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Flir One Infrared Camera for iPhone 5/5s

July 22, 2014 By Brandi McCants 1 Comment

Smartphones can offer a vast array of functions. But accessories increase the functionality as companies put new ideas to work. Technology which seemed suitable only for sophisticated scientific laboratory work becomes increasingly available to regular users. Flir, an Oregon based company specialized in thermal imaging since 1978, launched a smartphone accessory. Flir One is a thermal imaging device for Apple iPhone 5/5s. In clear dry weather, the camera has a range of approximately 100 feet. The infrared camera is positioned on an external case which serves as a protective case for your iPhone too. Considering the function offered by the accessory, the weight of only 3.9 ounces (110 grams) is hardly an issue. The case has a sleek form, so it will easily fit in your pockets. A 1400 mA/h battery will provide two hours of continuous use.

“Based on technology that was formerly reserved for the military, FLIR ONE is the first in a new generation of affordable thermal imaging devices designed to inspire imaginative and innovative uses by consumers. This represents a revolutionary step forward for both FLIR Systems and thermal imaging,” Andy Teich, President and CEO of FLIR System states.

Last week goTenna, another inventive smartphone accessory was unveiled. goTenna pairs with your smartphone and works as a messaging device similar to the classical walky talky. Paired with Flir one infrared camera, makes it the perfect outdoors enthusiast package.

Flir One infrared camera increases security and helps you improve your home

For starters, Flir indicates four major areas of applicability of the infrared camera. Flir One can help you improve your home by identifying heat loss, lack of energy efficiency and water leaks. For outdoors enthusiasts, Flir One serves as an instrument for night time wildlife observation, but it can help you find your lost pet. The infrared camera can help you increase your security by allowing you to spot intruders and see through light fog and smoke. Access to an infrared camera can also foster artistic creativity.

The Flir One app will be available in the Apple App Store and other apps like TimeLapse, Paint and Panorama are scheduled to be released soon. A SDK will be available soon after Flir ends the beta test with some carefully selected developers.

Starting with July 23, Flir One infrared camera is available for preorder for $349.99. The preordered units will be shipped from August 4 onwards. Unfortunately, Flir produces Flir One for iPhone 5/5s only. The company states it will analyze new mobile platform to determine if subsequent releases will be made available. Europeans will have access to Flir One beginning with mid-August.

iPhone 5C is Rumored to Launch the 8GB Cheaper Version

March 18, 2014 By Nicholas Anderton Leave a Comment

As you all know, no matter how much some companies try to keep some information away from the public’s curious ears and eyes, there will always be somebody to leak information, especially in the tech and gadget industry. And today’s news are pretty hot, to say the least, as the Internet heavy rotates the information according to which iPhone 5c is rumored to launch the 8GB cheaper version… today. Or at least this is what MacRumors tells us, as apparently, two separate German tech websites received a similar tip. What is this all about? Well, the iPhone 5C wasn’t a true hit in sales in the United States according to some reports, and maybe this is a reason why the company cut down in size the storage room (from the initial 16GB to only 8GB) and around the equivalent of $90 from the 16GB model to the 8GB model.

If the new version of the iPhone 5C starts to hit the German markets today, this is still a debatable problem, although you may have heard some UK tipsters saying that this model already reached carrier stores in Great Britain, with an alleged price of 500 Euros. Inside the iPhone family, the 5C is the poor cousin from the country side – both tech performances and sales – especially in comparison to the 5S who is still the rock star of the family, a fact confirmed even by CEO Tim Cook.

The Apple fans who just needed an entry – level affordable iPhone will be happy to hear that rumors indicate the new 8GB iPhone 5C comes in all established Apple colors, while Endgadget, following the same tips and leaks, provided a blue phone as the main iPhone 5C model. While everybody is still waiting for confirmation, specialists are trying to determine if this Apple strategy will bring the expected results in terms of sales: while cheaper and thus more likely to be purchased on European markets by the ones who don’t just want to give up on their favorite brand, the new iPhone 5C may also shake things in the American market as well. Since time is on our side, let’s keep our eyes and ears wide open and wait for the next news.

