Apple Working On Its Own Smart Home Hardware HomeKit

Latest rumor internet is that Apple is working on its own hardware for the smart home and for that purpose a new team was founded. With this expedition into the smart home market, the product range in the Apple stores could significantly increase in the future. The fact that Apple is working for a novel approach for a new networked home is already known. And it is planning to launch its own HomeKit platform in this year worldwide developer’s conference. For this purpose Apple is planning to produce its own hardware for the Smart home project. For this purpose Apple has selected a internal team to working on the appropriate gadgets for the HomeKit project solely. Once the project is launched the existing Apple gadgets like iPhone iPad etc will complemented perfectly. Apple is still in the development phase of this project but the exploration phase with respect to the products to be added to the project is already completed but what is the Smart home hardware to be added is not disclosed anywhere. Apple will not be a direct competitor of Nest which was recently bought by Google. Since Apple diversified its home appliances selection like home control, home entertainment, Nest will not be affected. Nest only focus on intelligent smoke detectors and thermostats. For entertainment gadgets the recent acquisition of Beats Electronics will help Apple tremendously. In case of HomeKit apple takes the first step in the new business with the software that already available. It is similar to that of iPod release in the year 2001 several months before the iTunes software foundation for MP3 Player.

Apple slashes price of iPod

Apple offers a cheap iPod Touch with 16GB memory with a 5 megapixel main camera. Though the main model price is not unchanged with 200 Euros but the other models with higher memory are cheaper.

In addition to the hardware addition to the favorable 16GB, they have released other models with 32GB and 64 GB with reduction in price. Thus Apple tries to control the market with the best iPod touch in the market.

The iPod touch with 16 GB of memory has only one camera in the front which is quiet helpful for the video chat which could be used with the FaceTime. But in the higher models a camera on the back is available for photos and videos.

This comfort is lacked in the smaller model. The previous version of the iPod model without the camera was taken away from the online stores.

The 5 mega pixel camera can also record video in full HD resolution. Though the hardware change has taken place there is no change in price and it is fixed in the previous rate only.

But at the same time Apple has reduce the prices of the iPod touch models with higher memory more particularly for 32 and 64 GB.

The 32 GB models costs 250 Euros and it was sold at the price of 300 Euros and the 64 GB iPod’s price is reduced to 300 Euros from 400 Euros.

Both models come with two cameras with hardware update and both of them will be available in the market soon.

Temple Run Fiction Series with Indiana Jones Style

The Developer, Imangi Studios has entered into an agreement with Egmont Publishing for the release of Temple Run fiction series and activity book for children and the runner game for iOS and Android come with Indiana Jones style with it which could translate quite well with novelization.

This is the latest version on how mobile developers can reach other media as well as mechanising sections in order to generate added revenue. Angry Birds developer Rovio has books, toys and many more things in its game franchise and has also been working on a feature film to be released in 2016.

While Imangi had previously released a board game similar to Temple Run, Angry Birds as well as Temple Run are examples of hit mobile games which no longer compete with top games on iOS and Android.

Though Clash of Clans and Candy Crush Saga generate millions of dollars from the purchases of in-app, Temple Run does not seem to be in the top hundred for downloads on iPhone.

On the contrary, Angry Birds and Temple Run have moved to capitalize on their brand favour and while Temple Run is not popular as it used to be earlier on Android and iPhone, the game has recently crossed a One Billion Downloads worldwide.

An Exhilarating Game - Cool/Fast Paced/Exciting

With this, many will recognize its logo when they see it on a retail shelf. The experience of playing the Temple Run is an exhilarating one, with formats and contents that are cool, fast paced as well as exciting as the game.

Sarah Bates, Egmont publishing director for licensed character books, stated saying that their `publishing offers a fantastic opportunity for fans to delve deeper into the world and characters of Temple Run’. Run for Your Life’s first two entries of the fiction series will debut in August.

The Run for Your Life, books come with `choose your own adventures’ that makes some sense for this property which format mimics to the gameplay by swiping right or left options of path in Temple Run proper.

The game is quite addictive where the player runs through an endless course of bricks and bridges, moving to the left or right by swiping the fingers and when faced with a wall one can swipe down to slide between the gaps.

When a large gap is envisaged in the bricks, one can swipe up to jump over it and the entire swiping and running takes place while other animals and monkeys keep chasing the player.

Activity Book in Print and Download - August

The U.K. and U.S would be getting a Temple Run activity book, both in print as well as an interactive download the same month.

Towards November, Egmont will do the follow up with two more entries in fiction series. Bates had commented saying that `they are thrilled that Temple Run would feature in the new `Download’ activity book range, having an already amazing response for their `Run for Your Life’, fiction series which is appropriate for children from seven years onward and that they could not think any further of a better format for the Temple Run game than putting the choices in the hands of the reader.

