Overview flagship smartphone LG G3: perfection in the details

Overview flagship smartphone LG G3: perfection in the details

Flagman - it is always a staple for the manufacturer. In it are the embodiment of the most advanced ideas, the most advanced technology. More interesting to study such devices, especially if they produced such renowned companies as LG.

The first thing that strikes you when you first look at the LG G3 - is the screen, and he is known, is a kind of "face" of any smartphone. Due to the fact that G3 is the world's first smartphone with a screen resolution of 1440 x 2560 (Quad HD), the picture is incredibly clear and realistic. Many companies and this advantage would have been considered sufficient to release a new generation product, but LG has not stopped. First the smartphone is equipped with a revolutionary laser autofocus camera, by which focuses smartphone faster than any other competitor in the market. At the same time we all know how important it is to quickly catch the subject in focus. How many frames were spoiled sluggishness electronics smartphones?

 LG G3

Finally, a portrait of revolutionary complements innovative design using the effect of metallized coating and record battery life, which was achieved using capacious battery 3000 mA * h All this can be characterized by "goodness of simple solutions."

 Dimensions are 146.3 x 74.6 mm, with a thickness of 8.9 mm. Weight LG G3 - 150 grams, it seems even a modest indication given diagonal. Just think, five and a half inches! Until recently, smartphones with similar display size were considered as non-viable solution that performs pioneering mission from bold experiments requiring pen to enter information and certainly not for one-handed operation. However, engineering solutions that have reduced the thickness of the side frames and the device, the software settings that minimize false positives, let us make sure that 5.46 inches - just right for a proper smartphone. New LG G3 inherited also the main feature of the design of its predecessor, namely the external controls are located on the back of the device, with the button "on / off" is between the volume keys. This makes some sense - to miss if necessary adjust the volume, is almost impossible. Yes, and to get used to the placement of the power button quickly enough. In general, the appearance of only wins.

Front panel is not overloaded by any authorities - only glass, subtle black border around the edges, the upper part with the lattice dynamics, the window of the front camera, optical sensors and inset at the bottom, corresponding to the color of the back. All this in the smooth contours of the light by the metal edge.

The back is made of a metal-textured, slightly rough plastic. The rear of the slightly arched and very comfortable in the hand. At the same time, even when just're finger in the direction of a button - tactilely pleasing. Middle top of the module located older camera (with dual flash on the right and the left window of the laser rangefinder, covered with plastic, which we can often see in the IR remote control home appliances). Bottom left - fine trim slit main speaker. It produces a very loud sound, which is not surprising, given its size. We are not talking about magic tonal abilities, but its volume can not be underestimated.

The back is removable, it is underneath the slot for micro SIM card and slot for memory expansion card format micro SD (maximum supported at the moment the amount of 128 GB). A pleasant surprise for those who are inclined to use a device that is called "driving horses to death," would the presence of a removable battery, which, alas, is rarely found in modern flagships. Now, in order to give new impetus to the smartphone, you just remove the cover, which is very easy and fast, and change the battery. In this case, the cover sits back like a glove. In general, would like to mention high-quality assembly device worthy of the status of flagship smartphone, as well as a pleasant tactile feel when working with external controls - smooth and clear the main course metallic buttons and volume keys.

At the top end housed an IR port that allows you to turn your smartphone into the remote control virtually any technique. Fortunately, the built-in application has a huge database of all kinds of devices, and if necessary, you can search and third-party software to Google Play.

At the bottom end - micro USB connector for charging and PC connection, microphone hole and a standard 3.5 mm stereo headset. The remaining ends were completely "naked", which may seem a bit surprising at first, but then you start to appreciate this decision.

Currently available in two trims - the metal is black and silky white. We emphasize that the color differentiation applies only to the bottom panel and the back of the device.

The display has a maximum resolution of 1440 smartphones x 2560. And it's five and a half inches! Recall that these figures are just beginning to appear on the best laptops. In this case, the diagonal of such mobile computing - from thirteen inches. In short, the sharpness seems to be simply prohibitive. Adds fuel to the fire and pre-movie format 4K convey the thrill of watching which words is very difficult. Many spectators, being under the influence, said that it was difficult to believe in the reality of the situation.

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ZTE Open C - Firefox OS smartphone for less than $ 100

ZTE Open C - Firefox OS smartphone for less than $ 100

ZTE company released a simple entry-level smartphone operating system Firefox OS. The device has a compact size by 4-inch display and weighs just 125 grams.

