. Originally launched for Facebook mobile apps in April, stickers give you another way of expressing yourself in Facebook chat.
Just like the mobile apps, you get a basic range of four sticker categories to start with, and can go to a sticker store where there are lots more collections you can install and use. You access stickers by clicking the emoticon button. Unlike emoticons, stickers cannot be used as part of a sentence.
Stickers are the latest example of a trend Facebook has lifted from another social app - in this case LINE. Until today, the only way to use Facebook stickers from your browser was to install the facemoji extension for Chrome or Firefox. That extension is now pretty irrelevant.
Stickers are clearly a new business line for Facebook, as they open the possibility for premium sticker packs, and sponsored collections (you can already download Despicable Me 2 stickers).
Stickers are also available in the Facebook Messenger apps, so you can use them however you access Facebook.
iOS 7 beta is the most popular ever
PublisherJonathan Riggall |DateJuly 3, 2013
The iOS 7 beta has been installed much more than last year's iOS 6 beta, according to mobile publishers Onswipe. Apple say iOS 7 is the biggest revolution in iOS since it was launched in 2007, so maybe it's no surprise that this is the most popular beta ever, as developers scramble to test and ready their apps for the launch.
By July 1st, iOS 7 represented 0.46% of traffic to Onswipe, only two weeks after the beta was released. Adpotion of the iOS 6 beta only resulted in 0.25% traffic. The iOS 7 visits from iPhones were much more common than iPad visits, but the tablet version of the beta was released a week later.
For developers looking to install the iOS 7 beta: it supports iPhone 4, 4S, and 5, 5th generation iPod touch, and iPad 2, iPad with Retina display, and iPad mini.
[Source: TechCrunch]
Digg Reader vs AOL Reader vs Feedly
PublisherKurtis Seid |DateJuly 3, 2013
Google Reader is officially dead, but three powerful web-based RSS readers are vying for control of the news space. Digg Reader, Feedly, and AOL Reader all have their merits and we've tested them out to see what each excels at. While all of these readers are in beta, they function similarly to Google Reader and can be adapted as your new primary RSS reader.
These Google Reader replacements have functionality and appearance similar to the former. Some of them are also expanding their customization to offer more than Google Reader ever provided. Digg Reader is the most basic of the three, featuring only two viewing options: List, which displays simple headlines, and Expanded which adds in the story's first paragraph and art.
Both Feedly and AOL Reader have four total views. Besides List, both have Full which show the entire article unlike Digg's shorter Expanded view. Feedly and AOL Reader also have Card views, which display story cards similarly to Pinterest; Feedly keeps all cards the same size regardless of content, while AOL Reader will stretch and squeeze cards depending on the story's art. Feedly also has a Magazine view that is basically List view with a small picture and intro paragraph for each article, while AOL reader has a Pane view that turns that separates the list and article into panes similar to email.
Feedly edges out the view options simply because each can be toggled immediately from buttons at the top of the interface; both Digg Reader and AOL Reader require a dropdown menu, which AOL even hides when on the home screen. AOL Reader does have a lot of customization in other places, such as font sizes, visual themes, and organization of unread stories.
The lack of viewing options might seem to hurt Digg Reader, they gain points from the fact that you can rearrange feeds on the left module via drag-and-drop. Neither Feedly nor AOL Reader have this cool and convenient feature.
Being connected to the larger Digg network, Digg Reader features a Popular tab that displays the hottest and most viewed stories on the internet. Although Digg's popularity waned in 2010 to competitors such as Reddit, Digg was among the first and most used social news sites. With Digg Reader you can also directly Digg any story quickly and view all of your own Diggs at once. It's a nice means of integrating social aspects and knowing what exactly people are interested in.
AOL and Feedly instead allow you to insert tags for any story, which will then display on the left-hand module. AOL Reader makes tags slightly more predominant and faster to add, but they function similarly in both readers. Unless you're a power user that will be searching through old stories often, tags are more a novelty.