Tips for Charging Android Battery Quickly

Consumers are looking forward to good battery life by purchasing new smartphones but battery technology continues to progress more slowly than mobile technology, Companies that are manufacturing new and more efficient batteries are finding it difficult to keep up with the higher resolution displays and other smartphone makers with power hungry technology expanding into iPhone, Android phones and other handsets.

This has forced vendors in creating extreme power saving modes which cuts off major part of the device’s functions to extend battery life when the charge tends to get very low. Though it may take some time to see much progress with regards to smartphone battery life, in the meanwhile, there are some useful ways wherein one can improve the performance of the existing batteries.

For instance when one has returned home after a tiring day at work and is about to go out again and the phone is in need of charging but no time to do the same. These useful tips will enable the user in charging the Android battery to hundred percent.

Enable Airplane Mode

Turning the phone off or enabling it in airplane mode is an effective and easy way in reducing charging time. The phone tends to burn a lot of battery when connected to Wi-Fi or mobile network and disabling the connection can reduce tremendously the battery life.

Slow Charging on Electrical Outlets

Phones tend to charge slowly on electrical outlets or ports, the main cause being the USB. The USB 2.0 ports output 0.5 amps of energy while USB 3.0 ports output 0.9 amp of power and when charged through a traditional electrical outlet one can receive from 1 to 2 amps of energy.

More amps sent to the phone’s battery can speed up the charging and 1 to 2 amps of power may not seem much though 2 amps of power is four times more from what is received from USB 2.0 which is almost 4 times faster charging time.

Avoid Third Party Chargers

Refraining from using third party chargers or even unsupported charges is another useful way since most of these third party chargers are not efficient and may be inadequately designed or made of low quality which may pose as a risk to the user. For precaution sake, charger received with the Android should be utilised.

Tablet Chargers much faster than Smartphone Chargers

Most of the users are unaware that the smartphone charges much faster when it is connected to a tablet charger rather than a smartphone charger. This is because the different chargers draw different amperages and a tablet requires more energy hence it draws more amperage.

Users could try charging their Android with a tablet charger and note the difference in charging time. USB ports are not necessarily locked at specific amperage and just as a Mac increases its amperage to iDevices so also PC increases its amperage to Android devices.

Online downloading of USB boosting software can be done to boost output to a specific USB port wherein the software tells the computer’s motherboard to boost the power to certain USB port. With the useful tips mentioned above, the user can charge the phone to hundred percent in the shortest span of time.

How to Avoid Virus and Malware on Android

Common sense is needed in keeping infected apps off the Android device which like any computer system, tends to get affected with malware and virus and Android too can get affected with it. Android has checks and balances which help to keep one safe most of which can be done with ease following the basic steps needed:

If you Don’t know what it is, Don’t Install it 

The first important step is if you don’t know about the app, do not install it. It is advisable to refrain from blindly installing Android application file which one may receive in email or linked to spam mail or even in various forums in the internet. Knowledge of the app is very essential before installation of the same.

Only install from Google Play or Reputed App Stores 

Caution should be exercised while installing app where most of them come in duplication which could be prone to viruses and malware. Apps should be installed from reputed app stores which can be done with safety and comfort. Random download from unreliable stores should be avoided which could save the device from virus and malware.

Uncheck `Install from Unknown Sources’

Android devices by default have access to Google Play ships with a lock which keeps application other than Google store from getting installed. This is one of the safest feature and with this locking system, the user gets a warning whenever an application makes an attempt in the installation from other app stores. Should the user have the inclination of installing an app, disabling the lock can be done by ticking of the `Unknown source’ in the security setting.

Read the Permission 

At the time of installing any app on the Android phone, either from Google Play or any other app stores, the app will declare permission to access to download on the phone and keyboard app need to record the keystrokes. Reputed app developers tend to lit the reasons in their listings of app though users also need to be somewhat vigilant

Most Trusted App Markets –Google Play/Amazon AppStore 

Malware and viruses on Android devices is something which the user should be aware of since they can send unwanted spam to anyone in your contacts in worst situations even rack up charged under the users’ accounts, though this can be easily avoided by making use of the tips mentioned above. Users should also be cautious while Sideloading apps especially of third party app stores.

 Downloading App files from locations besides Google Play Store and then manually installing them is known as Sideloading and is an essential step in accessing to apps which are not available. The recent hit game `Flappy Bird’, which is no longer avails in the Play Store can be manually sideloaded on the smartphones though at the time of installing the game from unknown sources, the user may tend to run the risk of infecting the phone with virus.

One should also a third party app store which promises free games along with other apps which normally come with a price. The most trusted app markets are Google Play and the Amazon AppStore. Installing anti-virus apps could also be helpful as an additional precaution which will occasional scan the device for malicious files, monitor the memory usage and provide alerts on any vulnerability in the system.