The case is entirely made of matte black plastic. The screen is framed by a fairly wide frame. Beneath it is the only touch button "home". The overall design feels very stocky, shell thickness of 10.8 mm. All faces are rounded, it is comfortable to hold in your hand. Volume is controlled by keys on the right side of the case. The power button is on, rad has a headphone jack. Micro USB port located on the bottom. To access the memory card, the SIM card and battery need to remove the back cover.

Technical equipment

smartphone uses a dual-core 1.2 GHz processor, 512 MB ​​RAM and 4 GB of internal memory, which can add up to 32 GB card microSD. Screen resolution of 480 x 800 pixels, which creates density 233ppi.

Operating System

Firefox OS 1.3 like the old Android. To unlock the screen should make a slide from left to right. The home screen has a universal search bar. Located at the bottom of the panel for quick access to applications. They can be selected using a simple drag shortcuts. Among the pre-installed applications include e-mail client, Facebook, Twitter, FM-radio, and navigator. Camera app has no settings, it should appear in the next version of the operating system. Also here is not to find Spotify, Netflix, Dropbox, Flipboard or Ebay. App store, of course, can not compete with a range of Google Play.

Unfortunately, the weak hardware can not provide smooth operation when navigating the menu. Constantly present delay. Does also works with lags. Another unpleasant thing is that when held close to the ear phone while receiving a call the screen turns off not always. Autonomy Open C is powered by a lithium-ion battery capacity of 1400 mA * h 90-minute video playback reduce the charge level to 61%. Camera Camera Open C is the only one. She does not have autofocus, flash, and removes it disgusting. MegaPixel - 3.15 MP.

Pros

- cheap
- microSD slot Cons - terrible camera - joists - a small selection of applications

Verdict

Open C can please its price ($ 95) and a pleasant minimalist interface, but everything else is solid disadvantages. Better add some money and buy, for example, Motorola Moto E.

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Universal wireless vibrating headphones

Universal wireless vibrating headphones 

Listening to music with headphones on the street may be a danger to their owner as low volume negatively affects the quality of the sound and the high can damage hearing or will not allow the car to hear the signal. Solution in such a situation can become headphones Headbones, which by themselves do not emit sound, and fastened in the temporal bone, and through it directly transmit sound waves to the inner ear, leaving the ear canal open. You can connect to your phone via Bluetooth and use, including, as the headset, thanks to built-in microphone. Well, if you need to shut out external noise, then Headbones staffed liners similar headphones. Built-in battery lasts for 10 hours of continuous playback or 12 days of standby time, and it is through charging port microUSB. Headbones purchase will be in October this year for about $ 150.

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Apple in the box: Why and How to put Windows 7 on Apple MacBook Air 13 "2014

Apple in the box: Why and How to put Windows 7 on Apple MacBook Air 13 "2014

Not long ago, Apple has released a new version of the MacBook Air laptop 13. Contrary to the usual difference in the year, the novelty came just six months later, however, small changes in it: a little more powerful processor and all. So, in order not to write the second time the same thing, we decided to experiment and ... establish this MacBook Windows 7 operating system. Why did we do and what the results of the experiment - read our review.

As can be seen from the table, the standard configuration of the new MacBook Air 13 default is processor Intel Core i5-4260U clocked at 1.4 GHz instead of Intel Core i5-4250U with a 1.3 GHz model in half a year ago. This gives a very small performance gain, it can only be seen in benchmarks, however, the novelty offered to customers for the same money, and the previous model - cheaper.

Adequate MacBook Air competitors to pick up, as always, difficult. More or less comparable in price models usually have lower performance (despite the higher clock speed itself Intel Core i5-4200U less productive than i5-4250U/4260U).

On the other hand, you can find similar in size and performance of Windows-notebooks, but they will cost is much more expensive - it will be a different price category, and some features will be noticeably better (screen resolution, for example), which is not always justified in such laptops.

Well, all the more impossible to find Windows-laptop that would run on battery as much as MacBook Air. This is due, inter alia, energy efficiency of the operating system OS X (below, in this article, we clearly demonstrate this is a known fact).

Appearance

Traditionally, apparently no change in the MacBook Air 13 no. Great design does not have to change, and there was no such purpose: it is only a minor update model. However, MBA from the 13 of 2012 looked exactly the same. In short, MacBook - this is not the case when you can buy appliances for some status or, as they say, "boast" - say, look what I'm modern, bought the latest model. Nobody will notice as you do not tell.

Put Windows on a Mac

Well, just about 13 MBA from the 2013th year, we detail already wrote , we turn to our experiments with Windows.