Walmart cuts price of iPhone 5 to $98 on contract

August 30, 2013 By David Leave a Comment

Apple has always kept the prices in almost every third party retailer the same, to make sure competition to sell the iPhone is minimal. Since the iPhone 4, the latest version of the smartphone has always been $199 on contract, with some reductions to boost sales at times.

Walmart has decided to drop the iPhone 5 price to $98 on contract, a big move and one that points to the release of the iPhone 5S. Apple is set to announce the iPhone 5S and iPhone 5C at their event on September 10, although invites to this “event” have not been sent out to reporters, yet.

Recent rumours have pointed at Apple getting ready to drop the iPhone 5 and make the iPhone 5S the new flagship, the iPhone 5C the mid-range device and the iPhone 4S the budget device. This seems unlikely with this move by Walmart, if they wanted to get rid of iPhone stock, they may have pushed the price even lower.

The way we see it, the iPhone 5 will become the mid-range device and the iPhone 5C will be the low-end. These three devices all share something in common, the lighting connector port. The iPhone 4S still has the outdated 30-pin connector, something Apple wants to remove from the store as soon as possible.

Even with this price drop from Walmart, now may not be a great time to purchase and iPhone 5. The iPhone 5S is going to have some good new features, including a new processor, more RAM, better camera, more battery life, fingerprint sensor and motion tracking chip.

On top of that, the iPhone 5C may be a better deal depending on what the consumer wants. The iPhone 5 will be built with aluminium, but the iPhone 5C is set to be cheaper and have iOS7 the same as the other two smartphones. For a kid or someone with little disposable income, the iPhone 5C may be the better choice.

Apple iPad Mini 2 Release Date Postponed; iPhone 5S to Release on the Announced Date

July 20, 2013 By Brandi McCants Leave a Comment

Apple iPad Mini 2 was expected to release this year but because of less numbers of Retina Display panels, the display of the device has been postponed to 2014. On the other side, the iPhone 5 is going to be released on the appointed date.

The iPad Mini 2 is going to sport a 7.9inch Retina Display. The first generation iPad Mini did not have Retina Display. When the iPad Mini was released with a high price tag without Retina display as compared to same sized tablets from other brands like Samsung that offered superior quality display and tech specs, a lot of people and technical experts criticized Apple.

The first gen iPad Mini was launched at a price of $329. The device managed to achieve good sales. In fact, the sales of iPad Mini were higher than iPad 4 sales. This shows people prefer 7inch sized tablet over other tablets that are of bigger size.

The delay in the launching of iPad Mini 2 because of shortage of Retina Displays show that Apple wants the device to come out in the market smoothly without encountering criticism from the day one. This time Apple does not want to release a new tablet with mediocre specs. Currently, customers prefer to buy 7inch tablets from other brands like Samsung. So, by making sure that iPad Mini 2 will come with Retina display, Apple aims to not to lose customers.

Rumors have it that Apple may release the newer iPad Mini this year without Retina Display. The device should be considered as an upgrade just like iPhone 4 is updated to iPhone 4S. The looks may remain same as the first gen iPad Mini but the manufacturers will offer improved internal components. Also another rumor coming from Apple is that the company is going to unveil a newer edition of Apple iPad i.e. iPad 5 that will sport better Retina display, enhanced CPU, improved camera and lastly the new iOS 7 for the phone.

Tablet devices has recently attained good popularity. In fact a research conducted by NPD Displaysearch, tablets that are available with large sized display, have plenty of productivity apps onboard along with physical QWERTY are outselling the regular sized laptop. In U.S. the demand for tablet PCs this year have risen by 67%. Now many customers in US are now opting for tablets over a regular laptop or desktop as it can be carried anywhere.

So far many brands like Samsung, Huawei and other less known brands have attained good popularity in the 7inch tablet section. Apple had entered the competition with the iPad Mini that was priced heavily. Also, the absence of Retina display even irked the potential buyers to make a purchase. Now, Apple wants the new tablet i.e. iPad Mini 2 to come out with competitive features. Hence, the launch of iPad Mini 2 has been postponed to 2014.

