You are currently browsing the archives for the Tech Review category

Samsung Galaxy S5 VS Apple iPhone 5S

March 20, 2025 Tech Review
No comments

Apparently, the smartphone market is getting more and more crowded. As far as we are concerned, the biggest rivalry will be the two technology giants: Apple iPhone 5S VS Samsung Galaxy S5 - Samsung’s latest flagship. For sure, both tycoons have spared no expense on the marketing with the hope of attracting more consumers to their sides. But as we all know, consumers (whether Android fans or iOS lovers) have a certain degree of loyalty to the platforms and products they love. That said, the performance of the devices matters the most and speaks for themselves.

galaxy s5 vs iphone 5s

Galaxy S5 VS iPhone 5S: Display

Compared to Galaxy S4, the S5 has got a larger screen of 5.1-inch Super AMOLED display. Both the S4 and S5 provide a 1920 x 1080 full HD resolution. But the pixel density of the S5 is slightly down with the S4 having a pixel density of 441 ppi.

Tips: Click to see how to play swf videos on iPhone 5S freely.

As to Apple iPhone 5S, it is delicately designed with a 4-inch Retina screen, much smaller than that of Galaxy S4. In the meanwhile, it provides a 1136 x 640 resolution of 326ppi density only. However, the lower density of iPhone 5S still looks pretty damn sharp. Categorically, the Galaxy S5 does better than the iPhone 5S in terms of display and resolution.

display

Galaxy S5 VS iPhone 5S: Processor

Galaxy S5 comes with two different processors: an Exynos chip and a high-end 2.5GHz Qualcomm’s Snapdragon processor 805, both of which help to work up the processing speed faster than the S4. Technically, the Qualcomm boosts the performance of the CPU, GPU, digital signal processor, camera sensor, and memory components of the chip while keeping the software and other features compatible with its other processors to speed development for handset vendors.

On the other hand, the iPhone 5S owns an impressive 64-bit A7 processor running at between 12GHz to 1.3GHz. The A7 is actually a dual-core Cyclone processor that paired with 1GB of DDR3 RAM. What on earth is the big deal of the processor? It ensures that the users can have a pleasant experience on using the phone - the iOS 7 to run pretty smoothly, all apps and web pages load very fast, etc.

procesor

Galaxy S5 VS iPhone 5S: Battery

As we can see from the picture below, the brand new Galaxy S5 has a built-in 2800mAh battery, which, according to Samsung Company, can provide enough juice for the phone to last a whole day(21 hours of talk time or 390 hours standby).

Comparatively, the battery life of Apple iPhone 5S is slightly inferior - provides 10 hours of talk time on 3G, and up to 250 hours standby, as Apple claimed. Out of question, Apple needs to make more efforts on extending the battery life. Hopefully, we can get an improved battery on its next-gen iPhone 6.

battery

Galaxy S5 VS iPhone 5S: Camera

The Galaxy S5 owns a 16-megapixel rear camera which is able to capture HDR(High Dynamic Range) snaps, slow-motion films as well as 4K videos(four times HD resolution). Besides, Samsung has also enhanced the phone’s menu and user interface, making it easier for the consumers to take, edit and share photos captured.

The iPhone 5S sports two cameras - a front-facing FaceTime camera and a rear-facing camera. On paper, both cameras looks more or less the same as those on the iPhone 5, however, Apple has specially made some significant improvements on them. Truly, the cameras does a pretty job in coping in both well-light and low-light conditions - accurate color with enough details.