OS X operating system on a typical Windows-based computer to establish a very difficult, and it is not certain that it will work. In most cases, so-called "Hackintosh" (from the word "hacker" and "Mac") - a special assembly of OS X, which, after special ceremonies "with tambourines and dancing," the ability to run on a standard PC. However, if the user is lucky with the motherboard, after flashing BIOS loader and substitution can be installed even quite a regular distribution of OS X, which will even receive regular updates from Apple. Some, however, this method is also called Hackintosh.

But to put Windows on any Mac a piece of cake. No more difficult than to put Windows on any "normal" computer, perhaps, a little longer. The simplest method to install Windows on Mac - using built-in OS X Utilities "Assistant Boot Camp», which will help break up the drive and configure the boot loader to prepare bootable USB flash drive with driver and image distribution (or without it, if at hand is DVD).

Note that even if you install multiple operating systems on your computer prefer virtualization in OS X this is not a problem: the most popular virtual machine for Mac Parallels Desktop (in which you can work with Windows-based applications and windows as well as with OS X - which on most Windows, by the way, did not happen), you can work with the established in Boot Camp Windows and does not require additional manipulation: ie you can use Windows in virtualization mode and uploaded it separately. But in this article we will only work with Boot Camp.

So stocking external USB-DVD-drive, license way 64-bit Windows 7 "Home Premium" and the 8-gigabyte memory stick. Now it's small - run Boot Camp.

First, the utility will ask you what we're going to do at all. Top tick "Create a Windows 7 installation disc or later" you can just remove - we do not need, because Disc already have (DVD). Click "Next".

Because USB flash drive we have already inserted, Boot Camp offers used to store other drivers and utilities that can come in handy when working in Windows. The next stage - split disk.

Usually programs dealing marking disk rather complicated for beginners, but here all elementary - will not have anything to do with his hands. Is that, pull the slider, choosing how much space on the built-in storage (in our test was 13 MBA 256 GB SSD-drive) will be set aside for OS X, as well as under Windows. We were too lazy to choose, so we just clicked on the "Divide into equal parts." To be honest, so to speak.

In principle, that's all. After clicking "Install», Boot Camp will start preparing a USB-stick. At this time, you can go to drink tea after connecting USB-DVD-drive and inserting the distribution of Windows. Boot Camp will run about half an hour, it all depends on - how many have to download from the Internet. Remember to tick the first step: "Download the latest software from the Windows Support Apple»? That's what it is. It was possible to turn off, but we prefer the fresh creams.

After Boot Camp is finished, the computer will restart and begin installing Windows the usual scenario. Select your country, keyboard, kick back, enter the product code again kick back - and so on. Does that have to manually format the newly created partition (it will be called BOOTCAMP) to NTFS. But Windows will warn you about this.

When Windows is established and finally loaded, it is found that most software support for Windows from Apple, it includes - see later.

Overall, Windows 7 via Boot Camp was set a little more than an hour with minimal user interaction. Handle even a child, we guarantee it.

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Amazon Fire Phone: Rate Software

Amazon Fire Phone: Rate Software

 Amazon today announced its first smartphone Fire Phone, which in its essence is one in a series of similar devices, but it is only from a hardware perspective. In the software area, the Company has advanced much further. Apparently realizing load the smartphone market, the head of Amazon Jeff Bezos emphasized the unusual set of features would help kotoroye Fire Phone stand out from the mass of similar devices. program in the field at the Fire Phone, probably not revolutionary innovations, but the company analyzed competitors' offers, summed up their and wrapped in its own package, seasoned seasoning of your own Internet services. For example, a new feature FireFly, the presentation of which was paid quite a lot of time, is a mix of scanning functions, identification and content analysis. 

For example, using the FireFly smartphone users can "listen to" sounding music in the room and that will determine the track title like service Shazam. In the case of Firefly, Amazon is a little further, and offers excerpts definition movies and TV shows. Last implemented through cooperation with IMBD.com (which belongs to Amazon). Also using Firefly can define text and numbers that fall into the lens of the smartphone. Many third-party applications for Android and iOS allow you to do the same. However, Amazon and here goes further, offering a function of barcode scanning and price tags. At the same time, smart checks to see if a similar product listing Amazon at a lower price.

 Overall, Firefly function passes through a significant part of the functionality of your smartphone. Under her producer even allocated a separate button on the unit. For Westerners, in particular the United States, the device can be quite useful, as it in fact has access to many consumer services - this movie, and price comparisons, and system rental and other digital books. So that users can get a taste of content, Amazon has decided to open access to the Prime Fire Phone buyers for 12 months. 

