Galaxy S5 units with non-working cameras few in number: Samsung

Samsung Electronics Co Ltd said the number of its flagship Galaxy S5 smartphones shipped with non-working cameras was "very limited" and that it has taken measures to ensure the issue does not recur in new shipments.

Reports of the problem surfaced last week and come less than a month after the phone's global launch, with Samsung banking on the S5 to outdo its predecessor and rebuild momentum for the brand in an increasingly competitive market.
The South Korean firm has warned profits are likely to have fallen in January-March from a year earlier, its second straight quarter of decline.
"We have discovered that the issue has been seen in a very limited portion of early production Samsung Galaxy S5 units, and was caused by complications in the ROM (Read Only Memory) component which stores the information necessary to operate the camera," Samsung said in an emailed statement.
A company spokeswoman on Monday declined to specify the number of phones affected but said the problem had been reported in the United States and a few other countries.
A Samsung India spokesperson issued the following statement via email, "We have a very strong momentum on the Galaxy S5 sales and no such case has been reported in India from the handsets sold."
Customers affected by the S5 camera failure should contact Samsung's customer service or the mobile service provider, she said.

 

Phonejoy review

 

Our phones are getting more and more powerful, and looking at games like Bastion and XCOM running on your iPhone shows just how far things we've come since the days of playing Snake on a Nokia phone. The catch is that games like Angry Birds or Threes are a lot more fun than playing most typical genres on a phone because while a full touchscreen is great to look at, virtual buttons and virtual thumbsticks are a nightmare to actually use.

Half the screen gets obscured by your fingers and you spend more time repositioning your thumbs than actually playing leading to a highly compromised experience. Some games, like Epoch or Infinity Blade can find a middle ground between the high action games that we're used to on consoles, and finger friendly controls that will work on a mobile phone or tablet, but they're a compromise that falls short on the innovation that is possible with mobile phones, and the twitchy control that come with a real gamepad.
We tried out the Phonejoy controller which just started delivering gamepads to their Kickstarter backers, and came away pretty impressed. The controller costs $79.99 (approximately Rs. 4,806) to order, and takes between one to two weeks to reach India.

The packaging for the Phonejoy is actually pretty clever in its own right - everything is packed away into foldout compartments, and the box has a ruler on the side which you can hold against your phone, to see if it will actually fit inside the controller. That'll be a lot more useful if this gamepad is ever available at retail here, but for quick reference, you can easily fit a 5-inch phone in there; we were able to put a Sony Xperia Z inside the Phonejoy, and also a Samsung Galaxy Note 2.
If you're using something even bigger than a Note though, this might be a problem, because the Phonejoy is stretched from the middle to accommodate your phone, and larger devices probably won't fit. Of course, since the connection is taking place over Bluetooth, you could just prop the phone (or tablet) in a stand, and play with the gamepad in your hand. It looks like it would be too small to hold comfortably in that mode, but having spent a fair amount of time gaming on the iPad in just that fashion, it's safe to say that the Phonejoy is comfortable to use even without a phone.

Design and Build Quality

The Phonejoy is small, slightly chunky, and does not look like it would be very comfortable to hold. It's very slightly taller than a PS Vita, and about twice as thick. The width is adjustable, but with a 5-inch phone inside, this thing dwarfs the Vita.

 

Asus Fonepad 7 Dual SIM tablet: First impressions

The voice-calling tablet segment is growing with a number of launches from both Indian and international manufacturers such as Samsung, Micromax, Lenovo, and Karbonn.

Asus, following suit, has now launched a refreshed version of its popular Fonepad 7 tablet in a dual-SIM avatar dubbed Fonepad 7 Dual SIM for the Indian market. The Taiwanese tablet maker clearly seems determined to get some market share in India.

Following the strategy, Asus Fonepad 7 Dual SIM has been launched at a price of Rs. 12,999, similar to Samsung's new Galaxy Tab3 Neo tablet which is currently retailing at Rs. 12,740 and is a single SIM device.
It's worth pointing out that the Asus Fonepad tablet line-up now has three generations: the first iteration of the Fonepad tablet with voice-calling support was announced at MWC last year, while the second generation was announced at IFA in 2013, featuring 3G support and lastly, the third generation unveiled at MWC this year

As the name suggests, the Fonepad 7 Dual SIM tablet supports dual-SIM functionality. Much like the original Fonepad, the new Fonepad 7 Dual SIM comes with an Intel processor, supports voice-calling and in addition, comes with 3G support.