All three readers have keyboard shortcuts, though Feedly's list is more hidden and and doesn't show all of the shortcuts. For instance GH to go to the All section isn't listed (though, the alternate GA also works). Both Digg Reader and AOL Reader have a large array of shortcuts allowing you to easily change views, tag, share, and find new stories. AOL Reader even has shortcuts to switch through folder and subscriptions, or expand lists. These shortcuts make it very quick to navigate without constantly clicking everywhere.
Each reader has minor flaws that can start to be rather annoying after time. Both Digg Reader and Feedly tend to be laggy. In Feedly this likely comes from the amount of smooth animations everywhere, which while aesthetically pleasing aren't necessary for an RSS reader. Digg Reader's slowness comes when loading older stories that might be several days old, which is unlikely to occur unless you've missed reading your feed for a long amount of time.
Feedly allows the quickest unsubscribing from unwanted feeds, while Digg Reader adds in an extra step of having to enter a sub menu on each feed individually to edit and remove feeds. AOL Reader goes even a step further by requiring you to enter a separate settings menu to delete and even rearrange your feeds. While the intention is likely to avoid accidentally deleting feeds, both Digg Reader and AOL Reader go a little overboard with the extra amount of clicks and menus.
None of these RSS readers are perfect, nor are they an identical replacement for Google Reader. Each has appealing aspects that will feed the needs of different users depending on frequency of use and amount of control. Here's a summary of which reader fits whom:
Digg Reader is the most like Google Reader, very basic without many extra features. Its connection with Digg does mean that it has a slight social aspect, but only if you use that service. Overall it should be your pick if you want a basic, no thrills RSS feed.AOL Reader has a lot of customization. If you need control of how your feed looks, feels, and don't mind juggling through menus than this is an excellent choice.Feedly looks and feels different to Google Reader, making it a much fresher experience. It has more options than Digg Reader, but lacks both customization and fluff from AOL Reader. This should be your choice if you want balance and were tired of the old Google functionality.This is how these RSS readers handle at the moment, but things are certainly bound to change. With the market filled with three big choices (along with other smaller ones), each company will be motivated to add in new features and make tweaks. These are only betas, so your own choice might quickly change in the future.
For now, which reader are you using?
Polaroid's Polamatic photo app comes to Android
PublisherLewis Leong |DateJuly 3, 2013
Two months after Polamatic debuted on iOS, Polaroid's photo app finally lands on Android. To reward the wait, Polaroid has included a bunch of new filters and frames, bringing the total to 20 filters and 36 frames. That's an increase of 12 for each over the iOS version.
In a market dominated by Instagram and other photo filtering apps, Polamatic needs a killer feature to differentiate itself. One unique feature of the app is the ability to add captions with 24 different font styles.
After you've finished taking your Polamatic photo, there are a bunch of easy sharing features for major social networks like Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, and ironically, Instagram.
The launch isn't without problems as many users are complaining about the inability to rotate images and performance issues.
Polamatic is available only as a a paid app for $1.99 and is able to run on devices with Android 2.3.3 (Gingerbread) and higher.
[Source: Google Play | Download: Android]
Tiny Thief, the next game from Rovio is coming July 11th
PublisherJonathan Riggall |DateJuly 3, 2013
Angry Birds creator Rovio is teasing its next release, Tiny Thief, made by Barcelona developer 5 Ants. It's a puzzle game that looks really cute. Set in a medieval times, it features 30 levels of stealth based puzzles, and promises 50 characters you can meet.
The teaser trailer looks great, but doesn't reveal anything about how you'll control the game, but we can see how the levels might work, with some quite complex and fun looking puzzles that set off chains of events in each environment.
Tiny Thief will be released for iOS and Android on July 11th.
First update for Windows 8.1 Preview released
PublisherLewis Leong |DateJuly 3, 2013
The Windows 8.1 Preview was released just one week ago at Build 2013 but Microsoft has already issued an update for the operating system. The updates are pretty minor and focus on stability and bug fixes. Internet Explorer 11 gets updated in this patch as well as the definitions in Windows Defender.