What Apple needs to do is offer a feature rich tablet PC at an affordable price. This will automatically bring back Apple into the competition.

iPhone 5 vs Galaxy S4 – Camera Comparison of Apple vs Samsung Best Camera Phones

July 18, 2013 By Daniel Giordano 1 Comment

When it comes to camera prowess, the Galaxy S4 is considered to be the best and better than iPhone 5 in the market. This fact was recently confirmed by DxO which is a well-known French company that deals with study camera optics and image sensors.

According to the tests conducted by them, Samsung managed to bag 75 points whereas the iPhone 5 managed rank close second with 72 points but the Nokia Purview 808 managed to salvage 77 points. Since Nokia Purview 808 is a Symbian powered device, it is not popular compared to Android’s Galaxy S4 and iOS’s iPhone 5.

Camera has undoubtedly become one of the most desired features in smartphones. Even camera software has become so intuitive that it allows you to snap and upload or share to your social network within few seconds.

The Apple iPhone 5 comes with an 8MP camera that supports a maximum resolution of 3264 x 2448 pixels and comes with features like LED flash, simultaneous high-definition video and image shooting, touch-focus, panorama, video stabilization and HDR. It even allows you to record 1080p HD videos at 30fps. At the front, there is 1.2MP camera which is also powerful enough to shoot videos of 720p quality at 30fps and lets you use FaceTime app with web connection and also features face detection.

The Galaxy S4 comes with a much powerful 13MP camera that supports a max resolution of 4128 x 3096 pixels and comes with manifold features like LED flash,dual shot, simultaneous high-definition video and image shooting, face and smile detection, image stabilization and HDR. It supports HD quality video recording of 1080p at 30fps and allows you to simultaneously record two videos. The front cam is of 2MP and supports 1080p at 30fps and features dual video calling.

According DxO, the Galaxy S4’s surpassed iPhone 5’s camera in various fields like still images and videos. The video stabilization on iPhone was found to outperform the same feature on Galaxy S4. When it came to shooting images in low-lighting conditions, Galaxy S4 captured sharp images marred with noise.

The competition is going to be tough when forthcoming phones from Nokia and Apple will be released. Nokia is expected to unveil its EOS phone which is going to sport larger image sensor along with powerful lens like the one of Purview 808. It is going to run on Windows Phone OS. Apple is soon going to unveil the next gen iPhone which may be iPhone 5S which will be available in two variants, black colored high-end iPhone 5S and cheaper iPhone 5S with different colors. Definitely, it is going to come out with advanced camera features.

Top 5 Smartphones Money Can Buy From Sprint

July 15, 2013 By David Crozier Leave a Comment

Sprint, which ranks the third largest network service providers in the US, has come up with very interesting collaborations with smartphone device makers. Users of the Sprint services therefore have a large choice of smartphone’s that they can pick up from the service provider. Sprint not only provides some of the most attractive choice of phones to the consumer but also add on features that makes the deal more lucrative to the consumer. The second half of 2013 has seen big names in the Smartphone market launch several of their products, most of which have been included by sprint in their tie ups.

The most important feature of Sprint also called Now Network is that it offers the unlimited packages as yet, which the likes of AT&T, Verizon have long ago shelved. Sprint is also a network that is fast expanding their 4G coverage, to give AT&T and Verizon a run for their money.

Subscribers of Sprint therefore have lots of benefits with choice of package for their network services as well as the smartphone that they can own. If there is a negative side to this entire aspect then that is the confusion that a consumer would fall into given such a large plethora of options to select from.

To help those who are in the confused zone, the best five smartphone to take up are listed here.

The suggestion would be the iPhone 5 which rules the roost. It would only be replaced by the iPhone 5S which is expected sometime later in this year. What the iPhone 5 from Sprint has that the device from other retailers doesn’t have is its unlimited data plan from Sprint itself. It also has the iOS 6 running on it with the iOS7 update assured when it comes out. The design and display of the iPhone 5 is already top notch. It comes with a tag of $199.00 and there is the option of getting pre-owned one at an even cheaper $50.

