Battery Backup Makes Smartphone Smarter – A roundup of smartphones with best battery life

With dual, quad and even octa-core processors now available in the market, the hybrid of gaming, camera, videos and ultimate productivity and multitasking, smartphones are getting smarter! Which makes smartphones in the present era composed for much more than the calling and texting option.

It is a robot in itself which can showcase you anything in the world at a 3G speed just on the touch.

But, considering all our focus on these parameters, one has forgotten the most important ingredient of any phone whether smart or not, is the Battery life of a mobile. And when the phones are equipped with latest technologies and controls, the exhaustion of battery increases manifold. So, today we will be watching out some of the battery lover smartphones that can help you enjoy your long journeys.

Battery backup, the smartest feature for a smartphone.

Samsung Galaxy Note 3

The stylus, looks, brand and the lifetime. All in one.

The third generation of Galaxy Note is surely more powerful and more elegant than the earlier designs of it. It comes with the pen interface that allows customers to use the handset with a pen, which is actually loved by the mainstream customers. According to the reports, it is expected to deliver strong battery backup of 15 hours. It has 3,200mAh battery which is pretty awesome.

Samsung Galaxy S4

The most awaited phone S4 has anything to everything.

The version of Samsung Galaxy S series is one of the most awaited phones when it was launched in the market. It offers everything which a customer demands from a smartphone, good screen size, latest android, solid processor and most importantly the longevity of solid 17 hours on 2,600mAh battery.

LG G Flex

This is one of the great releases in 2014 by LG, although LG has not made really an impact in the smartphones genre except their popular LG Nexus which is on the top charts in the present. It has a battery slightly larger than the previous i.e. Samsung Galaxy Note 3, Flex has 3,500mAh battery which can help it to last just above 17 hours and that too on moderate brightness, medium usage and 3G data connection being on. So, you can realize the backup of this solid smartphone.

Moto X

Motorola is here!

Suddenly in the market, the buzz started with the launch of Motorola mobiles which were out from long time. With two of the great launches Moto G and Moto X, Motorola captured the smartphone market with its smart looks, solid design and cheap prices. The Moto X comes with the 2,200mAh battery that is pretty good, not as the above mentioned phones, but it can give you more than 10 hours of lifetime when used with video continuously.

So, these were some of the top contenders from the super battery package plus the smart interface embedded in it. We haven’t reviewed the mobiles from less popular brands like Karbonn, Huawei and etc which can give battery performance much better than the above mentioned devices.

BY:TECHNOLOGY

Half nuts and half genius – Solar powered roadways

Half of the world think the idea is genius and there are still people thinking the idea is crazy. What do you think??  Hold on… finish reading the article before you conclude !!!

Solar roadways is the BRAINCHILD of the couple Scott and Julie Brusaw. The brusaws are not some scammers or wackos !!! Scott has an electrical engineering background and the project has gotten two rounds of funding from the Federal Highway Administration.

The couple have now raised more than $1 million to pursue the extremely ambitious goal of replacing the  roads with solar panels.

Graphic design by Sam Cornett

Solar Roadways are made of  hexagonal glass panels embedded with solar cells, electronics, and LEDs. Glass panels??? Glass breaks easily. Yeah! Right!! But the Brusaws say their prototype is very strong and can hold 250,000 pounds of weight.

By the Brusaw’s theory, the solar highway can generate three times the electricity consumed these days. The roadway is also capable of  filtering storm water, allows to replace above-ground power cables, prevent icy roads by melting snow. It is also smart to alert the driver of the wandering cattle on the road just by lighting up!

Though the project is said to have raised more than $1 million, proving, there’s a strong popular appeal for these kinds of new high-tech road technologies, installation COST is a big challenge. Also, approval from the government a bigger challenge. “In some cases the technologies are not yet there,”  says Levine, one of the project engineers of the solar roadways.  “In other cases the technologies are there, but the American way of organizing government, society, and the planning function in particular, just has its way of slowing things down.”

Still, the couple believe a “paradigm shift”  is already on its way. They say the project is capable of bringing other revenue sources besides selling electricity, such as advertising on the roads’ LED displays or charging people to refuel their electric cars.

Practically, according to the design, right from the power grid and the domestic distribution lines everything  has to get a change over. The asphalt road has to be ripped off totally and then the new solar highways are to be laid. Yes, it looks like someone asking us to start a new life like “Bear grylls” of “Man and the wild” all of a sudden. Just the start is a big challenge. Once the project becomes a success its just not gonna be a success but a ROAD REVOLUTION.