Here's a full list of the changes:
Update for Windows RT 8.1 Preview (KB2864247) which is specifically supposed to fix a bug causing Metro apps to crash on Windows 8.1 Preview just after launch.Update for Windows RT 8.1 Preview (KB2864806) that makes it possible to sing you Google account through Picasa or other applications that rely on Google services. According to Microsoft, this issues occurs because “the application cannot retrieve certain cookies located on the computer.”Update for Windows RT 8.1 Preview (KB2864808) addressing a bug in Internet Explorer 11. “When you start and then pause a download in Internet Explorer 11 Preview on a Windows 8.1 Preview-based computer, the download cannot be resumed,” the company explains.Update for Windows RT 8.1 Preview (KB2863312) developed to improve compatibility of software and hardware with the new OS release. “This compatibility update improves the compatibility experience in Windows RT 8.1 Preview and in Windows 8.1 Preview. Microsoft regularly releases Windows compatibility updates to improve the overall user experience,” Microsoft explains.Update for Windows RT 8.1 Preview (KB2864713) that improves “the robustness of data files,” as Microsoft wrote in the advisory.The updates apply for both the desktop and tablet versions of Windows so Windows RT users can update their operating system as well. Users should be getting the update pushed to them. To get the patch manually, simply launch Windows Update and click "Check for updates."
[Source: Softpedia]
Microsoft's Network Speed Test app released for Windows 8
PublisherJonathan Riggall |DateJuly 4, 2013
Do you know how fast your internet connection is? Good enough to stream music and video? If these questions keep you awake at night, Microsoft has just launched Network Speed Test for Windows 8 so you can make a complete analysis of your connection.
Network Speed Test is a free app that gives you detailed information about your upload and download speeds, and tells you what activities your speed is suitable for. You can keep a detailed record of your speed tests, which is great for checking if today's connection is really slow, or you're just impatient!
You can voluntarily send anonymous data to Microsoft's servers, to help them learn what kind of connections users have all over the world, and can tailor their services better. It's important to remember the developer of this official app is Microsoft Research, which is responsible for investigating new products at Redmond. This little tool could be the first step in a larger project from Microsoft.
Download Network Speed Test for Windows 8 and Windows 8.1
Samsung Reaches 20 Million Galaxy S4s
Samsung’s Co-CEO, JK Shin, reported to the Koreans reporters that Samsung had shipped 20 million Galaxy S4s in the span of two months, keeping on track with their goal of 10 million devices per month. There was speculation that their flagship phone was not selling as well as expected and part supplies pared down…apparently Shin is hoping to refute those rumors. Its predecessor, the Galaxy S3, took 100 days to reach the same 20 million mark.
Samsung also said that 500,000 of the S4s sold in Korea.
Samsung’s Smartwatch Possibly Called “Samsung Gear”
Samsung has already announced that they are in the smartwatch race, but little details were given, but it seems as though Samsung applied for the trademark, “Samsung Gear.” The primary description was very vague, but the secondary one focused on watches, wristbands, and bracelets capable of communication with phones, PCs, and tablets.
With Apple, Sony, Qualcomm, and Samsung all announcing smartwatches and making everything “legal,” perhaps it will not be too long before these devices are released to the public…Pebble announced their relationship with Best Buy and the same day, they were sold out at only $149. That tells us there is a demand, or at least a huge curiosity for smartwatches, but also that the pricing must be reasonable.
My guess is the companies would love to see a holiday release – what a great Christmas gift they would make. Most analysts believe that the price threshold of $250 is about tops. Let us know if you would be in the market for a smartwatch or if you think it is an unnecessary gadget or fad.
Galaxy Note 3…Will it be Worth the Wait
There is always so much hype surrounding the release of a new phone, especially the Samsung Galaxy S or Note series or Apple’s iPhone, most can never live up our expectations…the Galaxy S4 is a good example, a few upgrades and software gadgets, but looks and feel too similar to be revolutionary. There were rumors of a metal body on the S4 and Note 3, but with the S4 they claimed the metal body could not be massed produced in sufficient quantities – but what about the Note 3, certainly a metal body could be produced for it.
