Apple iphone 6S event event confirmed for 9 September

Apple has announced that their next product update will take place in San Francisco on 9 September, as widely expected.

New iPhones, including a flagship iPhone 6S and 6S Plus are widely assumed to be on the slate. A new iPhone 6C with a friendlier, colourful exterior and slightly lower price point is possible, as is a new TV device and maybe new iPads -- though it's likely these will be held back for a later event in October.

The invite is typically cheerful and playful, emblazoned with the words 'Hey Siri, Give Us A Hint'.

In a nice twist, if you actually ask Siri that question she will give you a contextual response, telling WIRED that "we'll just have to wait until September 9".

The iPhone 6S is expected to come with an improved 12 megapixels camera, and processor, the addition of Force Touch actions launched with a hard press on the screen, refinements to its design (though given it's a 'S' series device, probably minor ones) and all the software additions expected from iOS 9, announced in June. It's also thought that animated wallpapers (as on the Apple Watch) will be a feature, along with 4K video recording.

The announcements will be made on September 9th 2015, at 10AM PT and at the Bill Graham Civic Auditorium in San Francisco, California.

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Questioned cloud Microsoft's universal Windows apps plan.

With the release of Windows 10, Microsoft is emphasizing development of universal Windows apps.

The OS provides platform convergence with Windows running on a single, unified core, meaning an app targeting the universal Windows platform can run on every Windows device. However, the universal Windows plan keeps changing, stressed analyst Rob Sanfilippo, of Directions on Microsoft, who questioned the plan's usefulness at this point with Microsoft de-emphasizing Windows phones.

Universal applications provide the most utility when transitioning between Windows 10 and Windows 10 Mobile devices; Windows desktop PCs, laptops, and tablets all provide the same experience already, SanFilippo said. "The biggest challenge is getting the same app to run on these devices and phones. But Microsoft's recent de-emphasis on Windows phones has gutted the promise of Windows 10 Mobile, leaving the primary usefulness of Universal Applications -- same app on desktop-laptop-tablet and phone -- in question." Microsoft, in fact,may not see as many upgrades to Windows 10 Mobile as planned, with many phones lacking the prerequisite software updates.

Initially, the plan featured a developer strategy for organizing code and minimizing work to target the same application for Windows 8.1 and Windows Phone 8.1. "Today it refers to the capability to build a single application binary -- usually with the Modern, aka Metro design style -- that runs on Windows 10, Windows 10 Mobile, and other systems that are or will be Windows 10-compatible, such as Xbox One, Surface Hub, IoT devices and HoloLens," said Sanfilippo.

The Visual Studio 2015 software development platform, released July 20 features project templates for building Universal Windows apps via languages including C#, Visual Basic, C++, or JavaScript.

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IBM squeezes more out of chip technology

IBM and Samsung researchers have produced the semiconductor industry’s first 7nm (nanometer) node test chips with functioning transistors.

Greater levels of miniaturization enable designers to cram more transistors on a single chip, which increases performance, lowers costs and potentially reduces power consumption.

These factors are important in modern datacenters, where space and energy consumption are at a premium.

The IBM researchers have developed a 7nm chip fabrication in partnership with Global Foundries and Samsung at Suny Polytechnic Institute’s Colleges of Nanoscale Science and Engineering.

“Enabling the first 7nm node transistors is a significant milestone for the entire semiconductor industry as we continue to push beyond the limitations of our current capabilities,” said Michael Liehr, Suny Poly executive vice-president of innovation and technology.

The development of 7nm chips could improve the efficiency and scalability of datacenters, which are currently based on 14nm and 22nm technology. IBM said the techniques used to develop 7nm technology could result in at least a 50% power/performance improvement for next-generation mainframe and Power systems that will power the big data, cloud and mobile era.

The research alliance has claimed a number of industry-first innovations, most notably Silicon Germanium (SiGe) channel transistors and Extreme Ultraviolet (EUV) lithography integration at multiple levels in developing the 7nm technology.

“For business and society to get the most out of tomorrow’s computers and devices, scaling to 7nm and beyond is essential,” said Arvind Krishna, senior vice-president and director of IBM Research. “Working with our partners, this milestone builds on decades of research that has set the pace for the microelectronics industry, and positions us to advance our leadership for years to come.”

Fifty years ago, Intel co-founder Gordon Moore outlined his vision of how microelectronics would power the modern world – introducing Moore's Law, which predicted the power of microchips would double every 18 months. Chip researchers have tried to follow this model, doubling the performance of their microprocessors every 18 months. But miniaturization pushes the limits of chip fabrication.

Along with 7nm technology, IBM is also researching alternative technologies for post-silicon-era chips.

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Dell Latitude 13 7000

The Dell Latitude 13 7000 Series 2-in-1 (7350) is tailor made for business use. This detachable-hybrid tablet makes it easier to carry just one device if you need a laptop computer most of the time, and a tablet you can carry around part of the time. It’s  almost-10-hour battery life, corporate-friendly features.