Solar cells weave their way into fashion industry. Now you can charge mobiles on the go!

These days, clothing is not just about making a fashion statement or shielding us its aim is expanding fast. New to this task is Wearable Solar, a potential clothing line that incorporates solar panels into garments for charging personal electronic devices.

The addiction to smart phones and their seemingly little battery backup is pressing in favor of portable energy sources. An outcome is the continuously evolving need for portable mobile chargers, from remote charging ports we are now attracted towards gadgets which can generate energy on the go and that’s where comes in Wearable Solar.

A budding startup by the Dutch fashion designer Pauline van Dongen who, inspired by the budding dependence on connectivity and the need to constantly keep smartphones powered-up, has given shape to an integration of technology and fashion.

Two futuristic (from the looks of it) prototypes have been on launched so far. The first one is a coat which incorporates 48 rigid solar cells while another dress has 72 flexible solar cells. Each of them, if worn in the full sun for an hour, can store enough energy to allow a typical smartphone to be 50% charged.

Wearable Solar dress, consisting of solar panels which could be hidden when not in use.)

Flexible solar cells although less efficient, are easier to integrate and more comfortable to wear. The dress is made from a flowing lightweight wool combined with leather. The cells have been subtly integrated in such a way that it’s hardly noticeable when you wear the dress as a normal piece of clothing.

Their internal structure is layered and resembles the stratified cells of the human body, allowing natural interaction with sunlight along with mobility and movement. Exhibiting the immense amount of stress laid on the “Wearable” aspect of these prototypes. “Wearability is very important to my work because I am a fashion designer,” explained Van Dongen. “We’re dealing here with the human body and it’s not just a static body, it’s dealing with movement and expressions, a sensory surface so it’s very important to stress the wearability.”

Wearable Solar coat unfolded to generate energy.

The perfect combination of Technology and fashion, practical, wearable-crossing all obstacles this technology is all set to enter the market Van Dongen said “We’re not very far away from people actually wearing these garments that I design”. I hope garments rescue humans from the “LOW BATTERY” crisis.

BY: TECHNOLOGY

The Most Expensive Cars in the World – A roundup

Dreams are always extravagant and should always be so, shouldn’t they? They provide with a goal, something worth living for. That’s exactly what these cars are for most of us, a dream as owning even any one of these would mean mortgaging everything else we own.
The thrill for high speed, the overwhelming engineering working in the background, the extensive detailing on the exteriors, the sharply designed headlights and massive engines is exactly why these cars are so expensive.

5)  Lamborghini Reventon ($ 1.61M)

Named after a Spanish fighting bull, it gets it design from the fighter jet Euro-fighter Typhoon and the mechanical from the Lamborghini’s LP640. The brutal V-12 engine offers a magnificent horsepower of 650, taking if from 0- 60 mph in just 3.3 sec. With only 20 such beasts ever made and the stealth like exterior this is Lamborghini’s most powerful & rarest car.

Sharing the fourth place are

4)  Pagani Zonda Cinque Roadster ($1.8M)

This engineering marvel is made of Titanium and Carbon Fibre frame making it even lighter than a Mini Cooper. Expressing Italian’s love for carbon fibre and massive engines it features an AMG V12 engine which gives this beast an enormous horsepower of 678 and a top speed of 217 mph. It is one of world’s most exotic and rarest cars with only 5 of these ever built all of which are already spoken for.

pagani zonda

Aston Martin One-77 ($1.8M)

Sharing the fourth spot with the Pagani Cinque is the British Supercar Aston Martin One-77. Some may remember this supercar from the game NFS Hot Pursuit. It comes packing a 7.3-liter V12 engine that ever so politely doles out 750 hp and 533 lb-ft. Top speed is clocked at 220 mph while a 0-60 sprint takes 3.4 seconds. The One-77 is the ultimate expression of the refined supercar with the looks to die for.

Aston Martin One-77

3)  Koenigsegg One ($ 2.4 million)

This supercar gets its name from the almost unobtainable one is to one weight ratio of one horsepower per kg. The One truly raises the bar of performance as it offers unique solutions to enhance track performance without compromising top speed or everyday usability with a stunning visual appearance to go with it. Inspired by the Agera R it also runs on E8 Biofuel making it fuel efficient.