Soon, the Galaxy Note 3 will be unveiled, and the hype keeps coming, but is it really going to be worth ditching my Note 2 to move on to the Note 3? I like better specs as much as the next nerd, but my Note 2 is fast and still “smooth as butter,” do I really need anymore. There is still so much we do not know about the Note 3 – we don’t even know the size of the screen, only that it will be 5.7 – 5.99-inches and full HD Super AMOLED 1080p, or what processor will be onboard; either a Snapdragon 800 quad-core running 2.3GHz or Samsung’s own Octa-Core. The Korea Economic Daily claims we will see 3GB RAM, a 13-megapixel camera, Android 4.3, improved S-Pen functions, and TouchWiz.
SamMobile believes the screen will be 5.99-inches and the device 8mm thick and about 182 grams, just up a couple from the current 180 grams. They expect an announcement at IFA 2013 in Berlin, although Samsung may have a big “party” shortly before to out their new flagship, again, rumored September 4.
The faster processor and 3GB of RAM is intriguing and I am looking forward to the higher resolution screen, but I would really like a metal body – not because the Note 2 feels cheap, it does not, but I like the looks of brushed metal. Let us know if you are a Note 2 user and are looking forward to upgrading to the Note 3, or will you be content to wait for the Note 4?
JayBird BlueBuds X Review: Finally, Good Bluetooth Earbuds
I love music. It’s as simple as that. I always am listening to something, whether it’s from Pandora, Spotify, iTunes, YouTube, or any place else. Over the years, I’ve tried quite a few pairs of earbuds, but have never found a pair that I truly love. I’ve always stuck with the generic Apple earbuds, or most recently, the EarPods. I’ve had especially bad luck with Bluetooth earbuds. I’ve never found a pair that offer decent sound quality, are a breeze to set up, and have good battery life. I think I have finally found that combination, though. Keep reading to find out if the JayBird BlueBuds X are my favorite BlueTooth earbuds.
I’ve never been a fan of in-ear earbuds. I don’t know why, but I’ve never been able to get them to feel right, fit in my ear, and be comfortable for long amounts of time. The BlueBuds X offer a unique approach at staying in your ear. In the package, you’ll find three sets of actual earbuds and three “wings” that go around year to get a snug fit. For me, I found that the biggest pair of buds worked and the medium sized wings worked. It definitely took me a few tries to get the right combination, so I urge you not to give up if you can’t seem to make them comfortable.
I was skeptical of the BlueBuds X when I found out that they were in-ear, as I’ve never had much luck with them before, but to me surprise, they were incredibly comfortable. I was able to wear them for almost a whole day without any irritation whatsoever. It’s essentially like they weren’t there.
The BlueBuds X look essentially like any other pair of headphones, except for the obvious fact that the wire does not actually plug into your device. You can choose to let the wire hang down in front of your neck or behind your head. I vernally chose to wear it behind my head because it would put the microphone closer to your mouth, which helps with calls and things like Siri.
On the cord you’ll find three buttons, two for raising and lowering the volume and one for pausing the music, and turning the earbuds on and off. It is, however, somewhat annoying that when you change the volume, the music stops between each change, which must be a limitation of the BlueTooth technology. To charge the BlueBuds X, you simply lift open the end of the right earbud to the microUSB charging port.
Included in the package is a clamshell case for storing the headphones, as well, which is a nice touch.
The set-up process with the BlueBuds X is very simple. Simply hold down the middle button on the cord and the headphones will power on, evident by the voice that says “powering on,” then open up the Bluetooth settings on your respective device and connect to the BlueBuds X. From there on out, all you’ll have to do is turn the headphones on, and assuming you have Bluetooth on your device turned on, they will automatically connect. You’ll know when they are connected because the same voice returns and says “headphones connected.” The full breakdown of what she says is below:
“Headphones connected”“Power on”“Power off”“Searching for your music device”“Connection switched”“Battery low”One thing about the BlueBuds X is that getting good sound quality almost entirely depends on the way they fit your ear. If you don’t get them snug into your ear, then the sound will be very tinny and distant, which is obviously not what you want. Once you get them down into your ear, the sound quality is great. There is booming bass and the overall sound is very crisp and loud, something that can’t be said for many other Bluetooth earbuds.