Galaxy S5 VS iPhone 5S: Key Specs Comparison

Key-specifications of Galaxy S5:

Qualcomm Snapdragon S805 2.5GHz quad-core processor

16/32GB internal memory, microSD slot up to 64GB

Android 4.4.2 (Kitkat)

5.1-inch Super AMOLED screen (1920 x 1080)

16MP rear camera

4K video recording

2MP front camera

Dust and water resistant (IP67)

Finger scanner

Dimension: 142.0 x 72.5 x 8.1mm, 145g

2800mAh Battery

Key-specifications of iPhone 5S:

4.0-inch LCD

4.87×2.31×0.3 inches

A7 chip with 64-bit architecture

M7 motion coprocessor

Fingerprint identity sensor built into the Home button

1080p HD video recording

16/32/64GB storage

1570mAh battery

Differences between H.265 and H.264

March 12, 2025 Tech Review
No comments

H.265 vs H.264

Technically, both HEVC (H.265) and H.264 (MPEG-4 AVC) are video compression formats designated to deliver HD resolution videos. To make comparison of these two decodes, we will break it down into several sections as follows :

H.265 Overview

H.265 has been rumored for a very long time. Eventually, it has been proved and would be released in 2014. As a brand new stand code, H.265 is completely strange to lots of people. Before diving into its benefits, it is important for us to have an understanding of “what” H.265 is. Basically, H.265 is a more efficient encoding standard designed to succeed H.264. As a High Efficiency Video Coding (HEVC), H.265 is able to support video files of 4K and even up to 8K resolutions at half the currently used bitrate. So far, some dominant video streaming services like Netflix has decided to use H.265 to stream HD 1080p and 4K videos with approximately 50% bandwidth savings (at the same video quality). With H.265, we can enjoy HD videos without exceeding the bandwidth cap. Besides, it is no longer a dream to do real 4K video resolution with smart phones without losing massive quality even at low bitrates.

Differences between H.265 and H.264

H.264 (MPEG-4 AVC) has been here for quite a long time. It is one of the most popular codecs. It is specially developed for high definition systems such as HDTV, Blu-ray, HD DVD and low resolution media handy devices such as Apple iPod and Sony PSP. The greatest advantage of H.264 is that, it can encode HD video files with approximately 3 times fewer bits than comparable MPEG-2 encoders. However, since consumers’ demand for higher resolution such as 4K and 8K is on the rise day by day, the need for more efficient video streaming methods is more apparent than ever. Unluckily, H.264 is inaptitude for the delivering such high resolution. Thankfully, there’s a new kid on the block - the fresh H.265 codec. When asked what are the differences between H.264 and H.265, we can get the answers by looking into the advantages of H.265 over H.264 as below :

1.It is approximate 2X as effective as H.264

2. Reduces file size up to 50% with the same quality

3. Supports resolution up to 7680 × 4320 (8K)

4. Reduces video noise and increases dynamic range

5. Extend far greater video quality experience compared to H.264 encoded sequence at same bitrate.

To know more about the key differences between H.265 (HEVC) and H.264 (MPEG 4 AVC), please feel free to read through the table as below:

h.265 vs h.264

Top 5 Laptops for 2014

February 11, 2025 Tech Review
No comments

Literally, there are various different brands of laptops on the market. For many people especailly those without technical knowledge, it is always a tough job to pick the best laptop to buy. Actually, the biggest difference between an ordinary laptop and a really good one is that, it not only delivers a great combination of design, comfort and performance for your money, but also satisfies your specific needs. Nevertheless, it is complicated to judge a great laptop by evaluating its aspects such as screen brightness, video/audio quality, etc.

Therefore, in order to offer a helping hand to the people who are looking for the perfect new laptop, we specially list 5 best laptop models for 2014 as below:

1. Microsoft Surface Pro 2

The Microsoft Surface Pro 2 is a great Windows tablet worthy owning. Compared to the original model, this Pro 2 is considerably faster with some improved features such as a longer battery life and keyboard cover. It boots a 10.6-inch, 1920-by-1080 resolution display. Besides that, you can also find some great tablet accessories on it. However, the Pro 2 is stubbornly thick and heavy compared with some sleeker competitors.