Design

The new Asus Fonepad 7 Dual SIM tablet takes some of its design cues from the original Fonepad. Sadly, the Taiwanese maker has again chosen an all-plastic body for the new Fonepad 7 Dual SIM tablet, which is a disappointed compared to the original Fonepad, which featured a brushed aluminium finish at the back.
The first noticeable thing about the Fonepad 7 Dual SIM is it looks rather similar to the Fonepad 7, especially from the front, except that the latter featured dual front speakers. In fact, we were disappointed to find them missing from the new Fonepad 7 variant.
You will find the power/ lock screen and volume rocker buttons located on the right side (in portrait mode) of the Asus Fonepad 7 Dual SIM embedded within the plastic part, again, similar to the Fonepad 7 (second generation). Both the SIM slots accompanied by the microSD card slot are beneath a plastic flap on the right panel. The Fonepad 7 Dual SIM takes two Micro-SIMs.
The top panel houses the 3.5mm audio jack and the charging port, while the microphone is placed on the bottom panel. Notably, the charging slot on the Fonepad and Fonepad 7 tablets were located on the bottom panel.

Camera

Like the original Fonepad, the camera lens on the Fonepad 7 Dual SIM tablet protrudes out and does not include a flash. We'd hoped the rear camera would be flush against the rear panel, which would've better protected the camera lens from scratches.
The Asus Fonepad 7 Dual SIM packs a 5-megapixel rear autofocus camera. Also onboard is a 1.2-megapixel front-facing camera.
In our limited testing, the rear camera performed reasonably well in good light conditions, while missed details in low-light situations. The camera interface on the Fonepad 7 Dual SIM tablet is simple and it seems that Asus has not applied many tweaks to the default camera app. Some of the shooting modes on the Fonepad 7 Dual SIM camera app include single shot, panorama, beauty face, smile shot and night mode.

Software/ Interface

The Fonepad 7 Dual SIM runs Android 4.3 Jelly Bean out-of-the-box; while the Fonepad 7 was based on Android 4.2.2 and the original Fonepad 7 ran Android 4.1.2. It is an incremental increase in the Android software version.
Asus' floating apps are back with the Fonepad 7 Dual SIM, which are much like the Samsung 'multi-window' and Sony 'small apps' interfaces. The floating apps on the new Fonepad 7 include utility apps such as calculator, countdown timer, stick memo, stopwatch, browser and video player.

Performance

The new Asus Fonepad 7 is powered by a dual-core Intel 'Clover Trail+' Atom Z2520 processor, the same chipset that powers the Fonepad 7 (second generation), clocked at 1.2GHz alongside 1GB of RAM.


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Lava IvoryS dual-SIM Android tablet with voice calling launched at Rs. 8,499