One advantage of getting the earbuds down into your ear is that they are sort of noise canceling. Not totally, by any means, but while using them compared to the Apple EarPods, there was a clear difference in the amount of outside noise I could hear.
The Bluetooth technology still does compress the sound when compared to wired earbuds, but I honestly did notice any difference between the BlueBuds X and EarPods, though the EarPods aren’t high-end earbuds by any means.
JayBird touts that the BlueBuds X should get around 8 hours of battery life on a single charge, and while your milage may vary, I was getting just about that. It depends largely on how loud your music is and how often you are using the controls on the headphones to change the volume and pause/play.
When the headphones are connected to an iOS device, you have the ability to see how much charge is left via a small battery indicator in the status bar, while on Android you have no way of telling. You have to rely on the voice that will tell you when you have about 20 minutes left.
To put it briefly, the BlueBuds X are a wonderful pair of earbuds. The sound quality and fit are incredibly good and I had no issues with the Bluetooth connection whatsoever. Plus, when you purchase the earbuds, you get a free lifetime warranty against sweat, meaning that if they break, you can get a replacement.
However, the BlueBuds X are pretty pricey. They retail for $169.99, which is quite a bit compared to other earbuds on the market. If you are looking for Bluetooth earbuds, the JayBird BlueBuds X are the ones to get. Nothing comes close.
JayBirds BlueBuds X$169.99
PROS Excellent sound qualityGood fitLong battery lifeCONS ExpensiveSound quality depends on the fitSUMMARY If you are looking for Bluetooth earbuds, the JayBird BlueBuds X are the ones to get. Nothing comes close.
Lenovo IdeaPad Yoga 13 Review
With Windows 8, Microsoft brought over its new Metro interface to the desktop, and with it came many complaints about the lack of optimization and just how awkward it was to use with a mouse or trackpad. This then ushered in a new era of touchscreen capable laptops and desktops, as well as a handful oddly designed devices. One of them is the Lenovo IdeaPad Yoga 13. This 13-inch laptop allows you to bend the screen backwards and use it as a tablet, or keep the screen forwards to use it as a full laptop. But, just how practical is this design? Read on to find out!
Processor: Intel Core i5 @ 1.5GHzOperating System: Windows 8Display: 13.3? HD+ IPS LED, 10-point capacitive multi-touch, 1600 x 900, 16:9 aspect ratio, 300 nitsGraphics: Integrated Intel HD 4000 GraphicsStorage: 128GB SSDSound: 2 dual-cell speakers x 1 watts, 1 x internal digital mic, Dolby® Home Theater v4Connections: 802.11 b,g,n WLAN, Bluetooth® 4.0Weight: 3.3lbsDimensions: 13.1” x 8.9” x 0.67”Battery: Li-Polymer 4 cell, 3860mAh, up to 8 hrsPorts: 1 x USB 3.0 + 1 x USB 2.0, 2-in-1 card reader (SD, MMC), 1 stereo headphones output – mic input, combo jack, HDMI
From the outside, the IdeaPad Yoga 13 looks just like every other 13 inch laptop. It’s slim and sleek looking, coming in at just .67 inches thick. The outside of the laptop is made out of a rubber-type material that unfortunately attracts fingerprints very easily. The bezel surrounding the keyboard is also a magnet for fingerprints and other gunk, but those are rather minor complaints in the scope the entire laptop.
The port selection on the IdeaPad 13 is rather small. On the right hand side you’ll find just a charging port, SD card slot, and a USB 2.0 connection. The left hand side is not much better, housing just a USB 3.0 slot, 3.5mm headphone jack, and HDMI connection. While that’s on par with what Apple offers with the Macbook Air, it would be nice to see at least one more USB port, but in the world of ultrabooks, the lack of ports is just something we’re going to have to deal with. As far as branding goes, there are quite a few stickers – thankfully all removable. The top houses a simply Lenovo logo, while there are Intel Ultrabook, Intel Core i5, and Energy Star stickers under the keyboard. Finally, on the bottom you’ll find a Windows 8 sticker, and two FCC stickers with all sorts of numbers and logos that mean nothing to the end user.
