Android – Marshmallow

Android – Marshmallow

Google has started the rollout of Android 6.0 Marshmallow. Here are the features you can expect from the latest version.

It’s time to prod the Marshmallow: Android Marshmallow is here. But you still have a while to wait unless you own a Nexus 6, Nexus 5, Nexus 9, or have recently picked up a Nexus 5X or Nexus 6P.

So, the question: is Android 6.0 Marshmallow worth getting excited about? We’ve been spending some quality time with the new software to see what it offers over the Android Lollipop version we’ve been using for what feels like forever.

Here are the features that take Android Marshmallow a step further. Is it enough to steamroll iOS 9 and Windows 10? For now at least, we’ll leave that to you.

The apps menu is crazy-different

One Android Marshmallow change all of you will notice is the way the new apps menu works. It’s totally different to Lollipop and the other previous versions of Android.

This time, instead of a bunch of apps ‘pages’ you flick through horizontally, the apps box is a scroll thumbed through with a smooth vertical movement. It’s a lot more like Windows 10/Windows Phone’s apps menu, or that of the HTC Sense custom Android interface.

Is it better? Is it worse? This is very much a case of being different rather than better, but it does scroll very snappily on the Nexus 6 we’ve been using. Those with big app collections may find it faster. And, as in Android Lollipop, the apps are arranged alphabetically rather than letting you move them about yourself.

As before, there are no app menu folders either. You have to keep these on the home screens, if you want ‘em.

App search bar and favourites

In order to help those who think the new apps menu is worse, and there will be some, there are some extra features to the apps area. First, there’s a search bar up at the top.

This is a text bar you just type words into, and Android Marshmallow searches your app collection for any apps with that name. There’s also an option to use the search term to look for other apps in Google Play.

If your apps library is so massive you can’t remember which apps/games you’ve uninstalled, this bit will let you get them back on-board sharpish.

There are also four special apps slots right at the top of the apps menu. These are filled using an algorithm that picks the most important apps based on those you use most, and have used most recently.

On the Nexus 6 these extra interface elements can feel like a bit of a stretch to reach. But then 95 per cent of people think the phone is that bit too big anyway. The Nexus 6X should feel comfier.

The clock has gone all stylish

Lollipop upped Android’s style game, and Marshmallow tries to take that a step further with a redesigned clock. It’s little more than a font shuffle, but does give the new software a bit of a different, sharper visual personality.

Check it out below. The date text is now written in all-caps, and the font of the time characters seems to be a bit thicker, as if Google has hit the ‘bold’ button.

Google has added a memory manager

One of the complaints about Android Lollipop was that its memory-hungry nature introduced all sorts of performance problems in phones without absolutely loads of RAM.

A new feature lets you check out the memory usage of all your installed apps without using a third-party app.

There’s a whole new ‘Memory’ area in the main Settings menu.

Booster : Feature and Advantage

Booster : Feature and Advantage

A mobile signal booster in its simplest explanation is an electronic device that receives weak mobile signals, amplifies and re-broadcasts it with a better wave strength. By using a mobile signal booster you can boost mobile network to enjoy clear calls and uninterrupted fast internet right from where you are.

Using a mobile phone signal booster has many advantages

1. Enjoy better calls with higher voice clarity

Signal boosters amplify mobile network signals giving your mobile phone a better signal strength to make clearer calls with reduced noise and distortion. Modern signal boosters minimize technical noise in voice calls giving you a clearer and improved voice over the phone.

2. High mobility

Signal boosters are small in size and can be mounted on your car or caravan. Feel the ultimate confidence of being in constant connection with the outer world as you travel to the farthest and most remote locations. Install it at home or in your office. Most mobile phone signal boosters also support simultaneous multiple calls. Receive every important call without an issue.

3. Faster internet and stable connectivity

Connect to the internet from where you are and enjoy a stable and uninterrupted connection. You can experience a problematic mobile broadband internet experience due to various reasons. Sometimes, even when you are living in a highly crowded urban setting you can experience slow internet. Large buildings with thick concrete walls can stand as barriers for network signals. As a result, mobile signals are available in lower strengths in large housing complexes and flats. Installing a signal booster can alleviate the problem effectively.

4. Easier to install and maintain

A signal booster can be installed yourself without expert support. It consists of mainly two components. The antenna receives mobile network signals and transmits it to the amplifier. Amplifier improves the signal strength and retransmits it. Mobile phones and other devices can receive amplified signals in the operational area.

5. High selectivity and affordability

Signal phone boosters are available in various models for your exact requirement at different prices. GSM signal boosters are relatively cheaper than 3G and 4G signal boosters. You can select and purchase the suitable booster according to your need.

Installing a signal booster in your vehicle or office is a reliable and effective way to stay connected no matter where you are. Purchase a mobile phone signal booster today.

Prevent Facebook From Hacker

Prevent Facebook From Hacker 

A while back I wrote a post filled with tips for protecting your Facebook account from hackers, and this post is a follow-up to that post explaining how to protect your account from becoming compromised from a slightly more technical perspective.