Next would be the Samsung Galaxy S4 which is also one of the high end makes from Samsung and Sprint once again offers unlimited data package with this device. The phone comes with a 1080p display and has apps like Air View which makes it an interesting buy for the consumer. The OS of this device is 4.2 Jelly Bean. The S4 is also about its good looks and style. Users get access to the 4G LTE network from Sprint with this device. Then there also is the option of buying via third party sellers which comes with no contract deal and therefore end up being cheaper than the price of the device at sprint’s site directly.

Next in line is the HTC One which is a phone of choice for many. It has a 1080p display screen, is built around a quad core processor and sports a unique camera having Ultrapixel resolution. Other apps of interest are the Sense 5 and HTC Zoe. The metallic designed phone is also about solidity and durability and is a choice of millions. Buyers could also try out the third party retailers for the phone with no contract binding with Sprint.

The Samsung Galaxy Note 2 is the best choice on the sprint network. The device is one of the most powerful devices for its cost at present. Gamers and techno geeks both would find this device and its specs very attractive. Users must also remember that the updates for Galaxy S4 and Galaxy Note 3 would be applicable for the Galaxy Note 2. This will make it almost at par with the current generation, enough to make for a compelling choice at a low cost.

The fifth place of choice is a fight between the LG Optimus G and the Samsung Galaxy S3 which the Samsung beats the LG device on the single issue of support. Updated for the LG Opitmus would never match that for the Samsung in its life cycle. It means the LG device would soon be outdated while the Samsung Galaxy S3 would not.

Verizon’s iPhone 5 Now at $100 – Available Only For Selected Customers

May 16, 2013 By Micheal Baptiste Leave a Comment

Verizon is offering the iPhone 5 at a discount of almost 50 percent, i.e., $100 off on the retail price of $199.99. That is an impressive deal, but unfortunately, it cannot be availed by just anyone. Verizon offers the discount only for select customers.

Verizon’s deal recently surfaced as a rumor that originated in Twitter. It seemed like a means to clear out stock to accommodate the iPhone 5S, which is expected to be released soon. However, after Verizon confirmed the deal, speculations rose. In fact, some consumers are wondering whether to wait for the iPhone 5S to arrive or just grab the iPhone 5 deal.

To expound, Verizon, one of the largest U.S. carriers, is offering iPhone 5 for $99 on contract, from mid-May till the end of June. According to the reports, the offer is only for select customers that Verizon identifies for their interest in transitioning to the smartphone. These potential customers would be alerted via email to avail the deal. However, Verizon has not given any details on the criteria it will use to identify customers or what qualifies consumers for the offer.

iPhone deals are not frequent, but with iPhone 5, Apple seems to be letting retailers and carriers offer flexible pricing and promotional offers. Though iPhone 5 made its debut more than 6 months ago, it is still among the best devices on Verizon. The $99 deal is cheaper than Samsung Galaxy S4 pricing on Verizon.

Well, is Verizon making the offer to compete with Sprint and T-Mobile which are already selling the iPhone for $99 upfront? With Mother’s Day just around the corner, is Verizon’s deal the usual Mother’s Day offer it makes every year? Either way, it is only for select customers!

iOS 6.1.4 update on iPhone 5 – Lets Evaluate the New Apple iOS Version

May 9, 2013 By Micheal Baptiste 1 Comment

The fifth generation iPhone 5 has won a million geeky hearts. Released in September 2012, the smartphone remains one of the finest ones in the industry till now. Samsung, HTC, LG were worth encircling it within a stiff competitive sphere, but iPhone 5 has withstood them all with its ravishing specs. With strong Wi-Fi connectivity and boastful 4G LTE network, the phone is fit for urban life. The flagship weighs only 112 gm and has been slimmed down from its predecessor. Its crystal-clear display is one of the greatest advantages.