Microsoft Surface Pro 2

2. Dell XPS 12

The Dell XPS 12 is the company’s latest hybrid ultra book and tablet offering some great features. It is sized with 317mm x 215mm x 15-20mm and weighs about 1.45kg (3.2lbs). Besides, it is cleverly designed with a 12.5-inch touch-screen which provides 1920 x 1080p HD display with 400 nit brightness. Therefore, with Dell XPS 12’s Full HD display, we can view a lot of details when viewing high-resolution images and get a smooth watching experience when enjoying 1080p videos. Moreover, the XPS 12 possesses a great Intel Core i5-4200U processor (3M Cache, up to 2.6GHz) + Intel HD Graphics 4400 and 4GB dual channel DDR3L-RS 1600MHz RAM, making it a powerful device suitable for work or entertainment.

Dell XPS 12

3.Apple MacBook Pro 13

Overall, the MacBook Pro 13 is in pretty much the same design as the older 2012 version. In the all-aluminum unibody design, the Pro 13 looks stylish, sleek and feels sturdy as well. Compared to the previous one, this latest laptop marginally lighter and thinner (12.35 x 8.62 x 0.71 inches and 3.46 pounds). One of the stunning features of the 12.35-inch MacBook Pro 13 is that, it offers the awesome 2560 x 1600-pixel display with vivid image quality. When comes to the performance, it boasts a fourth-generation 2.4-GHz Intel Core i5 processor, 8GB of RAM, and 256GB of flash storage, all of which enable the Pro 13 cruises through the benchmarks of a truly great laptop with ease.

Apple MacBook Pro 13

4.Lenovo ThinkPad X240

Basically, the Lenovo ThinkPad X240 is a powerful business laptop which sports a few stunning features such as a Core i5 Haswell CPU and a speedy solid-state drive. To begin with the design, the X240 doesn’t stray too far from the iconic design. It measures 12.02 x 8.19 x 0.79 inches and weighs 3.2 pounds, a tad heavier than the Samsung ATIV Book 9 Plus. It comes with a 12.5-inch IPS touch-screen display with 1366-by-768 resolution. With such an ultra display, the X240 can effortlessly deliver vibrant colors, deep blacks, and wide viewing angles. Besides, it is fueled by a fourth-generation Intel Core i5-4200U processor running at 1.6GHz and 8GB of RAM, helping the X240 turns in respectable scores on the performance benchmark tests.

Lenovo ThinkPad X240

5.Acer Aspire S7-392-6411

For the people who would like a svelte laptop to show off, the Acer Aspire S7-392-6411 is absolutely a great choice. As a premium high-end ultrabook, the S7-392-6411 adds performance and battery life to one of the thinnest bodies we’ve ever seen on the market. Measured 0.51 by 12.75 by 9 inches (HWD) and weighed in at 2.87 pounds, the S7-392-6411 really lives up to the reputation of “one of the thinnest and lightest touch screen laptops on the scene”. Surely, it offers a bright and clear 1080p HD display without any surprise. As to the performance, the system of the S7-392-6411 is well equipped, making it one of the higher performers among systems with a Core i5 processor.

Acer Aspire S7-392-6411

2014 Top 5 Android Tablets

January 23, 2025 Tech Review
No comments

Every time we talk of tablets, a majority of people would think of iPad, the crowning glory of Apple Inc. Not long before, its two latest models iPad Mini 2 and iPad Air were launched to the market, sparking a big sales record. However, not all people would like an iPad and Apple’s tablet is, in fact, not the only game in town. The truth is, there are many other great options out there.

andriod tablet

Seriously, if you don’t fancy on an iPad, the Android tablets will be a great the way to go. There is no denying the fact that, Android Jelly Bean is currently the main rival to the iOS 7 toting iPad Air and iPad mini 2. Currently, more and more high-quality Android-based tablets are showing up on the market. We have got a long list which includes Amazon Kindle Fire, Google Nexus 7, Nexus 10, Samsung Galaxy Note, Samsung Galaxy Tab, LG G Pad 8.3 Google Play Edition, Sony Xperia Tablet Z, Asus Transformer Pad TF701T and so on. That said, you may be racking your brains on deciding which tablet should choose. To ease your pain, we have specially listed 5 worthwhile Android tablets for your easy reference.