Lava has launched its new 3G-capable voice-calling tablet, the IvoryS, at Rs. 8,499. The IvoryS tablet will be available across physical and online retail stores in India, and comes in Grey and White colours.
The tablet supports voice calling via its dual-SIM (GSM+GSM) card support, where one SIM card slot is capable of 3G connectivity. The IvoryS tablet runs Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean, and features a 7-inch TFT LCD display with a 1024x600 pixels resolution. The device is powered by 1.3GHz dual-core MediaTek (MT8312) Cortex A7 processor paired with a Mali 400 GPU and 1GB of RAM. The Lava IvoryS features a 3.2-megapixel rear camera with flash and a 0.3-megapixel front-facing camera for video calling.
The IvoryS tablet comes with 4GB of inbuilt storage, which can be further expanded via microSD card (up to 32GB). Connectivity options on the tablet include Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GPRS/ EDGE, 3G and Micro-USB. The tablet has a battery capacity of 2800mAh, which is rated to deliver up to 200 hours of standby time, and 8 hours of talk time.
The IvoryS tablet comes with some preloaded apps, such as Opera, Hungama Music App, WhatsApp, PayTM, and a few EA Games titles. The tablet comes with dimensions 191x108.5x9.8mm and weighs 300 grams.
Commenting on the launch of IvoryS tablet, S.N. Rai, Co-founder and Director, Lava International, said, "We are very happy to announce the launch of our latest sleek and affordable offering, IvoryS, 7-inch tablet which is an extension of our Ivory Series. IvoryS is especially designed for youngsters and young working professionals to engage them with stylish product that meets their requirements of entertainment and connectivity at an affordable price. "
Earlier, Lava launched the QPAD e704 at Rs. 9,999. It is a dual-SIM tablet with voice calling functionality. It comes with a 7-inch display with a resolution of 1024x600 pixels. The tablet runs on the dated Android 4.2 Jelly Bean operating system, with no word on a software update.
The QPAD e704 tablet is powered by a quad-core Broadcom processor clocked at 1.2GHz, along with 1GB of RAM. Other specifications include a 3.2-megapixel rear camera, VGA front-facing camera and 4GB of inbuilt storage, which can be expanded up to 32GB with the help of microSD card.

 

Huawei Ascend P7 mini with 4.5-inch display launched ahead of Ascend P7

Huawei Ascend P7 mini with 4.5-inch display launched ahead of Ascend P7

Huawei has officially unveiled the mini version of the much-anticipated Huawei Ascend P7 smartphone in Germany. The Huawei Ascend P7 mini has been revealed days before the scheduled launch of its bigger version on May 6, and both the smartphones are now expected to be showcased on the same day.
Although the smartphone has been revealed, its price and availability remains undercover. The Huawei Ascend P7 mini runs on Android 4.3 Jelly Bean OS, which comes layered with the firm's proprietary Emotion UI 2.0 Lite skin, already seen in Ascend P6.

The Ascend P7 mini features a 4.5-inch TFT screen with qHD (540x960 pixels) resolution, which translates to a pixel density of roughly 244ppi. A Qualcomm-powered 1.2GHz quad-core processor and Adreno 305 comes paired with 1GB of RAM in the smartphone.


The connectivity options of the Ascend P7 mini include NFC, DLNA, Bluetooth 4.0, Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n and 4G LTE connectivity. The smartphone is backed by a 2000mAh Li-Po battery that is rated to deliver up to 370 hours of standby time and 12 hours of talk time.


Huawei Ascend P7 mini measures 131.2x65.3x7.8mm, weighs 115 grams, and will be available in two colour variants Black and White.


Huawei earlier this month unveiled its mid-range Huawei Ascend Y600 smartphone that runs Android 4.2 Jelly Bean, features a 5-inch IPS display with FWVGA (480x854 pixels) resolution, runs on a 1.3GHz dual-core MediaTek (MT6572) processor and is backed by a 2100mAh battery.

 

Sony Xperia T2 Ultra Dual review: The inexpensive Ultra

 Phablets, which tried to bridge the gap between a smartphone and tablet, were as expensive as flagship devices once upon a time. Slowly and steadily, at least in India, phablets piqued the interest of buyers and created inroads into the market. This rise prompted manufacturers to shed some features and make their products more budget friendly. Many companies latched on to this opportunity early on, but Sony has joined this bandwagon only recently.

Sony's top-end phablet, the Xperia Z Ultra, now has a cheaper alternative in the form of the Xperia T2 Ultra. It is smaller, sleeker, accepts two SIMs, and has stripped down features. More importantly, this six-inch budget phablet faces the mammoth task of proving itself against the competition in a fairly crowded price band. Our review will help us find out if it manages that feat.

Look and Feel

Sony's design philosophy for smartphones underwent a change when the company parted ways with Ericsson. The primary reference for this is last year's flagship, the Xperia Z. A lot of critics praised the design and Sony seems to be going with the 'why fix something if it isn't broken' strategy. This unassuming black slab with clean lines is now typical of the style adopted for all recent smartphone and tablet releases.
The T2 Ultra Dual is available in three colours: black, white and purple. We reviewed the black one. All the colour options look quite classy and the choice will boil down to personal preference. The top and bottom edges of the device are bare. The right edge is crowded with buttons for power, volume and camera (kudos to Sony for including that). The placement of these buttons at the lower half of the right edge takes some getting used to, but the ease of use is unparalleled. The 3.5mm jack and two SIM slots can be found at the top of the right edge. The left edge has the microSD card slot and Micro-USB port for charging and data transfer. Right above the screen is the 1.1-megapixel front-facing camera, and below it is the microphone. The back has the really long speaker grille, rear camera and flash.

