All New Android L

Simplicity Redefined in the All-new Android L

The speculations are over as Google has finally announced the Android L, the latest version of the android operating system. The developer version is already available for Nexus 5 and Nexus 7 but some features are not included in it. Simply named as L, Google has not followed the general trend of naming this new version. Though they have maintained the alphabetical order, a lot confusion is mounting whether there will be yet another tie up with a company as it happened with Android ‘KitKat’.

Features to look out for
 
The excitement is rising and the expectations are high. Let’s take a look at the impressive features of this latest installation.

• Android Runtime: The default runtime used in the previous versions of android is the ‘Dalvik’ virtual machine. Simply it is used to run applications on android devices. From the very beginning, the android operating systems faced a tough competition from the Apple’s iOS and later Windows Phone 8. The performance of Dalvik machine is a subject of question because after so many advancements the lag in android devices is still a major problem. So this time the Dalvik machine is replaced entirely with the Android Runtime (ART), which is said to be much faster than the Dalvik machine. The new ART can even support 64-bit processor. 
• The Battery Saver: The most common problem among android devices is the battery performance. Every now and then, there is a complaint about the battery. So the Android L shows a lot of promise when it comes to battery. A new project called the ‘Project Volta’ can save a significant amount of battery.
• The new UI: This time the design language has been given a complete new makeover. It is called ‘Material Design’. The new user interface is simple yet cool. The intuitive application interface makes it look livelier as much importance is given to shadow and depth. The lock screen is quite different from the previous versions. The Roboto font has been upgraded too.
• Notification Tab: With the ‘useful notification’ or so as it called the notification tab has improved a lot in the latest Android L. Now you can easily organise your notifications according to your need. You will also be able to operate the notifications from the lock screen. That is you can manage each and every notification by double tapping itright from the lock screen and even swipe the notifications to close them. So the next time you if want to reply a message, you don’t need to unlock your phone.

Android L vs. KitKat
 
The android L is a lot different than the KitKat when it comes to design. The utility notification panel, the recently used apps in 3D tiles, the multi task lock screen, and the fluidic interface are totally different from the KitKat. The KitKat runs on the Dalvik Virtual Machine with an experimental ART provided which has been replaced totally by the ART in Android L. There is a demand for improved battery life in KitKat, which has been improved in Android L.

Just a few months wait, and the Android L will be available. The Android L shows a lot of promise in the developer version and it is a matter of time to see if it can live up to the expectations.

Best Online Coupon Platform

With great technology made available to users, internet has provided various options enabling a smooth and easy function on various activities that need to be performed which has made our life a lot easier while performing these function. Shopaholics are now at an advantage in their shopping activities which can be done through online portals.

Some of them come up with great deals and offers while others offers coupons that come with discounted prices which makes the shopping expedition much more appealing to the consumers. Online shopping can be much more fun and very interesting when accompanied with discount coupons besides the attractive deals that are placed at online portals.

 Zoutons is an online coupon platform which enables users to take advantage on offers made available to them in the form of coupons that features a variety of coupon options on various brands which are related to many banks such as ICICI, CITI, HDFC, Axis Bank and much more.

Zoutons also works as a gateway for the retail industry providing an exclusive platform also for advertiser in showcasing their products to the end users. Consumers can visit the site and navigate through the various choices made available to the viewer from top ecommerce portals like Jabong, Myntra, Snapdeal, Amazon, Flipkart and much more and check for coupons which could be beneficial in their shopping expedition.

Latest Coupons & Popular Brand Stores

The site is regularly updated and one can check anytime for the latest coupons for the purpose of online shopping. Offers like vouchers, coupon codes for over 700 online stores are made available to the viewer with 1600 brands together with over 25 PAN India Banks.

User could take the opportunity of these coupons with their various coupon codes and deals accompanied with it and benefit from online shopping on branded products which can be viewed with all the details and information readily available at the site.

With regards to user interface point of view, the navigation is made easy with different section together with the site layout which is simple to understand while searching for products of one’s choice. The consumer can check the homepage of the site which comprises of the latest coupons together with popular stores of different brands, which is easy to navigate and identify for the viewers.