Koenigsegg One

2)  Bugatti Veyron Sport ($3.4 million)

The Super Sport is the fastest street-legal production car in the world, with a top speed of 267.856 mph. Characterized as “utterly, stunningly, mind blowingly, jaw droppingly brilliant.” By Jeremy Clarkson. The Veyron weighs a hulking 4,160 lbs, but even its harshest critics admit its handling is surprisingly sharp for it’s weight.The way this car dominates the track as well as the road is the reason it is place at such a high price.

Bugatti Veyron

W Motors Lykan Hypersport ($3.4 million)

With a mid-mounted, twin-turbo, 3.7-liter flat-six with a claimed 740 horsepower and 708 pound-feet of torque, the Hypersport doesn’t lack for power. W Motors didn’t just focus on performance, they have the tech madness and sheer excess side of hypersport covered. Those handsomely aggressive LED lights are covered in diamonds, and the information about how far over the speed limit you are going is conveyed by a holographic display. All this and those Lamborghini like looks is what puts this supercar on the second spot.

Lykan Hypersport

1)  Lamborghini Veneno ($4 million)

It is definitely not the most beautiful supercar but when it comes to raw performance there is none that can hold a candle. The name “Veneno” is Spanish for “venom” and boy it is perfect. Italian’s favourite V12 hammers out an amazing horsepower of 750 giving it an insane top speed of 355 km/h.
The elongated profile, long overhangs and massive rear wing and the light-weight frame made of carbon fibre reinforced polymer. The inside is equally impressive, featuring leather as well as Lamborghini-patented materials like ‘Forged Composite’ and ‘Carbon Skin’.

These super-cars may be a little expensive for someone’s budget but there’s nothing wrong in aspiring to someday own these beauties. Who knows what lies ahead of us, someday all our dreams may come true it’ll be a miracle for sure but as they say
“Miracles start to happen when you give as much energy to your dreams as you do to your fears”.

BY: TECHNOLOGY

A Polygonal LCD – Sharp Makes it Possible

Sharp shows off a new display technology which seems to change the trend of rectangular televisions. Now you can have a television in any shape you want, all thanks to Sharp’s new IGZO technology and the innovative new circuit design! Sharp believes that it’s technology can pave way for a wide range of gadgets and incredible new design & display hardware.

Officials from Sharp explain how conventional displays need minimum amount space around the viewing area in order to accommodate a device known as Gate Driver. Whereas with the Free-Form technology,the gate driver’s function is dispersed throughout the viewing area, enabling the edge of the screen- known as a Bezel, to be shrunk considerably.

This ingenious technology is estimated to affect multiple fields, particularly the automotive industry. Sharp aims to plan a venture along with a few automobile manufacturers to bring out cars with cool and compact displays. Car dashboards with a single screen that serves all display related needs is one of the intended purposes for this technology.

Free Form Technology: notice the lower circular edges of the display

But possibilities are endless, including wearable gadgets with elliptical shape and digital signage and other large monitors that draw the viewer into the onscreen world. Although it is not the first non-rectangular LCD screen, it is the first prototype to offer such versatile 2-D shape along with an amazing resolution.

Till now, Free Form technology had been proposed to car manufacturing companies only but future possibilities include other products such as tablets and cell phones. As the tech can help develop phones with larger viewing area to body size ratio. Adding to the advantage of the consumers. 

Free Form tech also opens a window of opportunity for LCD’s with new and innovative shapes and design. Allowing these devices to be used in more unconventional situations. Imagine a cylindrical shaped wearable cell phone which you can put around your wrist as if it’s a piece of jewellery.

So far only a prototype of this tech has been released, and Sharp announces that the project will enter the commercial phase as early as possible.

BY:TECHNOLOGY

Fire at the Heart of Music – Pelty the Bluetooth Speaker

Fire has been the oldest resource known to man, it illuminates our life! Since the beginning on mankind fire has been at the heart of everything and now it is also the heart of music. Pelty is an elegant bluetooth speaker which plays music from any device and runs on candlelight.

Imagine an evening, you and your dearest ones having a candle-light dinner, with ecstatic lighting and soft romantic music wafting over you. A treat for the soul and all packed into a subtle yet beautiful gadget, Pelty.

Pelty generates its power from the heat of a single candle, which is claimed sufficient to produce enough energy to run the built-in Bluetooth speaker unit for up to 5 hours with no external source of energy, no charging cables, no batteries required and the sound is similar to any other docking system.