 

Flipkart introduces same-day guaranteed delivery in select cities

 

Flipkart, one of India's leading e-commerce websites, after rolling out guaranteed one-day shipping in select cities across the country in December, has now introduced a 'Same-day Guarantee' delivery service in select cities.

Flipkart's Same-day Guarantee can be availed by paying an additional Rs. 140 per item (special introductory offer, regular charge is Rs. 200) and is only available for orders placed before noon. The online retailer notes that the new same-day deliver guarantee is currently available in Bangalore, Delhi, Mumbai, Noida, Gurgaon, Faridabad, Kolkata, Manesar, Navi Mumbai and Thane.

Notably, the new offer from Flipkart is a limited period offer and is valid only on orders placed between April 28 and April 30. The e-commerce site's faster delivery page notes that, "If Flipkart is not able to deliver the item in the guaranteed promise time, you get the product for free (up to Rs. 5,000) as part of our money-back guarantee."

Flipkart elaborates that the order placed under same-day guarantee would be delivered by 9pm on the date promised during checkout. Further, the e-commerce site confirms that if an order is not delivered on the promised date under the same-day guarantee scheme, the product value would be refunded to the customer's Flipkart Wallet within 24-hours of the order and is non-refundable. Users can redeem the product value (up to Rs. 5,000 maximum) for future shopping on Flipkart.

Those shopping on Flipkart to avail the 'Same-day Guarantee' must ensure to select the option during checkout.

Flipkart, following footsteps of Amazon, had launched the guaranteed one-day shipping in December last year. Customers placing their orders before 6pm have the option to get it delivered to their preferred address the next business day for an additional cost of Rs. 90 per item by selecting the 'In-a-day Guarantee' option during checkout.

 

Skullcandy Ink'd 2 review: Eye-catching design, subpar sound quality

 

One look at the range of in-ear earphones available under Rs. 2,000 and it becomes evident that manufacturers are targeting the 'cool' crowd. A stray model in this price range might be available in a subtle black or white, but most of them are flashy and come in a variety of colours. We feel this barrage of options is great for users who want to stand out from the crowd, and for them, Skullcandy is definitely the best bet.
There are multiple manufacturers apart from Skullcandy like Sony, Philips, Soundmagic, Cowon, JBL, JVC, Creative and many more, that populate this price range. Quite a few have some swanky designs which are rather understated. Each one's sound definition varies and we are finding it increasingly difficult to recommend the appropriate one considering that listening styles also vary from person to person.
Fortunately, there is a selection for all types of listeners.
We have the Football Club (FC) Barcelona edition of the Skullcandy Ink'd 2 with us. Just like the Hesh 2 we reviewed some time ago, we want to reiterate that cosmetic embellishments notwithstanding, the performance of this model will not change across the multiple different colours and special editions. Let's find out how they perform and if the price is justified.

Features and design

Skullcandy actively advertises 11mm drivers for better bass output in the Ink'd 2, which are incidentally the same as the first-generation Ink'd. Now, we know that some headphones/earphones with larger drivers can sound horrible, and so we refrain from commenting on it until we get to the sound quality. They have a dynamic sound range of 20Hz to 20KHz which is almost the norm. We couldn't find any information about the impedance which is disappointing since we would rather know how well they will work with different devices. Fortunately, in our testing they worked with most of the devices we tried.
We are glad that the revised edition of the Ink'd has a flat cable. It is extremely thin but sturdy and we expect it not to snap in regular usage. But since it is thin, tangling cannot be avoided which is the USP of flat cables. Being the FC Barcelona edition, the Ink'd 2 is predominantly blue with a streak of yellow running around the edge of the flat cable. The earplugs have a circular strip with red accents. A logo of Barcelona decorates the back of the earplugs. We like the design and fans of the club are bound to love it.