1. Google Nexus 7

The Nexus 7 was announced in late July 2013. It is one of the best 7-inch tablets available on the market. Equipped with a small interface, the Nexus 7 is slimmer, lighter, and more comfortable to hold on hands than the Apple iPad mini. What deserves an honorable mentioning is that, the Nexus 7 is the first Android 4.3 tablet, running a 1.5GHz quad-core Qualcomm S4 Pro APQ8064 processor.

Google Nexus 7

2. LG G Pad 8.3

The L G G Pad 8.3 is LG’s the best Android tablet. It is a compact tablet with a sheet of aluminum shell. It is sized at 216.8 x 126.5 x 8.3 mm, about 16mm taller than the iPad mini. Even though it runs an older version of Android, the LG G Pad 8.3 is a great device with advanced internal hardware such as a 1.7Ghz quad-core Snapdragon 600 SoC, 2GB of RAM and 16GB of internal storage.

lg g pad 8.3

3. Sony Xperia Tablet Z

The Sony Xperia Z is a super-light device with a super slim chassis, impressive screen. It is 10-inch, pitting itself against the likes of the Google Nexus 10 and iPad 4. Frankly, its 1,920 x 1,200 resolution screen falls a little short of ‘retina’ sharpness of the iPad 4’s 2,048 x 1,536 or the Nexus 10’s stupendously sharp 2,560 x 1,600 screen. However, it prides itself in obtaining the great feature of water resistant up to one meter for 30 minutes and dust resistant.

XperiaTabletZ

4. Amazon Kindle Fire HDX 7

The Kindle Fire HDX 7 is Amazon’s newest 7-inch tablet. Compared with the original Kindle Fire, the HDX 7 has got great changes in design. It is all angles and contrasts with a smooth matte back now joined with a glossy metallic top containing the speakers. Besides, this brand new 7-inch screen device provides a fantastic screen resolution of 1920×1200 at 323ppi, making it a not bad choice for entertainment. Besides, it has got a 2.2GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 quad-core processor along with 2GB of RAM, which means that games play smoothly whilst video playback is lag-free. Plus, it also provides 11-hour battery life and with mixed-usage.

kindle-fire

5. Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 10.1

The Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 10.1 is a large decent tablet with 10.1-inch screen. It provides a 1280×800 pin-sharp pixels display just as the Note, although the resolution is not high, users can still get a satisfying movies/pictures/web pages viewing experience. Backed by a 1GHz dual-core OMAP 4430 CPU, 1GB of RAM, and 16GB of storage, this Galaxy Tab 2 10.1 hits the nail on the head of so many Android tablets. To sum up, it is a well-designed tablet with powerful speakers, a responsive screen, and expandable storage.

samsung galaxy tab

5 Best Social Networking Apps

January 9, 2025 Tech Review
No comments

If you are netizen, you must heard of Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, MySpace, Google Plus and many other social networking sites. In the recent years, technology has gained fast development, bringing forth a wide variety of different social networking websites. Currently, those sites are increasing in popularity. According to a new eMarketer report, nearly one in four people worldwide are using social networking sites in 2013, an 18% increase than that of 2012. Besides, by 2017, the global social network audience will reach 2.55 billion. That’s true! Whether we are sharing media like videos/photos/games on Facebook, Twitter or other SNS, it is possible for us to keep track of how many people like them. Listed in the following are 5 best social networking apps which helps to facilitate your digital life.

1. Vine

Vine is a free video sharing app available for free on the Apple App Store. It was acquired by Twitter in October 2012. Users are allowed to make mini, creative movies in a simple & fun way and then share with families and friends. Within the Vine app, users can view videos from their followers in their “Home” screen. Under the “Explore” tab, Vine users can view trending posts, editor’s picks and featured or trending hashtags. Vine also allows users to view their recent activity, including new follows, comments and “likes,” all on one screen.