Overall, the phone possesses core modules that may initiate a convenient user experience. Recently, Apple has rolled out an OS update for the flagship, which can upgrade its OS to iOS 6.1.4 from the previous one. This upgrade does not bring numerous specs with it, the advancement is limited. Probably, it was Apple’s trial over something. It only initiates an audio enhancement for the phone. The phone is capacitated with 40 hours of music streaming without any interruption and so the audio enhancement is certainly beneficial.

Stabilized performance with upgraded iOS 6.1.4

Apple remains one of the finest smartphone manufacturers in the phablet industry. iPhone 5’s capacitive touch screen, 16M colors display featured with LED-backlit IPS LCD makes it stand out amongst contemporary smartphones. Apple always tries something new and its innovative tactics never fail to surprise fans. The phone runs on iOS 6, which is upgradable to iOS 6.1.4. After you update your iPhone 5 to iOS 6.1.4, you will notice an improvement in the phone’s performance. Of course, no matter how confined, you can feel an increased stability in your phone’s performance. No on-screen customization icons would come up with the update, nor will it boost the display resolution. Apple has rolled out just a simple update, better than its predecessor by .1.

No update in camera specs and battery life with iOS 6.1.4

Apple seems to believe in quality rather than in quantity and extensions. An 8MP camera with a resolution of 3264*2448 pixels featuring autofocus, LED flash, HD image and video recording, face detection, touch focus, Panorama and HDR is exciting. The phone possesses Li-Po 1440 mAh battery (5.45 Wh) that is non-removable. The battery is energetic apportioning a lengthy standby time of 225 hours on both 2G and 3G.

The iOS 6.1.4 update does not bring any extraordinary alteration in the phone, except for an audio profile for speakerphone operation. You can constantly play music for 40 hours on your iPhone 5. The battery life in iPhone 5 was already quite convincing; the iOS 6.1.4 upgrade would not let you feel much difference in the battery zone than what the 6.1.3 did (only if you upgraded it) or the primitive iOS 6 itself.

The beast is speedy with its iOS 6.1.4

The upgradable and advanced iOS is certainly powerful and user-friendly. You can browse and access data with high speed: about 42 Mbps on DC-HSDPA, 5.76 Mbps on HSUPA, about 21 Mbps on HSDPA, 3.1 Mbps on EV-DO Rev and strikingly 100 Mbps on LTE. The update seems to have stabilized the Wi-Fi a bit. Though there has been no official notification on this spec, at least it does not slow down the wireless fiction network or interrupts it. The phone features a convenient and prompt Wi-Fi connectivity that does not get disrupted while you are putting it on. Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n with Wi-Fi hotspot and dual band allots you an implausible WLAN experience. iOS 6.1.4 is reportedly bug free and is lightly speedier than its predecessor.

Pros of the new iOS 6.1.4 update on iPhone 5

The update is an over-the-air (OTA) update. It is likely to be available for download on your iPhone 5 via iTunes. It is small in size, about 11.5MB, and thus quick to download. An additional audio profile for speakerphone comes with this update.

Cons of the new update

The update does not bring anything exclusively innovative and does not initiate any enhancements over interface.

Apple iPhone 5 was one of most awaited smartphones of 2012. It was released in September 2012 and observed a high sales rate, worldwide. Its major competitors include the Blackberry Z10, Samsung Galaxy S4, Galaxy Note 2, HTC One, Sony Xperia Z, Nokia Lumia 920 and Google Nexus 4. But still iPhone 5 has successfully withstood the restless competition and managed to grab a prominent place in a million hearts. Apple is supposed to bring out the iPhone 5S and iPad 5 mini this year after fall. Buzzes are all round the iPhone 6, which may appear next year, due to delay in launch of iPhone 5S. Apple 6 is likely to feature a much powerful iOS 7, which is expected to be ways ahead in performance level than the iOS 6.1.4 and bring along a plenty of customization alternatives.