 

Microsoft announces price cuts for Xbox 360 consoles in India

 

inShare

There is some good news for those awaiting a price drop on Xbox 360 consoles with the launch of the Xbox One - they will not have to wait for the next-generation console to launch in September, as Microsoft has already slashed prices on two models.

Tweeting out the news on Monday, Anshu Mor, Director - Interactive Entertainment Business, Microsoft India, said the 250GB Xbox 360 console is now available for Rs. 21,990, and that the 250GB Kinect Xbox 360 console is now available for Rs. 31,990.


Notably, the 250GB Xbox 360 is still listed at Rs. 24,990 on the Microsoft India site, while the 250GB Kinect Xbox 360 bundled console is no longer listed with price.

Back in March, Microsoft finally revealed the second round of Xbox One roll-out. Starting September 2014, 26 new markets will get retail availability of the Xbox One console, including India. For now, pricing details and exact launch dates have not been disclosed.

At the time, Microsoft's Yusuf Mehdi had said in a blog post, "It's time to ensure even more fans around the world can enjoy Xbox One. So today we're proud to share that it will be available in 26 additional markets in September this year. We'll have much more to share at a local level towards the end of April, so stay tuned."

The 'more to share at a local level' could very well have included the price drop for the Xbox 360, so Mor's announcement is in line with Microsoft's earlier statement.

Notably Microsoft's primary competitor in the home console space, Sony, launched its PlayStation 4 console in India in January (at Rs. 39,990), less than two months after its US launch. To puts things in perspective, the Xbox One and PlayStation 4 were launched in November within a week of each other in the US.

Shortly after its US launch however, the Sony PlayStation 4 was rolled out to roughly 53 countries in the first phase. In comparison, Microsoft's Xbox One was in its first phase only rolled out to 13 countries.

 

Samsung Galaxy K zoom with 20.7-megapixel camera, 10x optical zoom launched

Samsung Galaxy K zoom with 20.7-megapixel camera, 10x optical zoom launched

 

 

The Samsung Galaxy K zoom is the second camera specialised-smartphone from the company, the first being the Galaxy S4 Zoom. The Galaxy K zoom sports a 20.7-megapixel BSI CMOS sensor at the back accompanied by a Xenon flash and also features optical image stabilizer (OIS) for low-light imaging. The rear camera supports 10x optical zoom. The rear camera comes with some advanced camera usability features and functions, including AF/AE Separation (/Auto Focus/ Auto Exposure Separation); Pro Suggest mode that offers 5 optimized filter settings, Selfie Alarm offers users to take timed selfies. The Galaxy K zoon also houses a 2-megapixel front-facing camera.
When compared to the Galaxy S4 Zoom that came with 4.3-inch Super AMOLED qHD display, the Galaxy K zoom features a 4.8-inch Super AMOLED HD (720x1280 pixels) display.

The Galaxy K zoom runs Android 4.4 KitKat, much like Samsung's 2014 flagship Galaxy S5. The new camera-centric smartphone is powered by a hexa-core processor (a quad-core 1.3GHz and a dual-core 1.7GHz), though the company has not revealed the exact chipset, currently thought to be the Exynos 5 Hexa SoC coupled with a Mali-T264 GPU. But we expect the Galaxy K zoom is powered by the same chipset seen first in Galaxy Note 3 Neo, the Exynos 5260.
Other specifications include 2GB of RAM, 8GB inbuilt storage expandable up to 64GB via microSD card, and a 2430mAh battery. The Galaxy K zoom will be available in two variants - LTE and 3G - while other connectivity options include Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Micro-USB and NFC.

How to recover deleted photos from a memory card

How to recover deleted photos from a memory card

This may be a lifesaver for those readers who have managed to accidentally delete their SD card data, or been the victim of the not-as-uncommon-as-we-would-like SD card corruptions.

Recuva (for Windows)
Recuva (version 1.51.1063) is a 4.02MB free download, and works with PCs running Windows 2000 or above. To recover your files from your SD card, load the card on the PC via a card reader, select the corresponding drive in Recuva's drop down menu. Run a scan via the Scan button. 