Vine

2. Yonder

It is a second to none app especially good for the outdoorsy types. It can discover a lot of locations around the globe as well as 22 activities such as biking, hiking, skiing, etc. Users are able to filter the searches by rock climbing, biking, skiing, and much more. Besides, it also allows users to upload photos and videos to share their activities with others or on Facebook, Twitter, email, and iMessage.

Yonder

3. Osfoora 2 for Twitter

Osfoora 2 is a refresh, elegant Twitter client for iOS7. It is available in iTunes at $1.99. Sported with a minimal yet sophisticated interface, this app allows users to browse timeline, mentions, and messages. Besides, users are able to bookmark tweets, upload photos from Twitter, img.ly, Mobypicture, TwitPic, and CloudApp, and mute hashtags and users.

Osfoora-2

4. Retro – Instagram viewer for iPad

If you have got an iPad and an Instagram account, this third party client app is really an ideal choice for you. It looks great, runs smoothly and loads fast. Its key features are as below:

• Multiple accounts support

• Notifications for your photos - number of new likes/comments

• Multiple viewing modes for quick/detailed browsing of your Instagram feed

• Photo downloading

• Smart gestures for navigation and common tasks

• Read/comment/like on your feed

• See the photos you liked

• Discover popular photos

Osfoora-2

5. FastFeed for Tumblr

As its name implies, this app works perfectly for Tumblr, providing a smooth, convenient and attractive feed experience they’ve ever met. Instead of having to tap the back button eight times to get back to the first Tumblr account they were reading, just select from one of the tabs that automatically opens every time you tap a link. Currently, this app is available in iTunes for free.

Fastfeed-for-Tumblr-Main

Overview of Windows Phone 8

December 31, 2024 Tech Review
No comments

Windows Phone 8 is neither new nor strange to most people. It is the second generation of the Windows Phone mobile operating system from Microsoft. Actually, it was first debuted in November, 2012 by Microsoft. Only one year later, it’s starting to pay off, you see, it has earned a lot of customers all over the world, enjoying huge popularity. Honestly, it is not an easy road for Microsoft. Up till now, the Windows Phone has outlasted BlackBerry, made market share progress, bolstered its app store depth, and has more or less become the accepted third place mobile platform. All that said, the reasons for Windows Phone 8’s popularity are largely lie in its cool features. Which include but not limited to the following:

1. Pure Homescreen

One of the most noticeable features of Windows Phone 8 is that, it is equipped with a pure & simplified interface on which, all you can see are the essential buttons, the additional icons/buttons/chunks of texts are gone. Compared with the Android, it is much simpler – no battery, signal or Wi-Fi indicator appears unless you press the top of the screen. Besides, unlike Android’s inconsistent and diverse widgets, the Windows Phone 8′s homecreen looks neat and well organized. Additionally, all of the tiles can be resized with the original shapes unchanged.

Start-Screen

2. Refresh & Intuitive User Interface

As most people know, intuitive user-friendly interface means a lot. Microsoft is also well aware of this fact and decided to ship a truly intuitive interface on Windows Phone 8 — it only shows what’s essential. Most contextual actions are accessed through a bar at the bottom of the screen, which is exempt of text. Besides, users are allowed to personalize the interface with their favorite colors, so that they can create a unique interface matching their own styles. Furthermore, they can also create smaller, more compact icons and bunch together four apps in the space that one icon used to occupy.

screen-shot-2013-12-20-at-1-32-51-pm

3. The Great Hardware

Let’s take a glance at some famous models of Windows Phone 8, such as Nokia Lumia 820, Lumia 920, Lumia 1520, the HTC Windows Phone 8X, etc, we will be impressed by the great hardware they own — higher resolution displays, dual-core processors, higher resolution displays, dual-core processors, NFC – supporting for sharing files between two devices and so forth. For example, Nokia Lumia 1520, it is the latest Nokia’s device which’s released this year. It came with a pretty industrial design, a gargantuan frame (6.4 x 3.36in, 162.8 x 85.4mm), quad-core chipsets, the big display, and the 1080p HD resolution to go along with a strong camera which does beautifully in taking pictures even in low light conditions and some other fun features