Pelty- the bluetooth powered speaker

Pelty is named after a thermoelectric phenomenon known as the Peltier effect, discovered by French Physicist Jean-Charles Athanase Peltier. The phenomenon states that, passing of electric current through a semiconductor junction is accompanied with the exchange of heat energy. The same effect has been the basis of many cooling devices.

Careful thought and planning has gone into the making of this incredible gadget. Everything is positioned inside the ceramic vase and the external glass is engineered to maximize the power generated by the TEG.Ceramic, in particular, is resistant to heat and has excellent acoustic and insulation properties and on the other hand because it’s an elegant and natural premium quality material that perfectly matches the concept of Pelty.

The growing abuse of natural resources has made it necessary for us to start thinking about the environment. We need to take necessary steps to ensure that the future of this planet and the people living on it is secure and Pelty seems to be the gadget with a revolutionary initiative to save as much energy as we can. With the amount of energy optimized by it, devices like Pelty are the need of the hour.

BY: TECHNOLOGY

Facebook, a ‘data monopolist’?

Facebook was prepared to fork out $19 billion (14 billion euros) for the comparatively small company Whatsapp. But the text messaging service is only small in terms of staff. If you look at the user figures, Whatsapp resembles quite a giant: 30 million users in Germany and 450 million worldwide. They all volunteer a significant amount of personal data - information that Facebook is keen to harvest given that this is what their business is based on.

The merger of two companies generally requires approval by the responsible anti-trust authorities. They examine the risks of a monopoly or undue price influence as a result of the merger. The same procedure appears to be ongoing now in the case of the Facebook/Whatsapp merger - spearheaded by EU Competition Commissioner Joaquin Almunia. According to media reports, the EU authority has in a first step contacted other internet companies to get their opinion on the takeover. Some of them reportedly indeed feel threatened by the combined market power of Facebook and Whatsapp.

A new form of monopoly

It is the first time the EU is examining the merger of two social networks and it is faced with the challenge of determining whether Facebook has become a 'data monopolist' with the Whatsapp takeover - a key issue for data privacy activists.

But it is also about answering the basic question of how you determine a monopoly in a market offering free 'products'. 'In the past a monopoly was defined by whether a company was able to set prices that are far higher than its own costs,' explains Daniel Zimmer, head of the Institute for Commercial and Business Law at Bonn University. But this procedure is void in markets where services are offered free of charge.

And yet the free service - the social network itself - is only one part of Facebook's operations. It also offers advertizing space to other companies. And the price tag for these spaces rises with the number of users. However, it is not just the sheer numbers that raise the price but also the advertizing effectiveness.

Pressure on users and advertizing customers

Advertizing customers favor websites that cater for targeted advertizing because this increases the likelihood that customers will indeed make a purchase. Companies such as Facebook, which collect and evaluate a deluge of data that includes the interests and preferences of their users, have a clear bonus in this context. 'Data availability can be a huge business advantage. It gives a company a significant headstart on its competitors,' says Zimmer, who also heads the monopoly commission advising the federal government.

Excessive advantage allows a company to set monopoly prices for its advertizing space offerings. The users in turn may feel pressurized to divulge more data due to the market power of the supplier. If a user feels he must be part of a certain social network, the company can effectively dictate the conditions for accessing it.

How much influence does the EU have?

But do the anti-trust authorities have to look into this particular case? After all, nobody is forced to sign up to Facebook or Whatsapp. Apparently these networks are so successful because they offer the greatest added value. Daniel Zimmer says a probe is warranted if there are grounds to suspect the company is exploiting its market power to buy up and eliminate competitors. He thinks it makes sense to scrutinize the Facebook/Whatsapp merger.

Normally every EU member state would have to examine the case independently because any takeover with the potential to impact the market falls under the jurisdiction of national authorities. In the case of Facebook/Whatsapp German anti-trust laws failed to apply because Whatsapp - despite its numerous users - does not create enough turnover here for the authorities to launch a probe - other than in Spain, Cyprus and Great Britain. According to media reports that were not confirmed by the Commission, the EU body has now taken on the case to avoid three separate national probes.

But how much power does this body actually have? In the past EU objections in fact prevented mergers of US companies, says Zimmer. However, most cases result in the formulation of legal requirements for the merger to go through, for instance the sale of certain company segments to a third party. The EU Commission did not have any qualms when Microsoft took over Skype in 2011.

BY  MSN