Saturday, 30 March 2013

ANTISOCIAL NETWORKING: THE BOOBY TRAP! PART 2

What have we become?
















ANTISOCIAL NETWORKING: 
THE BOOBY TRAP! PART 2
WHAT HAS HAPPENED TO US?

Good hour, Synapse Circuit Readers! Are you feeling ashamed at yourself for aiming abuse at a young woman just because she has a breast augmentation on the NHS? I am still very disturbed that such nonsense can happen in this day and age... The Age of the Smartphone but we don’t seem none the wiser!

IS OUR MIND DEGENERATING?

DID YOU KNOW THAT THERE’S MORE COMPUTING POWER IN THE SMARTPHONE THAN THE ENTIRE BANK OF COMPUTERS THAT HELPED TO PUT A MAN ON THE MOON – ALLEGEDLY?


 Then how on Earth is it possible for someone to write the following?

Cant bear to see that mongooses face no more " the one with a face like an a$$h0le who had the boobjob Shes got the publisity now " she dont need No more lets see one in ten years time when they start hanging to the floor and the n.h.s dont pay for them to be corrected And her mongo faced mush aint so smug tehe :-D

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Yes, the above writing is for real. This is not the writing of a child but of an adult in her 30s. Oh, I put the dollar signs and zero in for censorship purposes. Obviously, the idiotic bad spelling and grammatical errors are aimed at Ms. Cunningham – unfairly so. It’s mindless! The 30-odd year old woman who wrote that nonsense is no oil painting when measured by the media standards of what is “beautiful”! Is that the reason why she wrote such nastiness? Poorly educated and average?

I know that the woman has a smartphone and she’s one of the many people who do not use the auto-correct (on the virtual QWERTY keyboard) because she can’t spell. So, she writes phonetically – no pun intended. Oh, the irony! There are thousands of people out there who are barely literate. If such people can’t spell and have no idea about grammar and punctuation then the chances are when faced with reading an article they cannot understand context.

The Sun vilepaper is aimed at the lowest common denominator of the UK’s society; hence the simplistic headlines designed to shock and sensationalize. Such barely illiterate folk fall for it hook, line and sinker. Life can be hard sometimes but distractions shouldn’t become a blindfold. Before you know it a mass of angry villagers have assembled with torches in their hands, ready to burn down the reputations of those caught in the headlines. Sometimes such motivation is justified i.e. Jimmy SaVILE and Garry Glitter aka Paul Gadd (convicted for having downloaded thousands of images of child abuse who was let loose where he settled for a while in Cambodia of all places).

However, once the euphoric rush of condemnation subsides i.e. the newspaper stories fade away we often forget about our motivation, justice. It’s as though the media takes care of its own, an impenetrable unholy covenant that provides an alleyway for such monstrosities to escape. The media makes such a loud, deafening noise; it gives us what we want – a sweet cacophony of accusative tones which crescendo into a nothingness. I don’t hear anyone looking to go after the big rats in the Jimmy SaVILE case. I suspect it is hoped that our interest will fade along with the media’s attention.

Ms. Cunningham serves as yet another distraction from what we really ought to be concerned about. 

BAYING FOR BLOOD
The technological discovery that was the wheel should have driven us away from being primitive but our lust for blood has endured through the ages. The days where Christians were fed to lions have long gone but we still bay for blood. When I think back about the history of humanity I realize that it has been built upon human sacrifice. There’s a vampiric (if such a word exists) nature about us that allows us to engage in the enjoyment of others suffering. How else can we explain extreme poverty and cruelty in other parts of the world when it doesn’t have to be that way?

Anyway, such is our bloodlust that celebrities aren’t dying fast and / or tragically young enough. Our interest in the tragic deaths of past celebrities is a fetish – possibly of a masturbatory nature – that I find disturbing. We want to see the corpse; we want our pound of flesh. As a result we have invented the Overnight Celebrity where anybody can gain recognition (often through notoriety) from appearing in a “Reality” program. The more Overnight Celebrities we can cultivate the more probable a tragic death will occur amongst them. We plant the seeds to reap the harvest. We build ‘em up only to knock ‘em down.

Do we really want another Jade Goody? At the very least I hope she has inspired women to get a smear test...

Now that we know the nature of our beast can we tame it? If sacrifice is written in our DNA can we intellectualize it out of it? Yes, we have created either consciously or subconsciously the desires to keep the sacrifices going but can we finally grow out of it?

IDIOCY – THE VIRAL
“Gone viral...” Those are the words that every marketer wants to hear when putting out an idea to work on the Net and that it spreads to other mediums i.e. mainstream television. Mainstream consciousness... We like to be entertained and we like to entertain things. This symbiosis goes on without us even realizing it. But what spreads faster than anything is idiocy; everyday idiocy goes viral with the help of “smartphones” every minute as we have witnessed through my barely literate friend.

The media operates in the same way which is to appeal to our base receptors using the tools: sex, humour, maliciousness, suspense and myth. We love a good story and this is why some vilepapers and magazines aren’t bothered about printing lies / hearsay. If more than half the population isn’t bothered about the truth then why should the media be?