4. The Rooms

The fact is that, Google+ makes it quite easy to share contents like pictures in the specific circles. But when comes to the issue of chatting with friends/families while sharing files, we will inevitably get a refusal. However, this is not the case on Windows Phone 8. With its Room feature, users can chat, share pictures, calendars and notes with specific people in a single place at the same time. This clearly facilitates sharing and doesn’t even require all parties to have a Windows Phone.

Conclusion

Windows Phone 8 is an elegant, personable and easy-to-use mobile operating system. There’s significantly less of a selection of apps than those for Android and iOS, and the apps are different correspondingly, however, the odds are good that you’ll find whatever you need.

Overview of LG Optimus F6

December 26, 2024 Tech Review
No comments

It was with great fanfare that LG finally launched its entry-level smartphone for T-Mobile. In general, the LG Optimus F6 is a midrange Web & Internet Android smartphone device with a lot going for it. Priced at around $199, it is a budget-friendly device which is worthy owning especially when you are on a budget.

Design

Sticking to the basic design principles, the F6 doesn’t stand out with amazing looking which grabs people’s attention. Instead, it comes with a conservative look and doesn’t offer any flashy design flourishes. It is slightly heavier than LG Optimus L9 with a dimension of 5.03 by 2.59 by 0.4 inches (HWD). The entire device of the L6 is plastic except for the glass display. Remarkably, it has not any hard angles; all of the sides and edges have rounded profiles, making the F6 feels good in the hand, if not a bit slippery though.

Display

Looking back to several years, when a 5.5-inch screen offering 960 x 540 pixels was top-of-the-line. However, the time has gone for forever, since there are lots of screens that offer super high resolution that even up to 4K. Obviously, the F6 cannot compare to those stunning full HD displays on today’s top smart phones. However, the underwhelming 960 x 540 qHD resolution pairs well with the 4.5-inch diagonal and give it a respectable pixel density. Importantly, the media contents look natural and crisp. That said, the F6 is one of the better displays that users can hope for on a mid-range device.

Camera and Multimedia

Frankly, the F6 has got no great or top camera as other smartphones do. It is equipped with a front-facing 1.3-megapixel camera and a 5-megapixel main camera — a poor performer in low light, and made any illuminated object cast an unwanted glow. The camera is able to record videos at 1080p, and for a mid-range device performed acceptably. Roughly, the F6 can handle many audio files such as FLAC and OGG. It can also support DivX, Xvid videos and even 1080p video files without any problems. Remarkably, the videos look good on the qHD display with plenty of brightness.

Processor and Memory

A dual core Snapdragon 400 processor clocked at 1.2GHz is equipped on the LG F6. The 1GB of RAM and 4GB of internal storage is paired, with only 1.3GB is available for use. Luckily, the storage can be expanded via microSD based on users’ requirement. Although the processor and memory specs are on the lower end, the UI performance is somehow smooth. The limited internal storage is a long-term concern however, as over 400MB of the available 1.3GB is taken by the pre-installed apps.

Conclusion

If you are looking for a modestly priced mobile and don’t care about using a lot of apps, the LG Optimus F6 would be an ideal choice. It puts all basic features & functions that you want on a handset together into an overall nice package, such as moderate display, outstanding call quality, etc. Whereas, its camera performance is not that good, the internal storage is low, but at $199 you’re paying more money than it’s worth.

5 Best Productivity Apps for iPhone

December 13, 2024 Tech Review
No comments

Ever since Steve Jobs introduced the iPhone in 2009, it has become a household word with increasing popularity day after day. People from all fields of work have already had or would like to own an iPhone. It seems that there is not any good reason for not buying an iPhone which has become a much more integrated device for managing productivity. In the App Store, we can find many types of iPhone applications, which are for social networking, web-surfing, entertainment and more.

