Retina iPad mini display is a 'distant third' behind Nexus 7 and Kindle Fire HDX

A new report indicates that the display on Apple’s much awaited Retina iPad mini is actually quite far behind its main rivals.

Only recently it was reported that the Retina iPad mini display has less color gamut than the iPad Air, which basically means that it shows less color.*While that might seem like an unfair comparison given the fact that the iPad Air has a larger battery and can compensate for a powerful display without compromising on battery life, its fair game to compare Retina iPad mini with the likes of Nexus 7 and Kindle Fire HDX. According to experts at DisplayMate, Apple’s latest tablet is a “distant third” behind these tablets in terms of display performance.

They compared all three tablets and found that Retina iPad mini provides 63 percent color gamut while both the Nexus 7 and Kindle Fire HDX provide 100 percent color gamut. The display on the new iPad mini is also said to consume more power, lack brightness as compared to the two rivals and is also said to be more reflective. The tablet is said to rank a distant third because of Apple’s “inexcusable” decision to use old technology, despite the fact that it once used to be the leader in mobile displays.

Amazon and Google have opted for Low Temperature Poly Silicon LTPS displays for Kindle Fire HDX 8.9 and the Nexus 7, these displays are outperforming the IGZO and a-Si displays in the current iPads.*So even though the Retina iPad mini has significantly higher pixel density than its predecessor, its color gamut is more or less similar to the iPad 2 which is nearly three years old. The display is sharper than the one on the original iPad mini, but it doesn’t really give its rivals a run for their money.

Source: DisplayMate

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Samsung discounts tablets, laptops, digital cameras and TVs for Black Friday 2013

Samsung’s US online store is holding a special Black Friday 2013 sale, offering a wide range of TVs, as well as a number of tablets, laptops, digital cameras and other consumer electronic products with hundreds of dollars in savings.

The twist is, instead of pulling the plug on all promos at the end of the day, as is customary, Samsung will be keeping them live by Monday December 2. While supplies last, that is, so even if there’s time, you may want to hurry.

Sadly, Samsung’s most popular goods, Galaxy smartphones, aren’t included in the deal, which is strange given so many third-party retailers rely greatly on the S4, S4 Active, Note 3, S4 mini and so on and so forth to lead their pack of discounts.

To make matters worse, Sammy has but two tablets on sale from now until Cyber Monday, namely the Galaxy Note 10.1 2014 Edition ($499.99 with 16 GB storage, $549.99 in a 32 GB variant) and the Galaxy Tab 3 7.0 Kids, up for grabs at $189.99 bundled with an orange bumper case, or $209.99 with a blue carrying case.

Moving on to bigger and more productive computing machines, you can score the Ativ Book 9 Lite 13.3-inch ultrabook at $729.99 ($100 off), or the Series 5 17.3-incher for $799.99 ($200 savings).

The digital cam selection is maybe the most generous of all, as the Android-powered Galaxy Camera goes for $399.99 and the WB250 14.2 MP smart point-and-shoot costs $129.99. Actually, no, scratch that, the television selection is most impressive, with slashed prices ranging from $149.99 for a 22-incher to a whopping $5,999 ($3,000 off) on a 75-inch F8000 Series Smart TV.

Be sure to check all items on sale at the source link below, don’t forget to spend sensibly and only buy things you need.

Source: Samsung

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Official MEGA app for iOS has been released

The revamped and reengineered MEGA service went live earlier this year, and now an official app has been released for iOS devices.

After having been involved in lawsuits and what not, Kim Dotcom launched the MEGA service earlier this year. Only recently the service came out of beta stage with an improved user interface.*Today, the official iOS app has been released on the app store. Through the app, users can manage their MEGA cloud storage account as well as a few handy features that are there to enhance the user experience.

Through the MEGA iOS app, users can enjoy faster file transfers while also have the ability to preview and stream documents and files that are supported by the service.*Users will also be able to export and share file and folder links, they will also be able to import files from links into their MEGA cloud storage accounts. Several*features that are likely to make their way into the app in the future include support for a native iPad application and photo synchronization.

The official MEGA app for iPhone, iPad and iPod touch is available as a free download from the App Store.