Design and Features

The Latitude 7350 comes with a keyboard dock, which differentiates it from slate tablets like the Microsoft Surface Pro 3. The system with the keyboard attached measures 9 inches (HWD) and weighs 3.59 pounds. It's the same weight as the Dell Latitude 14 7000 series (E7450).

Performance

The Latitude 7350 comes with an Intel Core M-5Y71 processor with integrated Intel HD Graphics 5300. It beat the Lenovo Yoga 3 and the HP EliteBook Folio 1020  and it was barely lower than Intel-Core-i5 and i7-powered systems like the Dell Latitude E7450 (2,681), the Microsoft Surface Pro 3 (2,704), and the Toshiba Satellite Click 2 Pro (2,939). Its test results on Handbrake (3 minutes 50 seconds) and Adobe Photoshop CS6 (5:52) are a bit slower than its rivals with standard Core i5 and i7 CPUs.

Battery life is a strength for the Latitude 7350. It lasted 7 hours 29 minutes for the tablet alone, and almost ten hours with the keyboard dock attached That's still many hours longer than Intel-Core-M-equipped systems, like the Acer Transformer Book T300 Chi. Full Core i5- and i7-equipped laptops and tablets, like the Toshiba Satellite Click 2 Pro (6:48), didn't last as long, but the presence of a higher-powered processor isn't indicative of a short battery life like it was in the past.

Tablets are excellent for portability and touch-screen use. Laptops are better for productivity, particularly when you need to type more than a few words at a time. The Dell Latitude 13 7000 Series 2-in-1 (7350) is the best of both worlds, giving you the flexibility of a tablet or laptop at a moment's notice. It's a fully capable detachable-hybrid tablet that will help you do your job on the go, with minimal compromises. 

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Samsung Galaxy S4

Samsung Galaxy S4 is a 4.2.2 Android Jelly  Bean operating system mobile uses the vibrant touch wiz user interface has been able to generate good demand. It has a full HD super ambled at a pixel resolution of 1920 by 1080 which gives a pixel density of 441 pixel per inches protected by Corning Gorilla glass. It has 13 megapixel duel camera, sound and shoot mode and dram shot. It has also Air Gesture, Air View, Group Play, etc.
The Korean company had earlier launched a 0 percent 12 month EMI scheme for the Galaxy S4. Now the company has launched an exchange offer along with a lot of freebies with the device. The new Galaxy S4 doubles down on the formula of its predecessor, slim package, big screen and tons of features.
Hardware:
Galaxy S4 next to a Galaxy S III and you'd be hard pressed to pick them apart-until you turn them on. 5 inch screen on the S 4 is even larger than the S III. It is nearly on par with the extraordinary crisp screen on the HTC one but far brighter and with better contrast and color saturation.
It has a plastic back, a single hard home key on the bottom and an illuminated menu and back capacitive keys that disappear when not in use. Samsung is sticking with a designed that has worded for them and company executives claim that the plastic back allows them and their customers greater flexibility for removable batteries and memory and accessories such as the S-View cover, which serves as a replacement for the original back panel with an integrated screen protector,thus shielding the front glass without significantly increasing the thickness of the device. The S III had a similar cover but this new one has a transparent panel that allows you to see information such as the time, the number of messages you have and incoming call.
Samsung has not at all abandoned the race for more megapixels. The Galaxy S 4's camera has a 13megapixel sensor, which really does take some stunning still shots.
Samsung also has the other must have halo feature of 2013: an infrared blaster that allows it to function as a remote control for your television and other AV gear.
Software:
Galaxy S 4 keeps with its successful software strategy: Pack in more feature than any customer could discover in a human lifetime. It has 13 mode camera app, including automatic animated GIFs that let you select the parts of the picture that are in motion, a drama mode that composes multiple action shots into one image and an eraser mode that turns multiple exposures image, removing anyone who is in motion.
Samsung Galaxy S4 has Air Gesture function uses infrared sensors that can detect sweeping gestures of your hands a few inches above the screen. You can use these to answer the phone, move between photos in the gallery or move up and down on a web page. Samsung has used  this type of interaction in its Galaxy Note series of tablets and phablets but those devices used an electromagnetic resonance pen.  If you look away from a playing video, that video is paused. The screen will stay on as long as you are looking at it. Web pages will scroll up and down in response to the tilt of your head. Samsung's new features are in consistently applied and after a few days you  find  yourself turning  a lot of it off.
When Samsung introduced  its phone to phone content  sharing features, called Group Play, in the Galaxy S III, we loved the idea but thought it was a bit strange to presume all your friends would have Samsung phone. Samsung has expanded Group Play to support collaboration on Power Point presentations, PDF and Word document and even games.
Samsung also invested time and effort in cleaning  up and reorganizing its touch wiz user interface that sits atop Android Jelly Bean. The most immediately useful change is an expanded set of instant setting icons in the drop-down notification panel. Now you can easily turn on off without digging  through the settings menu.
Conclusion
The Galaxy S 4 can do things out of the box that no other phone can do. But it's worth nothing that much of the functionality built into the S 4 can be added to other smartphones through apps. Samsung can continue cramming more features into its next generation devices.
Galaxy S4 is a satisfying  device for using. The size and clarity of the screen alone give it  uncommon than the other smartphone.
 