The IdeaPad 13 is a tad heavy for my liking, coming in at 3.3 pounds. It’s not too noticeable, but there’s definitely a difference between it and the 2013 Air. In general, however, the IdeaPad Yoga is quite easy to carry around for extended periods of time.
As far is the keyboard goes, there aren’t many complaints to be had. As someone who has used a Mac for the last few years, the layout definitely took some getting use to, but once you got going, there were no issues whatsoever. The keyboard design is very similar to the one found on the Macbook line, though the IdeaPad has an extra row on the far left. The keys are all spaced out very nicely and there is a good amount of move to them, as well.
The trackpad is good, but it still bothers me that PC manufacturers can’t make a trackpad as good as the all glass one found on all recent Macbooks. There are a variety of gestures, though, all centered around Windows 8 capabilities. This includes things like swiping in from various edges to perform certain tasks. For a Windows machine, however, the IdeaPad Yoga’s trackpad is good enough to get the job done. You can left click by tapping almost anywhere except for the lower right corner, which is obviously reserved for right clicking. You can also right click by pressing with two fingers anywhere.
Now, let’s get to the real selling point of the Yoga and the aspect that it gets its name from. As you notice when you pry the device open, it will just keep opening. Lenovo touts that the device can be used in four different modes.
Notebook Mode – Use the classic notebook mode when the keyboard is needed for productivity tasks.Stand Mode – Choose the stand mode for viewing movies and video chatting in tight places, like airplanes.Tent Mode – Tent mode is good for touch-based tasks like browsing recipes while cooking, viewing photos, or playing touch games.Tablet Mode – Combined with Windows 8, turning the IdeaPad Yoga into a tablet is smooth and automatic. Use the notebook like you would any smart phone or tablet device.When you move the display past the 180 degree angle, the keyboard deactivates, which keeps you from accidentally hitting any keys while using the device in tablet mode. I honestly didn’t see the use case of these modes. The Tent Mode is somewhat useful for propping the device up on a desk and watch a movie, but tablet mode felt really awkward. It was just…odd having a keyboard behind your display, whether it was activated or not.
Overall, as a general notebook, the IdeaPad’s design is quite nice. It feels nice to use and is relatively portable. I fail to see the point of the Yoga aspect, however. Maybe I’m simply not the right market for it, but it just doesn’t make a lot of practical sense to me.
In a world of high resolution and Retina laptop displays, it’s hard going back to a device that you can see the pixels on, but unfortunately, that’s a tradeoff that comes with most ultrabooks. The IdeaPad 13 is slightly better than most, however, offering a reasonably impressive 1,600×900 pixel resolution. As with a lot of newer Windows 8 laptops, the display is touchscreen.
The quality of the display is pretty good. Colors are nice and text is relatively crisp, but obviously it’s not going to be as good as a more expensive Retina Macbook Pro or Samsung laptop. For the average joe, however, it’s perfectly fine and should get the job done for just about anyone.
When I first got the IdeaPad 13 in, I was skeptical of how useful the touchscreen would be in normal laptop usage, but I have to admit, it’s quite nice to be able to scroll using your finger. It’s not all that useful while doing intensive work while sitting at a desk or table, but while relaxing on the couch, it definitely comes in handy. I even found myself reaching for my Macbook Air’s display a few times, as well. I also couldn’t see operating the Metro interface without a touchscreen. While the trackpad on the IdeaPad does support some gestures, Windows 8 is just not optimized for non-touch devices, which is pretty upsetting. It is worth noting that when using the touchscreen in normal laptop mode, there is a bit of wobbliness with the hinge, which for such a pricey piece of technology is pretty upsetting.
The Lenovo IdeaPad is no speed demon underneath the hood, but then again, what ultrabook is? The device I tested was powered by a 1.7GHz Intel Core i5 processor with 4GB of RAM and Intel HD 4000 graphics. In the PCMark7 benchmark, the laptop was awarded a score of 4,474, in 3DMark06, the score was 4,465, and finally, in 3DMark11, it was E917 / P572. Now, benchmarks mean absolutely nothing in my opinion, and what matters is real world usage.