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iPhone location tracking lawsuit from 2011 finally dismissed

A class action lawsuit filed against Apple in 2011 for alleged tracking of an iOS devices’ location has finally been dismissed.

It was discovered back in 2011 that iOS devices were collecting and storing location data. Basically the devices were storing cell tower location and Wi-Fi network data which would allow the device to track itself more precisely than the GPS. This lead to concerns about users’ privacy being at risk, given the fact that the data was also being sent to the computer if a user connected their device to it. Back then, Apple said that this behavior was due to a bug in iOS and that it was not intentionally collecting information about the location of its iOS devices.

After the bug came to light, Apple rolled out iOS 4.3.3 to fix it. However a class action lawsuit was filed again in the company in which plaintiffs argued that even when Location Services was turned off, the device would still collection location data. This, according to the plaintiffs, harmed the device’s performance by taking up additional storage space and straining battery life. Plaintiffs also alleged that iOS had been designed to transmit location data to third-party app developers, however Apple denied these claims.

Judge Lucy Koh ruled that*the plaintiffs had failed to show the existence of a genuine issue of material fact based on which the lawsuit could proceed, there exists no standing to pursue the claims against Cupertino.

Source: Reuters

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Millions are enjoying getting distracted by viral videos and Facebook is to blame

Media startups like Upworthy are attracting tens of millions of monthly readers, mostly from Facebook referrals and the trend has spawned a handful of similar websites, which are banking on creative headlines and viral videos and photos.

Regular users of social media sites like Facebook and Twitter would likely be familiar with websites like Upworthy, Buzzfeed and ViralNova. This would mostly be from the creative headlines, click-worthy photos and curious topics that are shared and re-shared on social networks until the message gets viral.

Business Insider*outlines how a startup called Upworthy has garnered 50 million monthly unique reads only a year and a half after its launch on March 2012. Most of the content on these media startups is not even text-heavy. Additionally, content is mostly sourced from third parties, like Flickr or YouTube.

The most prominent content would either include viral videos, photos or memes. Interestingly, common among these websites is the use of catchy headlines, with titles that entice the reader’s curiosity. Take for instance the headline on the photos above: The Only Thing More Unbelievable Than These Photos Is How They Were Taken. Wow. In SEO circles, headlines like these would often be considered bordering on click-bait, but Facebook users seem to be genuinely attracted to the content, especially if it involves either bizarre incidents or inspiring videos (as with Upworthy)

Sites like ViralNova and Distractify are not too worried about branding nor return users, or bounce rate, which is why their business models are crafted on getting as many referrals from social networks like Facebook or Twitter. The media startups bank on either the virality or click-worthiness of the headlines. There is a concern, however, whether the trend is lasting, given how Facebook would sometimes change policies or algorithms, which might negatively impact traffic.

Some examples cited include Zynga, whose stock has plummeted after falling out of Facebook’s grace. The case is the same for Fab, Path, Viddy and BranchOut, which had to change their business models after Facebook stopped promoting their products and links. Another notable example is referral traffic from LinkedIn, which dropped drastically when the professional network started with its own in-house editorial team.

For now, viral videos, memes and catchy headlines will continue attracting traffic from Facebook. But with dozens of copycat websites coming up, one might wonder if the trend will soon end in a bubble, and which ones will actually have staying power.

Source: Business Insider

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Garuda Indonesia to extend in-flight internet to Airbus fleets soon

Currently, limited to Boeing, Indonesia’s national carrier – Garuda Indonesia – will extend inflight internet services to its Airbus fleet too soon Garuda Indonesia,(GIA), which launched in-flight internet services in its Boeing B-777-300ER aircrafts, will extend the service to*Airbus A330-200 and A330-300 aircrafts too, very soon. The service will be available, both on domestic and Read the full article...



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22% Indian marketers spending over 50% marketing budget on digital

According to an Adobe report, Indian marketers have shown significant progress in adapting digital marketing resulting in a double digital growth “Over 80 per cent of marketers are using analytics and reporting technologies for better understanding. Challenges in terms of finding the right skill sets remain, however, Indian marketers lead the APAC region in terms Read the full article...



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