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Belkin Plus 7-port USB2.0 Hub

If there’s one universal truth to personal computers, that you can never have enough  USB ports. Doubly so when the front USB ports o your computer suddenly crash from overuse.  That’s why today we bring you an in-depth review of Belkin’s  7port USB 2.0 Hub.

Hub Design

The Belkin Plus Hub bears a rather unique design. Measuring 6”*3.5”, the hub is rather thin but a bit on the long side due to the USB ports being arranged horizontally instead of vertically. The end result is slightly more desk space being used but when combined with the slim profile it makes the hub much more manageable when it’s being stacked. You’ll notice that in the center of the hub next to the two top-mounted USB ports is a small rectangular hole, meant for stacking on top of another 7 port plus hub’s two USB ports for a snug fit. The hole is surrounded by a large section of blue molded rubber that contrasts with the hard white plastic that makes up the rest of the hub.

If the hub isn’t being stacked however, the hole can make the overall appearance somewhat awkward. The molded plastic turns into a cable management clip on the right side of the hub for keeping your PDA and iPod data cable handy.

Hub Performance

As a technology enthusiast, gamer and over clocker, I have never been one to go easy on my hardware. I expect things to run at full capacity without any crashes of hiccups. thankfully Belkin passed with flying colors. The Plus USB was fully loaded with managing Logitech G15 gaming keyboard with a gaming mouse plugged into the keyboard, handling the video stream from USB monitor, playing back the video from USB 2.0 web camera, synchronizing iPod while charging it as well as cell phone. The Plus Hub managed to get a little warm throughout the ordeal, but not nearly as hot as a laptop or hard drive can get. This device include a USB sound card with playback controls, an MP3 player, a webcam, a game pad and two external hard drives. Using 2.0 Hub introduced no slow-downs when the drive was the only device connected, peaking at 23.5MBps. considering the hub must maintain internal communication between 7 devices including a game pad that uses an interrupt protocol, these results are actually pretty.

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Lenovo ThinkPad x220 Review

Lenovo's Think Pad x200 series has a long history of combining lightweight portability,
epic battery life and uncompromising performance.
Design:
Comparing favorably to last year's Think pad x201 and the HP Elite book 2740p. However, the 13 inch Mac Book Air is much lighter and thinner. The standard six- cell battery takes 1 off the depth of the notebook and 0.2 pounds off its weight. The optional battery slice, which attaches bottom of the system, adds 0.6 inches of thickness and 105 pounds of weight. 
Think pad aesthetic complete with a rubberized lid and a metallic Lenovo logo and raven black sides. Perhaps the most noteworthy departure from other high end Thikpads is the absence of a latch on the lid.
Keyboard and Touchpad

Think Pad x220 keyboard offers the kind of amazing tactile feedback and concave shaped keys that allow touch typists to input quickly and accurately. The keyboard also has a full array of extended keys such as Scroll  Lock and Pause for  users who need them. Unfortunately while the keyboard itself feels great, the short 2.5 inch palm rest will leave many users wrists hanging over its edge, which can be uncomfortable and  can place added strain on the shoulders and wrists.

Who prefer touch pad will appreciate the x220’s 3*1.75 inch textured click pad. Though we have been critical of previous button less touchpad because they were jumpy, the x220 synaptic powered pad was accurate and comfortable to use.

Display and Audio

12.5 inch 1366*768 matte display on the think pad x220 offers bright, sharp images and amazingly wide viewing angles. We were able to watch video without noticing a significant loss of color fidelity. Our only complaint is that Lenovo chose to go with a 16:9 ratio after offering 16:10, 1280*800 displays on the Think pad x201.

Ports and Webcam

For a notebook, x220 has plenty of port. On the right side are SD card reader. An audio jack and a powered USB connection that can charge devices even when the notebook is off. On the left are VGA port, display port, two USB ports and an express card.

The 720p webcam, which support Skype HD calls, provided crisp but washed out image. Under bright overhead lighting, details were sharper, but had way too high of white balance at both auto modes. The webcam even stopped working and displayed a black block instead of an image. This problem persisted until we finally powered of the system completely for a few seconds before booting again.

Graphics

It comes with Intel HD Graphics chip which is good enough for playing videos and performing most tasks, though you can forget about serious gaming. On 3D Mark06,which measures overall graphics prowess, the x220 scored a respectable 3494, which is more than double the category average of 1611 and far better than the 1900 that last year’s. However, the 13 inch Mac book air has a discrete Nvidia GPU, managed 4611.

Verdict

The Think pad x220, Lenovo has combined epic battery life, strong performance, bright screen, responsive keyboard and powerful security features to make one of the world best ultraportable even better. User who want an even lighter notebook with a better screen and larger palm rest might prefer the 13 inch Mac Book Air. If you want something that packs a ton of power into a tiny package, the x220 is an best choice.

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