The IdeaPad 13 performed about average. It booted up in less than 10 seconds, like most Windows 8 devices do, and loaded up webpages pretty fast. Gaming performance was good but nowhere near great. I don’t game that much, but playing Eurotruck Simulator 2 at mid-settings caused quite a big of lag and stuttering at sometimes, while sometimes it would run pretty smooth. A word of warning here, if you want to game, then almost any ultrabook – especially with Intel HD 4000 graphics – is not for you. You’ll need something with dedicated graphics for sure.
As far as browsing the web goes, everything was pretty smooth. Scrolling though graphic intense sites like The Verge and Polygon did cause some lag and did take a little while for all the visual elements to load, but for less intensive sites, like BriefMobile, everything was as smooth as can be.
The battery life with the IdeaPad 13 was disappointing, though right on par with other Windows 8 convertibles. In moderate usage doing things such as web browsing and listing to Spotify, the device lasted just over 5 hours of usage. That’s with WiFi on and the screen brightness set at 65 percent.
I’m really looking forwards to Windows powered laptops with Haswell processors. We saw what it did to the Macbook Air’s battery life, and it could definitely help quite a bit with all Windows devices.
When we made the decision to start reviewing laptops on BriefMobile, I was skeptical of reviewing laptops running Windows, but I have to say, I was presently surprised with the IdeaPad Yoga 13. The major downside, however, is the price. With specs we reviewed it at, the device costs $920 from Amazon, which for just $80 more, you could get the new, Haswell-powered Macbook Airs for. Those pack an improved graphics card and all day battery life.
However, if you are in the market for a Windows 8 convertible right now, the IdeaPad Yoga 13 is certainly something to look at, and one of the most well-built machines out there, but for performance, I’d urge you to hold out for Haswell powered devices, as the benefits of those will be through the roof.
Lenovo IdeaPad Yoga 13$920 (As reviewed)
PROS Nice displayGood keyboardDecent trackpadCONS Performance could be quite a bit betterPoor battery lifeYoga concept is not for everyoneSUMMARY Though pricey, the IdeaPad Yoga 13 is a decent Windows 8 convertible, but with Haswell powered machines around the corner, it may be best to hold off.
Motorola Droid Ultra in White
Yesterday, we were treated to a leaked photo of Motorola Droid MAXX, and today an XDA poster, named xavierk75 gives use this picture titled, “Motorola Droid Ultra XT1080 is Here!”
We know several things about this phone. From the FCC papers that it should be destined for Verizon’s network and from the pictures we know it has 3 capacitive buttons on the lower chin of the phone’s body, the on/off and volume rockers are on the right side, a small Moto symbol of the top left side, notification light, camera, sensor and speaker at the top. Shown in gloss white, one of three colors it should come in, the other two black and red.
Let us know in the comments if you are waiting for the new Verizon Droid phones and which model you want.
Microsoft Shuts Down MSN TV, With Little Fanfare
Dear MSN TV Subscriber,
For the past decade, we have been excited to build products that provided our customers with easy access to the Internet on TV. Unfortunately, all good things must eventually come to an end. Today we are announcing that we will be closing the MSN TV service. The last day of the MSN TV service will be September 30, 2013. We want this transition to be as smooth as possible for you. This letter explains what you need to do before the service ends if you want to have access to your email, favorites, Scrapbook photos, Page Builder pages, and any other data.
Before the MSN TV service ends, you need to make sure that all the users on your account have upgraded toOutlook.com (formerly called Hotmail), saved any favorites and Scrapbook photos to SkyDrive, and archived any published Page Builder web pages that you wish to save. We have created an MSN TV Closure FAQ that provides detailed information on how to do all of these. Please read it at http://www.msntv.com/msntv/ClosureFAQ.asp.
After you have upgraded to Outlook.com, your MSN TV email address, along with your existing email, will continue to be available for you to use. Outlook.com offers many advantages, such as accessing your email from a computer or smartphone that has a connection to the Internet. From a computer or smartphone, you can accessOutlook.com by visiting http://www.outlook.com.