Moreover, the company offers a significant part of the functional program filling for third-party developers through the API, you have access to potentially new developments could get and independent programs. few words about another product features: Dynamic Perspective, which equips the device interface 3D-effects. However, Amazon does not have to objects "jumped out of the screen of the smartphone," but instead the interface itself was created based on a dynamic perspective and create a pseudo-three-dimensional in some objects. Moreover, Dynamic Perspective smartphone works with cameras and image adapts depending on how the user looks at the device.

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Sharp displays showed freeform

Sharp displays showed freeform

 Japanese Sharp today unveiled a prototype of the display, which can be made ​​in any form completely, and not just in the traditional rectangular appearance. The new display called Free-Form, a rectangular shape is not required, as the display control circuit is dissipated over the entire surface, not only around the front panel. "Traditional displays have angles, so as to require a minimum width of the front surface to the manufacture under these could create a control circuit. Such schemes are distributed around the screen and another can not work. In the case of Free-From the control circuit is implemented differently, it is tied to an individual pixel on the screen. 

This allows the control circuit to take any form ", - told the Sharp. According to engineers Sharp, the new displays are based on proprietary technology IGZO, allowing to achieve high-quality images as well as a number of other proprietary patented technology, which Sharp says not yet. company notes that model using Free-Form Display can create displays for cars, information and entertainment systems, mobile devices, wearable electronics and so on. 

Moreover, the new displays in cars Free-Form will allow to create a monolithic dashboard, which will be displayed as the current speed, total kilometers and movies, websites, etc. While the company says nothing about the launch date of the product on the market, but states that mass production, it plans to begin "as soon as possible." Earlier, the "wrong" displays also showed South Korean LG and Samsung. The last two showed video screens with concave and curved smartphones.

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Ancestry.com has been under attack by hackers

Ancestry.com has been under attack by hackers

The popular western genealogical resource Ancestry.com says he set about restoring its website after hacker attack, which led to temporary block this week. In Ancestry.com said that the attack started with DDoS-traffic, but did not touch on the user data. The company said that because of the attack were available resources and Acestry.com Findgrave.com. 

The attack began on Monday and continued until today, inclusive. In Ancestry.com page on Facebook says that the company temporarily shut off some of the resource-intensive applications to stabilize the system. Their work will be fully restored after normalization of traffic. 

"No client data is not affected, the staff working on the restoration of a functional network and prevent similar incidents in the future", - said Scott Sorensen. Ancestry.com was originally established in 1983 as a publishing company, and later it changed its specification for the network and started working on genealogy and network projects. At present, the database Ancestry.com has 14 billion records, 2 million is added daily. Works on the resource base of more than 60 million catalogs genealogy.

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Facebook announced softswitch

Facebook announced softswitch

The world's largest social network today presented an open software model of a network switch that can manage servers in a data center scale. The new concept could potentially threaten the business giants such as Cisco Systems and Juniper Networks, as the cost of the software router support is significantly lower than for the maintenance of the hardware park. As described in Facebook, their router can control the flow of traffic, where it was originally optimized for with large Internet projects that require system web load balancing, sophisticated routing and other features.

 In Facebook said that faced with the need to create your own software router, after the company has grown to the extent of those that work with conventional switches has become inconvenient. Switches open design - this is the last step of the biggest social networking to create a network infrastructure solutions. Since 2011, Facebook together with its partners is working to develop more efficient and cost-effective solutions. Gay exchange initiatives under the previously created project Open Compute Project. 

This project aims at the exchange of technology and ideas on software and hardware components and data center networks vysokoskorotnyh. Here partners involved in the creation of servers, storage and networking products customized design. Earlier Facebook stated that due to developments created in the bowels of the Open Compute Project, she managed to save $ 1.2 billion on infrastructure. 

Last year, Facebook has invested 1.36 billion dollars in the creation of their own servers. During 2013 the volume of investments has doubled. In the Facebook servers to buy customizable projects from companies such as Quanta Computer, instead of buying equipment from brands such as HP, IBM or Dell.

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Belarusian "Beltelecom" will block port 25

Belarusian "Beltelecom" will block port 25

Leading operator in Belarus "Beltelecom" announced that proceeds to the measures to restrict junk mail coming from the country. Belarusian spam is spread primarily from infected computers, often without the knowledge of their owners. "Beltelecom" urges customers to check your computer for malware and when necessary disinfect or delete infected objects. 