What is the result of separating truth from consciousness? The answer is pure and utter madness! Lost the plot? There is no plot! If there was a plot it doesn’t seem to exist anymore. Truth is the new Holy Grail for those who seek it! Lies continue to be a religion that the masses love to follow and worship with their own embellishments.

ANTISOCIAL NETWORKING
What better way to spread the viral of Idiocy than through social networking media?

I think there should be a distinction between freedom of speech and derisory foolishness. If you are not prepared to speak intelligently and truthfully then it is an abuse of the freedom to speak. When a child utters unintelligible babble we laugh. But when an adult takes the time to create an antisocial soapbox using social network mediums it becomes a virtual church for Idiocy whereby individuals wear their ill-conceived notions with great pride. It is amazing! Bewildering! Frightening!

Yet for all its wonder a lot of these virtual churches of Idiocy go against the social networking rules. It is illegal to incite hatred of any nature and to harass. The anti-Josie Cunningham pages on Facebook and sentiments on Twitter shouldn’t be allowed to fester.

Could it be that Ms. Cunningham is using the interest for publicity? I really do not know. If it is a stunt then ‘stunt’ is the operative word. If we are not careful we could be breeding a reproach that could have tragic consequences.

We know that some members of society are not able to discern fantasy from reality. A British soapstar went through a period of constant abuse in real life because her character (in a popular soap) swapped her dead baby for a living child belonging to another couple in a controversial storyline. It is hard to believe so many people exist who are in desperate need of a reality check. While such individuals go unchecked their delusions are being fed with the aid of these (anti)social networking virtual churches of Idiocy. Beware!

Cant bear to see that mongooses face no more " the one with a face like an a$$h0le who had the boobjob Shes got the publisity now " she dont need No more lets see one in ten years time when they start hanging to the floor and the n.h.s dont pay for them to be corrected And her mongo faced mush aint so smug tehe :-D

The above is one of the milder sentiments directed at Ms. Cunningham; other sentiments are unrepeatable and unprintable with varying levels of correct spelling, grammar and punctuation.

COUNSELLING

In the first part the ‘Booby Trap’ blog I asserted that Ms. Cunningham will be in dire need of counselling but I think it’s those who are expressing the most horrendous hatred towards her who need counselling too! They need it most!

I repeat: Technology is supposed to liberate us, not enslave! Do not take the bait!

Thank you for reading!


Please check out the Synapse Circuit website for video, i-PDF and more! 

Synapse Circuit Dot Com

Thursday, 28 March 2013

ANTISOCIAL NETWORKING: THE BOOBY TRAP!














ANTISOCIAL NETWORKING: 


THE BOOBY TRAP! 

Good evening, Synapse Circuit Readers! If you have read my ‘Antisocial Networking’ blogs you’ll know all about how ordinary people can become vile bullies and often not even realize it! Yes, people who call themselves religious can fall into the trap of being a bully! Trust me; anyone can become a bully...
Even YOU!!!!

Tonight I have to bring your attention to the vilest exploitation from many streams... I will show you...

THE WITCH HUNT OF JOSIE CUNNINGHAM

JOSIE CUNNINGHAM IS...

...a young woman who, despite the tragic loss of young women to suicide from bullying, Amanda Todd being the most shocking and prominent suicide I have ever had the misfortune to see... Josie Cunningham is a young woman who is being exploited in the vilest way possible. Meat for the grinder...

Today, through a morning television discussion program, I learned that Josie Cunningham had a “boob job” on the free National Health Service (UK) much to the disgust of some people. I felt that the television program in question has contributed to what I see as a modern day witch hunt; the presenter saw fit to make a jibe at Cunningham’s looks. It is despicable! The presenter should have known better!

 The audience are being manipulated; they are being guided to resent Cunningham for having a free boob job at the expense of the tax payer! What do we know about Josie Cunningham other than having a boob job via the NHS? Did she have a job? Did she ever work? What about her parents? They must have worked and if they worked part of their earnings went into tax. Therefore Jose Cunningham shouldn’t be vilified for having what she sees as corrective surgery through the NHS.


MEDIA MIRROR ON THE WALL WHAT WILL BE THE NEXT HEADLINE TO SHAME US ALL?
The vile newspaper, The Sun, has exploited not only Cunningham but anyone who has been angered by the headline and subheading:

"I don’t know hooter thank first

Wannabe Josie so pleased with taxpayer-funded op..."

Anyone falling for that is simply a fool. A fool looking to take his or her frustrations out on someone undeserving! The article – if it can be called that – is unreadable! Sure, it’s written in English but it is in the language of Idiocy (in the extreme).

We are also told of a child cancer victim who was denied treatment. What do we know about the unfortunate child? Do we know if the cancer is treatable? Could the child survive the treatment if one were possible? We don’t know too much. What the article does is appeal to the emotions with injustice as a theme to rile the reader.