Top 5 Phones on AT&T That Are the Pick of the Lot among the Customers

April 18, 2013 By Daniel Giordano Leave a Comment

If you have selectedAT&T as your carrier, it is time for picking the best phone that can meet your requirements. While iPhone 5 has become almost a universal choice, fortunately, AT&T has a superfluity of choices if you are looking for an alternative.
With many options and many unique capabilities, it may be tough for you to make the decision. With 2-year contracts, you can get many delightful phones. Here is the list of some of the best models available on AT&T network.

Apple iPhone 5

The new iPhone 5 entirely redefines the iPhone when it comes to design framework as well as features. It also addresses many shortcomings of iPhone 4S.
It is absolutely the best iPhone to date and easily secures a place in the list of best smartphones.The price starts at USD 149.99 and goes till $725.00, but this may not be the best time to buy an iPhone 5, because the next instalment is due, just a few months down the line. We’re not sure if it’d be iPhone 5S or iPhone 6, but it’d certainly be worth the wait.

Samsung Galaxy S3

The new Galaxy S3 is pumped with creative software features and top-performing hardware. It has got excellent touch-screen and ti’s a top-end phone that competes neck to neck with new HTC one X.
The price of new Galaxy S3 is priced at USD 99.99 with 2 years contract on AT&T network.

LG Optimus G

With the speedy innards, stunning screen, and LTE data speeds, the new LG Optimus G can be considered as one of the best LG handsets produced to date. But,that doesn’t justify its poor camera and weak battery. The new LG Optimus G is powered by Android 4.0.4 ICS. People in the current generation desire to have Android 4.1 Jelly Bean or the latest 4.2 version on their device, so they may not be too happy about that. Of course, you can download a firmware upgrade and move to Jelly Bean 4.2.
On the positive side, it has got lightning fast quad core processor with gorgeous display. Price of the new Optimus G modelstarts from $59.99, and goes up to $589.99 for the unlocked version.

Pantech Discover

The new 4G LTE Pantech Discover has got an exceptional ergonomic design, good camera, great external speakers, and it also comes at an unbelievable value.
If you are looking forward to an inexpensive phone that comes with Android mobile operating system, then new Pantech Discover from AT&T is the best bet.

Nokia Lumia 920

The newLumia 920 is thick and heavy, but if you are opting for the feature-rich and powerful Windows phone, then this has to be your choice, because there’s simply nothing better in the current markets.
The new 920 comes with a highly sensitive screen that fills the gap with many missing features. The new 920 is grounded with wireless charging. Price ranges from USD49.99 to USD 449.99.

On the flip side, it has got slippery finish for few colors and it makes it difficult to hold the phone. The overhyped camera in the phone doesn’t have enough number of settings.
All the aforementioned 5 phones make great choices, if you’re planning to choose AT&T, and buy a new phone.

Samsung Galaxy S4 VS iPhone 5 : Know About Image Quality

April 7, 2013 By Brandi McCants 4 Comments

The biggest rivals in the mobile industry right now, Samsung VS Apple, have been clashing each others in the market Everybody know that since the two were exposing their best packages not just in Smartphones, but with regards to the other gadgets as well. As of now, there is no assurance as to who could make on top because they are currently standing in equal footings in terms of different specification.

Nonetheless, both companies manufacture competitive products. Galaxy S4 for Samsung and iPhone 5 for Apple are just an example. Many didn’t manage to overlook the other since both have pretty much the same attractiveness to users. However, each of the two devices has its own strength and weaknesses. Now, I would tell so some of them, specifically with its image quality.

Based on findings, Samsung S4 has more power and cutting edge feature than iPhone 5 in terms on the camera apps. Samsung Galaxy S4 has a 12Mp camera, which is 5Mp higher than iPhone 5 of *Pm. Aside from that, Galaxy S4 contains Dual Camera, Eraser Shot and HRD Video while in iPhone 5, these specs don’t exist. In terms of the front cameras, S4 offers higher resolution (2Mp) than 5 (1.2Mp).

Knowing these all would tend you to buy the Galaxy 4S. However, just remember that iPhone 5 still have some specs that would impress you and outshine S4. Thus, in making decision what to really buy, I suggest you take each factors closely and ask yourself – will it satisfied my cravenness in phones?