Deduction in Cost of Merchandise

Bargain opportunities, coupons, discount codes closing sale offers, promo codes are very helping at the time of online shopping which are released by online stores. This helps in deducting the cost of the merchandise, and reimbursement of coupons are done by the user in following simple instruction which are provided at the site.

The discounted coupons are categorized based on store; brands etc. wherein the consumer has the option in making their choice on the product with regards to the brand or store that are available at the platform. Moreover Zoutons also has the opportunity in utilizing bank loyalty discount and is leading in the coupon aggregation business presently.

 They are working on integrating the use of mobile application enabling a faster way in finding the best coupons at anytime and anywhere for the user in this competitive industry.

Adobe: Ink and Slide

Primarily known as a software giant, Adobe for the first time in their history recently released hardware products in the form of Ink & Slide. Usually known for their famous softwares namely, Adobe Reader, Adobe Flashplayer not to mention one of the most widely used softwares in the designing world: Adobe Photoshop, Adobe released Ink & Slide in a bid to revolutionize digital designing.

These tools are perform brilliantly while drawing sketches, layouts & are complimented with a variety of apps, which enrich user experience as well. Also available to customers is the Adobe Creative Cloud, which allows users to store their designs, preferences etc in a “cloud” making them available across multiple platforms & accessible from virtually anywhere.

Ink: -

Basically a Bluetooth equipped stylus, the Ink is an impressive tool for drawings & sketches. Made of aluminium & plastic, Ink has a premium feel to it & its twisted profile ensures a comfortable grip. The nib is small & gives the user a pen like feel unlike the marker like feel normal styluses provide.

Equipped with Adonit’s Pixelpoint tech, Ink has a wide range of pressure sensitivities again making the user comfortable while making sketches as its tip practically glides across the screen.

At the rear end of the stylus, a concave button is present which gives user access to the various apps available with the stylus. For storage, users have a hollow cylindrical storage compartment, which has a charging dock at the end. A fully charged Ink allows users to have almost 8 hours of functionality.

Slide: -

Slide can be defined as a combined ruler, drafter, French curve depending on the need of the user. In size, it is similar to an average USB stick & is built of the same material as the Ink which aluminium & plastic accents.

Fairly easy to use, it has a single concave button at the top which allows users to browse through tonnes of shapes, layouts, designs etc. When placed on a tablet, it does not budge easily helping the user to draw accurate shapes & lines. Unlike Ink, Slide does not come with a storage compartment so care should be taken while storing it.

Compatibility & Operation: -

Ink & Slide are compatible with iPad Air, iPad Mini along with 4th generation iPads as well. Setup is fairly simple as all a user needs to do is to turn on the Bluetooth of both the devices (iPad & Ink), pair them from Adobe’s Sketch & Line app.

Personal preferences namely, 3 palm rejection, LED colour & Slide toggle modes can be accessed from this app as well. Though Ink & Slide can be used without signing up on the Adobe Creative Cloud, additional perks such as stored colour palettes/designs become available if a user signs up.

Overall: -

As tablets are quickly emerging as the new substitutes for laptops/desktops, people especially digital designers are in need of something more than a keyboard & mouse for putting their ideas into paper. Adobe’s Ink & Slide satisfies such a need to some extent with its versatility, variety & simplicity. Priced at $199, some might call it overpriced, but given the features, it provides along with its uniqueness, it is a steal.

Get Ready For A Test Flight With NASA To Mars

NASA made easy to travel to MARS: 

NASA moved one more step forward in the history of space by launching the First spacecraft named Rosetta, which will be rotating around a comet. It will be landed on its nucleus and will be sending data back to the earth. A new invention has shocked the entire world due to its effective use. The spacecraft Rosetta was launched in the year 2004, but was reactivated in 2014 after a record of 957days of staying in the state of hibernation.

The main focus 7 duty of Rosetta was to reach the comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko by the month of August and to study the celestial object and to prepare for mooring on the nucleus mostly by November.

Claudia Alexander, who is a Rosetta's U.S. project scientist at NASA's (JPL) in Pasadena, California was very excited and feels proud to see some zero’s and ones coming down, he rejoices and is waiting to extract what actually this all want to inform. Research and study are the all-time focused works for the Scientist, which will help them to make human travel Mars easily.