Facebook offers a number of tools that can help keep your password and account safe and secure. Here are a few tips for using them: 

First, choose a password that is difficult to guess yet easy to remember.This Post explains how to do that.

Next, since your email address doubles as your Facebook username, change your privacy settings to hide your login email address from your public profile:

1 – Log in to your Facebook account and visit your About page.

2 – In the left-hand column, click Contact and Basic Info.

3 – Hover your mouse over the Email field, then click the Edit button after it pops up.

4 – Click the Lock icon beside the email address that you use to log in to Facebook, then select Only Me.

5 – Next, click the down arrow on the far right and select Hidden from Timeline.

6 – Repeat steps 4 and 5 for any other email addresses that you wish to hide.

Now that you have hidden your log in email address and selected an unbreakable password, you have the opportunity to use your cell phone as a fool-proof “lock” on your account. Here’s how:

1 – Click the down arrow that’s located in the upper right-hand corner of the screen.

2 – Click Settings.

3 – Click the Security link in the left-hand column.

4 – Click on Login Approvals.

5 – Check the box beside Require a security code to access my account from unknown browsers.

6 – Enter your cell phone number in the Security code delivery section.

7 – Click Save Changes.

From now on, any time you (or someone else) tries to log in to your Facebook account from an unknown device/browser, you’ll receive a text message on your cell phone with a security code that you must enter before Facebook will allow you to log in. This means it will be impossible for someone else to log in to your Facebook account from a device that you do not own unless they also have physical access to your cell phone.

That’s all there is to locking down your Facebook account to prevent hackers from taking control of it.

Windows 10 Mobile is the biggest change ever for Windows Phones. Here's 10 things you need to know.

10 Points on Windows 10: Features

Windows 10 Mobile is the biggest change ever for Windows Phones. Here's 10 things you need to know.

Microsoft is well known for its inability to communicate precisely why a consumer should buy and use its products. Next to Google, Samsung and Apple, Microsoft’s marketing department has A LOT to learn in the coming years. Just look at those recent Cortana adverts, for example, which were so bad it would have left David Brent cringing. 

So, by the end of this year all your Windows devices–PCs, phones, and tablets–will be running and operating system all called the same thing: Windows 10 (or, more specifically, if you are on what is currently known as a Windows Phone, Windows 10 Mobile). But besides just branding the OS with the same name on its desktops and mobile devices, Microsoft is actually completely overhauling both OSes, so they’re one–one that runs on any type of device.

For all intents and purposes it looked as if Microsoft’s Windows Phone campaign had died its final death in 2014. Nokia left the space following its acquisition by Microsoft, who, in turn, began to release budget handset after budget handset, much to the disdain of many hardcore Windows Phone fans. 

“The team was very focused on our Windows 10 release for PCs and tablets, and we needed to do some prep work for Mobile to move to a new branch. I expect the builds to be out more frequently again as we go forward from here. Our major focus on Windows 10 Mobile right now is on improvements to core quality,” Microsoft said last week.

Microsoft’s hardware business is on very shaky ground, though. The Xbox One and Surface tablets are selling well, but only account for a very small fraction of Microsoft’s business -- a 10th of its total revenue according to some sources. Basically, Microsoft needs to sell A LOT more hardware, otherwise it runs the risk of becoming unprofitable, and after its recent Nokia write-down, investors DO NOT want that to happen.

1) Windows 10 Mobile: Price and Release date

Microsoft has now officially launched the Lumia 950 and Lumia 950 XL and these phones will debut Windows 10 mobile. Microsoft has remained quiet on any further details. Fortunately, sources in Poland got hold of some database information from the Polish branch of phone network Orange, which details that updates for existing Windows Phone 8.1 devices will begin at some point in 2016 -- Microsoft recently delayed the rollout for undisclosed reasons. Here's the list of which phones will be part of the rollout:

• Lumia 630
• Lumia 635
• Lumia 640
• Lumia 745
• Lumia 830

This will be followed by a second phase rollout for remaining devices in February 2016:

• Lumia 520
• Lumia  532
• Lumia 625
• Lumia 720
• Lumia 820
• Lumia 920
• Lumia 925
• Lumia 930
• Lumia 1020
• Lumia 1320

2) Windows 10 Mobile: Device Support

Right now the only supported phones for preview releases of Windows 10 Mobile are Lumia smartphones and the HTC One. However, by the time Windows 10 Mobile ship, expect to see plenty of other Windows phones and tablets supported. Windows 10 Mobile will support ARM system-on-chips from Qualcomm's Snapdragon line and IA-32 system-on-chips from Intel and AMD.

The Microsoft Lumia 950 and Lumia 950 XL are the first PURE Windows 10 Mobile devices. The handsets are now available for pre-order in the UK and are set to start shipping during the first week of December. You can see how they compare in our Microsoft Lumia 950 vs Microsoft Lumia 950 XL article, where we compared the hardware, specs and connectivity of both handsets.