Pandora Recovery (for Windows)
Pandora Recovery (version 2.1.1) is a free-to-use tool that is a 3.12MB download. It supports PCs running Windows XP or above. Just like with Recuva, users will need to load their SD card via a card reader, and perform either a Quick Scan or Deep (Surface) Scan to throw up results of deleted and corrupted files. The second option is for formatted memory, and while it is slower, it should turn up more results than a quick scan.

Stellar Phoenix Mac Photo Recovery (for OS X)
The Stellar Phoenix Mac Photo Recovery software (version 6.0) is a 13MB download, and supports Macs running OS X 10.5 or higher. Users will be required to connect their SD cards through a card reader.

PhotoRec (for DOS, Windows 9x or higher, Linux, OS X)
A free, open-source multi-platform data recovery software, PhotoRec (version 7.0 beta) is a 9.4MB download (for Windows 64-bit), and works with PCs running a vast variety of operating systems. It comes bundled with TestDisk, an app for recovering lost partitions. Featuring a very basic text-based UI for older operating systems, PhotoRec also features a GUI-based version for newer ones .

 

DNA Day: Celebrate the programming language of life with your own DNA test

DNA Day: Celebrate the programming language of life with your own DNA test

Happy DNA Day! 61 years ago today, the molecular structure of DNA was revealed to the world in the pages of Nature. The double helix is now emblematic of the programming language of life, and our understanding of DNA has grown by leaps and bounds over the past six decades. To commemorate such an important landmark in the history of man, let’s take a look at some of the most recent developments in the field of genetic research, and maybe even get tested ourselves.
So, what has been happening recently in the realm of genetic research? More than I could ever cover in a single article, but some interesting news regarding Neanderthal genetics has surfaced just a few days ago. On April 22, a fascinating study lead by Svante Pääbo (the world’s foremost expert in Neanderthal genetics) was published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Based on the genomes of three neanderthals found in disparate locations in Eurasia, Pääbo and his team discovered that the genetic diversity in neanderthals pales in comparison to present-day Homo sapiens. It also appears as if the Neanderthal populations were relatively isolated and tiny, so gene flow was extremely limited for these groups.
On the very same day, an article was published in the Proceedings of the Royal Society B that proposes the idea that skin cancer from the sun’s damaging UV rays was actually a driving force in the national selection for dark skin in early humans. In the article, Mel Greaves delivers a compelling argument that the deadliness of skin cancer in young albino children in Africa and Central America demonstrates just how vital it was for early humans to develop dark skin. Despite earlier conjecture that skin cancer doesn’t kill early enough to play a major role in natural selection, this article outlines exactly how skin cancer seems to have shaped human evolution.

 

Nissan’s self-cleaning car

Nissan’s self-cleaning car 

 

Nissan is testing a self-cleaning nanotech paint that repels dirt. Nissan describes it as a superhydrophobic and oleophobic paint, meaning it repels water and oils. A Nissan Note subcompact is being tested in Europe with half the car treated and the other half with just its normal paint. Photos and a Nissan video show the treated half is markedly cleaner.
Nissan says it’s the first automaker to use the technology, called Ultra-Ever Dry, on car bodywork, creating a protective barrier between the car paint and the outside world. It stops most water and grime from sticking and creating marks on the car. The Nissan Note is similar to the Nissan Versa Note sold here.

                                           

Nissan is working with UltraTech International, a Florida company specializing in enviromental compliance products including spill containment. According to the company, “Ultra-Ever Dry is a superhydrophobic and oleophobic coating that will completely repel almost any liquid. Ultra-Ever Dry uses proprietary omniphobic technology to coat an object and create a barrier of air on its surface. This barrier repels water, oil and other liquids unlike any coating.” You can’t buy it yet as a consumer, but if you could, the company says it’s good for lots of things, like shoes that need to stay dry and tools. For use outdoors, ice has a hard time building up. Imagine if with one flick of your finger the overnight snowfall on a car slides right off.
While we don’t know exactly how Ultra-Ever Dry works, most modern superhydrophobic and oleophobic coatings work by way of nanopatterning. Basically, the coating adds a surface of tiny bumps and grooves that prevent water and oil from gaining a purchase. Other coatings contain tiny particles of Teflon (or other similar non-stick materials). In any case, these coatings are very effective at making water and oil roll off.
Nissan adds the usual yada-yada about Ultra-Ever Dry being a product under testing, in Europe. It’s not clear if it will be a product there or in the US, and also how long the coating lasts. Nissan several years ago introduced self-healing paint on some its cars. The paint remains pliable — not fully dry, but not so wet it comes off on your clothes — and if the car gets scratched, the paint flows into the scratch area. Nissan says it’s good for several years before the paint stops its self-healing magic.