The current news reflects that Rosetta is approaching the main asteroid belts positioned between Mars and Jupiter. The exact location of the spacecraft is almost 30000 miles away from the Comet, but positively by august the instrument will be able to begin its work and map its surface.

The total number of instruments launched in the space can be calculated as three they are namely, MIRO, Alice (Ultraviolet spectrometer), and IES. These three forms the part of the Suite of 11-science instrument abroad the Rosetta orbit. The main activity of each can be briefly classified as:

MIRO: The MIRO was lunched and positioned to scrutiny the effect of dust and gas, which leaves the nucleus in order to form the comet and its tail giving it a striking look. It gives details of the formation of comet and it leaves the purlieu of the sun.

Alice: It acts as the calculator which measure the proportion at which the comet produces different elements such as water, carbon-di-oxide, carbon mono-oxide as it approaches the SUN. It also helps in analysis of the gas in the comet’s coma.

IES: The main objective of IES is to work upon the plasma environment of the comet, predominantly the coma. They work upon the charged particles present in the outer atmosphere of the sun or present in the solar winds as they meet up with the gas flowing out from the comet. The accumulative effort of the entire three segments will help the scientist analyses the possibility to set Human on Mars.

In December this year, the engineers at NASA will start the final assembly of ORION spacecraft that would take men to Mars.The Orion’s flight test in December will provide with all the necessary data, which in order will help to analyze and arrange the entire perquisite for sending Humans to mars safely. In the future, Orion will be in position to launch the NASA’s new heavy lift Rocket, SLS (space launch system)

The SLS (Space launch System) will be world’s first heavy lift rocket which will be in position to carry Human Beings in space.

One OS to Rule them all – Apple’s New Mantra

Ever since the arrival of computing in consumer space, companies have focused to create a coherent and easy-to-use experience for their customers. Moreover, this is especially true for companies with vertical integration like Apple, which manufactures its devices along with providing the required services. This creates a coherent environment and helps to tie the customer to the Apple ecosystem. However to truly achieve this, they need to start with the core service integration – the OS.

The Present Situation: 

Right now, Apple sells iPhones and iPads like hot-cakes with their own venerable and simple iOS as the primary operating system. It is fairly capable and has the largest third-party app ecosystem, the AppStore, which arguably has the most quality-oriented apps and games. Thus, once you own an iPhone and want a tablet, your natural choice would be an iPad since you get the strong ecosystem and your subscriptions carry over as well as iCloud and iTunes.

However, the problem lies in the fact that the same ecosystem does not power Apple’s more serious devices – the MacBook Air/Pro and MacPro units. What it lacks is a quality ecosystem and the enviable integration with its mobile counterparts. In addition, Microsoft is slowly trying to merge Windows 8 and Windows Phone into one, in order to gain market, same with Google – Android and Chromebooks.

The Possibilities: 

Think about what a single united OS with at-par functionality can do. You were playing your favorite game on your MacBook Air and now suddenly need to go out and it’s a 2 hour commute. So you may pause your game, pick up your phone and continue where you left off. Likewise, with music or videos. Not to mention, you could buy an app and enjoy the same on all your iGadgets. Thus, customers getting an Apple device are locked to the ecosystem and hence it makes sure their future gadgets will be from the Cupertino giant. Apple are already targeting some of it with their hand-off mechanism and unified notifications between iOS and OS X but it still has a long way to go.

How to go about it? 

Uniting two different paradigms of computing – one for the on-the-go and casual users and other for more serious work – can prove to be a challenge as Microsoft with their Metro design language is finding out. The first problem is that laptops and desktops are traditional non-touch devices with mouse and keyboards and hence demand a different UI paradigm than smartphones or tablets. So applications and games universal to both will have to account for that and hence there has to be a coherent API and tools to provide for that. They will also have to address different architectures – x86 vs. ARM, which can be mitigated if they can produce x86 capable ARM to have it everywhere.

It seems like the future is bright for Apple with a unified OS and ecosystem and even more coherent experience. Granted it may take time but consumers will flock for the foreseeable future if they pull it off.