If you would like access to your favorites and Scrapbook photos after the MSN TV service ends, you will need to copy them to SkyDrive before the service ends. SkyDrive provides storage in the cloud, so you can easily access and store your favorites and photos all in one place and sync with other devices. You can also share your photos on SkyDrive with family and friends. You can learn more about SkyDrive at http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/skydrive/overview from a computer or smartphone.
To ease the transition and help ensure you maintain Internet access, we will be providing some special offers for both the MSN Dial-up and Premium services. You will need a computer, Microsoft account, and active MSN TV subscription. Visit http://get.msn.com/msntv.aspx to view and sign up for one of these offers.
Many of you already have a computer for accessing the Internet. For those of you who do not, we recommend visiting the Microsoft Store for a wide variety of device options. Go to http://www.microsoftstore.com.
We want to sincerely thank you for your continued support of the MSN TV service over the years. We have enjoyed bringing this technology to such loyal customers.
If you have any questions that are not answered in the MSN TV Closure FAQ, you can contact Customer Support at 800-469-3288 between 6 am – 8 pm PST. Again, we want to thank you for your support and commitment to Microsoft products.
The MSN TV Team
Sony SmartWatch 2 Coming July15 According to UK Retailer
Clove Technology, a UK retailer, has been taking preorders for the Sony SmartWatch 2 since last week, and today they announced they should be in-stock beginning July 15, earlier than expected for approximately US$180, including VAT.
The SmartWatch 2 supports NFC pairing as well as the capability to uses several Android based apps. The watch uses an Xperia type interface on a 1.6-inch body with a 220 x 176 resolution. It can use any 24mm wristband and is water “resistance.”
This is just the start of several Android supported smartwatches coming out throughout the year. We expect to see one from Google and Samsung, as well as an Apple iWatch for iOS.
The Sony SmartWatch 2 features the following:
Splash proof (Not suitable for showering, bathing, swimming, diving, snorkeling, water related work or fishing)Easy callingNFC capabilitiesVersatile accessory ideal for the active personConnects via Bluetooth to your compatible deviceTransmits key information from the mobile device to the SmartWatch without the need to touch the phone itselfCan be clipped to clothing, bags or worn on the wristMore applications being developed at all times to give greater personalization and functionalityLet us know in the comments if you are interested in purchasing a smartwatch and if you feel they are a much-needed device or just a gadget for fun.
Droid Model Name and Numbers Finally Revealed
While Samsung, HTC, and Sony seem to be the talk of the smartphones, Motorola has been working behind the scenes, totally confusing everybody with their new models. Things are becoming clearer, as another pair of Moto devices pass through the FCC for approval. We already know that the Moto X is coming, but Verizon is also expected to release its Droid upgrades as well.
@evleaks, normally very reliable, has finally put Moto’s phones in perspective:
DROID MAXX – XT1080MDROID Ultra – XT1080DROID Mini – XT1030Moto X – XT1060
The pair coming through FCC, the XT1080 and XT1030, have support for LTE bands 4 and 13, along with EVDO Rev. A and WCDMA on 850/900/1900/2100, along with NFC, Bluetooth 4.0 and 802.11ac radios as well.
Neither Verizon nor Motorola have announced anything official, but with DroidLanding tweeting just about on a daily basis with contests going on, we expect an announcement in the near future. Let us know in the comments if you are looking forward to Moto’s new lineup of smartphones.
Is This the New Droid MAXX?
Most people following Motorola phones are most interested in the mysterious Moto X, although I think most of the intrigue is aroused because of the infamous “X” designation. Today, however, the spotlight is temporarily on another Moto device. Our very reliable “leaker,” @evleaks tweeted a picture of the new Droid Maxx.
No details were leaked, but from the picture, it appears Moto is keeping the Kevlar look, both the on/off and volume buttons are on the right, with capacitive buttons for Back, Home, and Menu.
We certainly expect this to be out on Verizon’s network before the holidays. Let us know in the comments if you will be picking up a new Droid MAXX.
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