Recently, there are also other new breeds of productivity apps for iPhone. With those apps, users are able to manage time, arrange appointments, and manage office jobs like email in an easier, more efficient and productive way. If you are interested in getting a useful productivity app for your iPhone(iPhone 5S/5C/5/4S, etc), why not spend some time to check the list we specially offer as below:

1. Producteev

Producteev is an awesome cloud-based task management app. Considered to be the ultimate productivity iPhone app, Producteev allows users to access tasks from anywhere. Numerous of useful features are included in the Producteev, for instance, projects and tasks, labels, due dates, reminders, collaboration, automatic web/iOS syncing, email integration. Users are allowed to make the best use of them freely. Have to say that, this productivity app is especially good for students, freelancers or marketing agencies.

2. Evernote

Evernote is a great cloud-based application for note-taking and file-storage. It is available for all Apple iOS-based products, Android, Windows Phone, BlackBerry and WebOS. With Evernote, users can keep almost everything including text, meeting notes, documentation, articles and more. It is quite easy to get notes into this smart notebook, you can type, clip (from your iPhone or web browser), scan or upload to achieve your goal. Evernote has got the unique capability which enables users to filter notes and documents quickly to access the information they need.

3. Mint

If you are looking for a reliable personal finance assistance, Mint is exactly the best online money-managing tool for you which enables you to manage your money wherever you are. You just need to open an account, and then have your bank card, credit card, loan and retirement accounts connected to it and Mint will automatically pull in and categorize your transactions. It’s safe, secure and easy to keep your personal finances organized.

4. 1Password

Chances are that we use passwords in many occasions for credit cards, account numbers and other critical information. However, most of us are not good at creating or remembering strong passwords. Never mind, with 1Password app, things become much easier. As its name implies, you just need to remember 1 password to gain the access since it will save all of the passwords and necessary information. Of course, the information will be secured behind a 4 digit pass code and a master code to make sure that the details don’t get into the wrong hands.

5. Habit Lists

Everyone has good and bad habits. It is not an easy thing to get rid of the bad habits while keeping the good ones, right? Well, you are going to have a happy story so long as you’ve got this Habit Lists app. You just need to fill in the good habits that you want to keep or the bad one like drinking beer that you would like to get rid of into the app, then, enter the intervals in which they should repeat. Each time you enter a new activity, you begin to develop streaks (the number of consecutive intervals in which you’ve successfully completed an action). The app can be addicting and, if used regularly, it works.

It is time to make our life more productive with the help of certain useful productivity apps and software. So, what is your favorite productivity app for iPhone?

Key Features of Windows 8.1

November 29, 2024 Tech Review
1 comment

Microsoft’s final version of Windows 8.1 has been released for over a month. Introducing a slew of new features, the Window 8. 1 was a free update designed to address some users’ concerns and enable a faster pace of Windows releases. Since most people prefer to use laptops and desktops, Microsoft hedged its bets and built a desktop mode so as to bridge the gap between old and new, between mouse and touch screen.

The first look at the Windows 8.1, it looks and feels mostly the same as Windows 8, but of course, there are some significant updates or new functionality on the latest version 8.1, hinting at the future of Microsoft’s vision for its own computing platform. Here are the key features of Windows 8.1 as below:

1. Return of the Start Button

Right after launching the Windows 8.1, users will surprised to find the ultra-familiar Start Button which acts as a portal to switch between the desktop and Start Screen worlds. Have to say that, the Start Button has replaced Microsoft’s odd looking square tip from Windows 8. However, there is no Start Menu in the Windows 8.1. Clicking on the Windows 8.1 Start Button, users will be directed into Modern UI Start Screen or the Apps Screen, on which all of the Windows Store and desktop apps are displayed. The most shining point is that, users can set the desktop wallpaper as the backdrop for the Start Screen.