For subscribers, convicted of intentional or unintentional spamming, will be closed to send messages via SMTP-protocol port 25 mail client. If you have problems sending of Outlook Express, The Bat, Thunderbird and other email programs users should upgrade to a protected version of SMTP by changing the port number in the client by 587 or 465. According to the Belarusian operator of its activities will not affect accounts Gmail.com, Mail.ru and other third-party e-mail services.

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The first test in the Russian flagship "SLR" Nikon D4s 250 000

The first test in the Russian flagship "SLR" Nikon D4s 250 000

It is very difficult to do a review of these cameras as D4s. In essence it is only a professional tool, very highly specialized, sharpened by the solution of very specific problems. Circle of people who really need this camera, and press photographers limited moneybags. And so, and others, this article is not very interesting. First and so everyone knows about it, the second is like it is, if only the best. And it's about her, and so is known in advance. The new flagship of Nikon - the real peak of evolution reportage camera.

We, mere onlookers, destined to just enjoy the fact how much good it is, and a little sobered by the side effects of her incredible steepness, that have too enthusiastic arose to give a couple of extra bodies for it.

Outside

By tradition, we begin with the appearance of the camera (main characteristics can be found in our catalog ).

Nikon D4s - very large and heavy camera. This was expected. Compared with the youngest full-frame camera in the line Nikon, D610, the difference in weight is 600 grams. The difference in volume - 1.75. In this case it's a bit easier than its predecessor Nikon D4. Dimensions are identical. The same can be said about the ergonomics and button layout. Everything is exactly as well.

Left row of keys is traditional SLR Nikon:

On the right side is a button to lock the focus, the steering wheel selector to navigate the menu and switch the focus points (for this purpose, you can use the joystick located above). All of these controls are duplicated for portrait and landscape orientation of the camera. Also on this side is lock the focus point. Right are slots for memory cards CF and XQD. System tricky to get to them, you must first pull the lid, press the button.

Located below the LCD display with information about the format of photos, set the white balance, and ISO. To his right button on the "live view", switch to video, and under it - quick access to the installation ISO, the format of captured images and their size, white balance and microphone.

The viewfinder eyepiece has a rubberized edging and a special curtain. Need it for proper exposure metering when shooting at night.You can adjust the diopter. And, unlike most other cameras Nikon, wheel well recorded and does not turn in any contact with clothing.

At the top there is another LCD display, this time with information about the control mode ekspoparoy, shutter speed, aperture, battery charge, counter shots remaining, active memory card, focus mode, focus area, as well as the method of metering and exposure meter. Behind him is a button to switch between modes A, S, P and M, and the exposure compensation button to start recording. Even further behind her shutter button and combined with it the lever to activate the camera and lighting. Underneath there is another steering wheel. Located to the left shoe flash (built-in flash is not here).

On the left is the mode switch shutter (single, slow serial, serial rapid, quiet (in theory, in practice - very much), with a delay and manual. All they switch after pressing a button, accidentally spinning. Above this disc are keys for quick access to bracketing, flash and exposure metering.

Front, on the left side of the lens, it is latch lever to enable / disable "screwdriver", and a button to switch the focus mode. On the right side - the diaphragm and repeater function key. Above them - sinhrorazem flash interface for remote control.
On the left side are sockets for USB, Ethernet and HDMI, as well as jacks for headphones and microphone. Underneath this lies the key to all unscrewing which you can reach the battery compartment.

All buttons are backlit.

In this round out with the boring part of the review. We have listed a reason in some detail all camera controls. As you can see, to almost any setting can be reached immediately. The speed and the speed again. All ground under it to take a picture with lightning speed.
Inside

Nikon D4 has been so good that nothing revolutionary novelty not to be expected. It's just a routine update, as well as a fresh reason to leave their familiar D3 and D3s towards progress. Nevertheless, D4S focuses more rapidly than noise, and has a higher rate of resource release.
Processor

Virtually all avenues dedicated new camera, referred to the new processor EXPEED 4. And this is understandable, since a number of improvements tied on it. What did he give us?

First, a 30% increased capacity chamber. Nikon D4 can give 170 pictures in JPEG format with a resolution of 16 megapixels and about 75 14-bit RAW-files. D4S is capable of up to 200 JPEG frames and 104 RAW. This is if you use XQD memory cards for CF modest figure. Sometimes buffer overflow still come across. However, taking D4S and save on memory cards more illogical.

In addition to speed new signal processing algorithms have raised the bar even higher working ISO. We talk about it more when we get to the matrix.

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