Apple iWork review

Apple iWork review

More importantly, those options change depending on context. For basic text, you get basic formatting options such as font and size. Insert a chart, and you can adjust the gap between columns. Drag and drop a photo onto a Pages document, and you get image-editing tools such as cropping and color adjustment

Microsoft's Office is the go-to software package for creating and sharing documents, spreadsheets and presentations. Google's Docs has emerged as a good, free alternative for lightweight tasks. But what's often overlooked is Apple's iWork.

Last fall, the iWork applications for the Mac -Pages for word processing, Numbers for spreadsheets and Keynote for presentations- got their first major update since 2009 and now work better with iPhone and iPad versions. Apple also developed an online version that can work on Windows computers and let several people collaborate on a single document more easily.

Apple's iWork won't replace Office, and Google Docs is better in some ways. But after using iWork for a few months, I've come to appreciate the ways it simplifies work. It became my primary way of writing news stories at last week's Mobile World Congress wireless show in Barcelona, Spain.

The best part: iWork is free with the purchase of new Apple devices (the Mac version with new Macs and the iOS apps with new iPhones or iPads). Once you get it, you can install iWork on older devices. Otherwise, each of the three apps costs $20 for Macs and $10 for mobile devices, or $90 for everything. That's a one-time fee. To use Office on multiple devices, Microsoft charges $100 a year.

Using iWork on desktops and laptops
With both Office and Google Docs, you primarily deal with a toolbox of options at the top. That's where you go to change fonts or adjust line spacing. With iWork, many of those options are moved to a palette on the right, which fills in the computer's horizontal screen much better.

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HTC One M8 Specification

HTC One M8 Specification

 

Display

Form Factor	Bar
Screen Type	Super LCD3 Capacitive Touchscreen
Screen Size	5.0 inches
Screen Resolution	1080 x 1920
Number of Colours	16M

Processor

Processor	Qualcomm Snapdragon 801, Quad-Core
Speed	2.5 GHz

Memory

Internal Memory	16GB, 2GB RAM
Extendable Memory	microSD, up to 128GB

Camera Features

Video Recording	Yes
Front facing camera	5MP

General Features

OS	Android
Version	4.4.2 (KitKat)
Bluetooth Features	Yes
Messaging	SMS, MMS, E-mail
GPS	Yes, with A-GPS support
USB Connector	Yes
NFC	Yes

Carrier Networks

2G	GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900
3G	HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1900 / 2100
4G	LTE 700 / 900 / 1800 / 2100 / 2600

Data

GPRS	Yes
EGPRS or EDGE	EDGE
WiFi	802.11 a/b/g/n/ac

Body

Dimensions	146.4 x 70.6 x 9.4 mm
Weight(grams)	160

Sound

Media Player	Music formats: AAC, AMR, OGG, M4A, MID, MP3, WAV, WMA (Windows Media Audio 10) - Video formats: 3GP, .3G2, MP4, WMV (Windows Media Video 10), AVI (MP4 ASP and MP3)
Alert Tone	Vibration, MP3, WAV
Speakerphone	Yes
Audio connector	3.5 mm

Battery

Type	Li-polymer
Capacity(mAh)	2600
Talk Time with Standard Battery (Minutes)	Up to 20 hrs (3G)
Standby Time with Standard Battery (Hours)	Up to 496 hrs (3G)

Miscellaneous Features

Built in Applications	Google Search - Maps - Gmail - YouTube - Google Talk

After Sales Service

Warranty Period	1 Year