2. “Right Click” Menu

A “right-click” menu is included in the new Start Button. Click the menu, users can easily access to many major functions such as System, Device Manager, the Control Panel, and a revamped, more streamlined Task Manager. Besides, users can also shut down or restart their computers by using the menu.

3. Customizable Start Screen

On the Start Screen, users are also allowed to arrange the live tiles in groups, that is to say, they can assign group names to the tiles when swiping up from the bottom of the screen, and then access the Customize icon. On the other hand, all of the apps are able to support a new small size which is about a quarter of that of a standard one. More interestingly, some apps like the Weather app can be up to twice larger than the standard tile. To get a simpler views and multitasking, users can scale the horizontal size of app windows in the Windows 8.1 freely. Additionally, users are allowed to use the same wallpaper both in Start Screen and the desktop.

4. SkyDrive Integration

Now that the Windows 8.1 is integrated with SkyDrive, all of the apps and files can be stored in Microsoft’s cloud. In this way, users can easily transfer their documents, files or apps between different Windows 8.1 machines.

5. Slicker Built-In Browser

Touted as faster and more stable than the Internet Explore (IE) 10 browser built into Windows 8, IE 11 also gets rid of the earlier 10-tab limit on open pages and lets you view pages side-by-side. Users can also sync Favorites and other browser settings though their Windows account to other Windows 8.1 systems. A new Reading View is designed to improve — what else? — The readability of Web sites.

6. Easier PC Settings

Through a new Change PC Settings link, users can make changes to settings for power, display, network configuration and more without being relying on the legacy Control Panel. To simply get to this link, swipe in from the right and access Settings.

The Best Alternative for Frash

November 14, 2024 Tech Review
No comments

The iOS devices ( iPhone, iPod, iPad, iPod Touch, etc) are always enjoying great welcome by a majority of fans. Sleek design, awesome features, reliable performance, etc, all of these make the i-devices one of the best choices. However, one very big drawback in the iOS devices is that, they have nothing to do with the Adobe Flash, in other words, we cannot view Flash contents from video websites on the i-devices such as iPhone or iPad. It is really a big disappointment, especially for the video junkies who have got many interesting Flash videos/games. Delightfully, the good app called “Frash” developed by Comex(maker of jailbreaking tool JailbreakMe.com) will likely to change the sad story and put a smile on our faces.

Specially designed for the iOS devices, Frash is a free program which adds Adobe Flash compatibility to the iOS devices and allows you to play the Flash contents on your i-devices smoothly. Frash is not available in the App Store, but it’s still easy to get it on a device that’s been jail broken through one of the third-party application installers. It is a breeze to set up the app, after installation, reboot your i-device and see the app in action for yourself. However, the great app doesn’t do the complete magic since it also has got some drawbacks. Firstly, it doesn’t support the playback of all Flash contents on any website; you may not able to watch some Flash at some points. Secondly, when running the Fresh, it will crash at times. Undoubtedly, there is loophole that needs to be fixed. The problem is, its developer Comex, is now working for Apple Inc and Apple has never want Flash on its i-Devices, so, please, don’t expect any improvement, update or new release of the Fresh. Thirdly, there can be some delay or the Flash content may be sluggish. Last but not least, the Fresh app is incapable of doing most videos or any sort of Flash games at all. What described above is arguably the main reasons for some users looking forward to an alternative for the “Frash”, so that they can play any Flash contents including Flash videos and Flash games on iOS devices smoothly.

I have the current version or Frash and it doesn’t do much. I was curious if there was a better app to download or a different tweak to install that does a little better job.. Delightfully to say, yes, there is. Firecoresoft SWF video converter for Mac is exactly the best alternative for Frash. It is capable of converting almost all SWF Flash contents to the i-devices compatible formats with super-fast speed and zero quality loss. Remarkably, it has got comprehensive editing functions which allow users to edit the source Flash videos such as cropping, adding watermark, etc. The free trial version is available now, why not just give a shot?

← Older Entries