Microsoft hasn’t confirmed any additional hardware partners for Windows 10 Mobile, however, although we could see some surface in the coming weeks and months. Windows Phone didn’t succeed as Microsoft had hoped, so there is understandably a lot of unease about Windows 10 Mobile and its potential for upsetting current market leaders, Android and iOS.

The approach with Windows 10 Mobile is markedly different, though. Microsoft is going for the ONE PLATFORM approach and early word on Windows 10 for tablets and PCs is fairly positive; Microsoft appears to have ironed out A LOT of Windows 8’s kinks and foibles.

3) Windows 10 Mobile: Universal Apps

A really cool feature of Windows 10 Mobile is that it uses a universal app system that allows devices written for Windows 10 on a PC to be easily ported to Windows 10 Mobile devices. This essentially means that any app made for the PC can run on a Windows 10 Mobile device with not much code tweaking involved.

4) Windows 10 Mobile: iOS and Android CAN and WILL Be Ported

In addition to the above universal app system, Windows 10 Mobile will also make it easier for developers to port Android and iOS apps to Windows 10 Mobile. This means you could begin to see many more quality apps for Windows 10 Mobile. This is something Microsoft needs because lots of developers only make their apps for Android and iOS.

5) Windows 10 Mobile: "Continuum"

Another killer feature of Windows 10 Mobile is Continuum. This is a feature that allows a Windows 10 Mobile device to be used as an ad hoc PC. On supported devices you’ll be able to plug your Windows 10 Mobile phone or tablet into an external monitor and plug in a keyboard and mouse and the device’s user interface will scale up to resemble a “PC-like” desktop interface.

6) Windows 10 Mobile: The EDGE Browser

Windows 10 Mobile will include a modern new web browser called Edge. The big thing about Edge is its new rendering engine, EdgeHTML, which will make browsing much faster. Edge will also support reading lists, on-screen annotations, and extensions.

7) Windows 10 Mobile: Notifications Sync Between Devices

Another really nice feature about Windows 10 Mobile is its ability to sync notifications between devices. This means you can dismiss a notification–say a Skype notification–on your desktop and it will also be dismissed on your Windows 10 Mobile device.

8) Windows 10 Mobile: Improved Keyboard

Windows Phone 8.1 has a great keyboard called Word Flow. That keyboard is sticking around in Windows 10 Mobile, but it's gaining some improved features. Now you can resize the keyboard to better fit your fingers and even move it around the screen anywhere you want for the placement that makes the most sense for your hands.

9) Windows 10 Mobile: New Photo App

It seems everyone is getting a new photos app this year (ahem, iOS, Google). Windows 10 Mobile is no different. The new photos app will allow you to sync your photo library across devices and will automatically enhance your photos and create albums for you.

10) Windows 10 Mobile: The Lumia Camera app is becoming the default camera app on all Windows 10 Mobile phones

If you’ve got a Lumia phone already, you’ll know about its excellent Lumia Camera app. Well that camera app is becoming the default camera app on all Windows 10 Mobile devices. That means all Windows 10 Mobile devices will have a camera app that takes auto-HDR shots, offers 4K video recording, and takes Dynamic Flash snaps (the same picture with and without flash).

Li-Fi vs Wi-Fi: New Wireless Technology 100 Times Faster

If you're currently not satisfied with how your Wi-Fi network works, you will be relieved to know that there's a new innovation now that overpowers normal Wi-Fi speed. Introducing the Li-Fi, a new technology that is 100 times faster than the Wi-Fi. 

An increase in the number of Wi-Fi devices will slow down the connection speed, but the Li-Fi will readily fix the jam. If you're still not convinced with Li-Fi's capability, the website describes it as a" system that is consisting of a LED transmitter and a solar panel receiver system" and has "speeds of up to 224 gigabits per second."

The Economic Times mentioned what's already obvious, and that's the need for more capacity. The growing number of users and their incredible type of usage have prompted the Wi-Fi service to seek more means of entertaining the growing need for speed. This resulted to overcrowding, which significantly slows down the whole service. The Li-Fi will work at an astounding speed that readily matches the current need of users for capacity and efficiency.

According to the publication, Li-Fi is "essentially an ultra-fast version of turning your flashlight on and off to create a morse code. The flashes occur so fast that they are not seen by the naked eye."

In its simplest form, a small microchip can be fitted in a potential illumination device and the idea will all be there. It's about the "illumination and wireless data transmission." The radio frequency that is currently being used by the Wi-Fi service is so overloaded that it is impossible to improve it more.

How long we have to wait until the Li-Fi is implemented remains to be the question, but the idea of a faster internet is already there and all it needs is some tweaking to make it actually work in volumes.

LAN

A local area network (LAN) is a group of computers and associated devices that share a common communications line or wireless link to a server. Typically, a LAN encompasses computers and peripherals connected to a server within a small geographic area such as an office building or home. Computers and other mobile devices can share resources such as a printer or network storage.