What is laughable about the whole thing is that the vilepaper, The Sun, is well known for the exploitation of young women posing topless for the (in)famous page 3. It is highly likely that The Sun has paid Cunningham a few thousand for posing topless in their vilepaper.

The Sun has spawned many a Glamour Modelling career for hundreds of women – especially Jordan aka Katie Price. The Sun vilepaper contributes to the media’s idea of how women should look. Personally, I do not like that “Plastic-Porno” look on women at all.

I see the media’s exploitation of Josie Cunningham is not so dissimilar to the evil work of the serial abuser celebrity, Jimmy SaVILE (who was allowed to get away with decades of abuse because it involves not only other celebrities, but politicians too). Sure, Josie Cunningham isn’t a child but who knows the state of her intellect? Who knows how fragile her mind is? How is she coping with the horrible abuse that is aimed at the way her face looks?

Who knows if Cunningham suffers from body dysmorphic disorder and will this public backlash affect her for the worse?

FACEBOOK’S NASTY NETWORKING
Yes, trust Facebook to fester more vitriolic sentiments towards Josie Cunningham. Of course, it’s not the owners themselves but the small minded misguided anger of common people (with no common sense) who feel that it is their duty to make an example of Cunningham and in their small mindedness they feel that it is perfectly ok to aim disgusting derisory comments upon her pictures.

It is bullying! And it should be unacceptable!

What people should be angry about is the fact that this coalition government is punishing those on low income to keep the rich in the lifestyle they have become accustomed to. Next month the UK government will activate a Draconian law in the welfare system regarding subsidised housing. The government say that if a person has more than one bedroom then they must contribute money for that “spare” room. It is a stupid law as who can say that the individual is not making good use of the “spare” room as storage? Yes, by all means re-house folk on welfare to meet their needs. However, there aren’t enough housing provided by the government to enable folk who are out of work to be able to afford the rent. So, if the person found a job they could pay the rent without being subsidised. But this current government is unable to think that far ahead but they can sanction bank managers paying themselves millions in bonuses.

In the UK the cost of living is going up: Gas; Electricity and Water costs are rising and those on welfare are already struggling without these Draconian laws that will come into effect next month!

This is how mentally dull some of us have become.

I have a good mind to direct you to abuse the Facebook account holders who are having a witch hunt upon Cunningham. But two negatives will only result in more negativity.

COUNSELLING
I think Josie Cunningham could have done with some good counselling - if you ask me. I would have given her a couple of footballs to wear on her chest for a couple of weeks and then ask her if it made her feel intelligent. She's another casualty of the media's portrayal of what a woman is supposed to look like!

I think after this witch hunt Josie Cunningham will need counselling.

Technology is supposed to liberate us, not enslave!


ANTISOCIAL NETWORKING: BOOBY TRAP PART 2

Thank you for reading!


Please check out the Synapse Circuit website for video, i-PDF and more! 

Synapse Circuit Dot Com!

Wednesday, 27 March 2013

BUDGET POSSIBILITIES: BLU PRODUCTS: STUDIO 5.3 II

A familiar design in black and white! I like it! 















BLU PRODUCTS: STUDIO 5.3 II

Good early morning or late evening, Synapse Circuit Readers! As you know, the Android market is huge! HUGE!!!! There are so many handsets available that you probably haven’t even heard of! One possible handset manufacturer is Blu Products! Blu Products have a number of Android handsets but the Studio 5.3 II caught my eye!

I wonder when the UK (and rest of the world) will see such handsets enter the marketplace! Hmmm... Anyway, take a look at the spec:

STUDIO 5.3 II SPEC
·         Android V4.1 Jelly Bean
·         3G Dual Band HSDPA 7.2 Mbps
·         5.3" IPS Technology Display
·         540 x 960 qHD Resolution
·         720p HD Recording
·         4GB Internal Memory, 512MB RAM
·         Micro SD Slot up to 32GB
·         1GHz Dual Core
·         3.5mm Audio Jack
·         Bluetooth
·         Wi-Fi Hotspot
·         8MP Auto Focus Main and 2MP Secondary 

GOOD?
Because you have read my ‘Anatomy of a Handset’ blog you should know that the above spec is kind of average or at least the kind of innards that you’d expect from a budget smartphone. But if you don’t need to have the most powerful handset going then the Studio 5.3” could be a great option price depending!

I would expect to pay in the region of £180 for it considering that one can purchase a decent budget Sony – the Xperia U for around £100. The spec is very similar only the Studio 5.3 II screen is bigger, 5.3” in comparison to the 3.5” of the Xperia U. The Studio 5.3” also has a lot for a microSD card up to the 32GB, the Xperia has no external storage options.

I do think that the Studio 5.3 II is a very, very good option (price depending) for less demanding users. I can imagine that the rental price would be pretty reasonable too! Oh, I forgot to mention that the camera is a decent 8MP compared, once again, to the 5MP camera that is in the Xperia U!

DÉJÀ VU?
You’ve probably noticed that the Studio 5.3 II bears a striking resemblance to the Samsung Galaxy Note II or the S3 – depending on the angle... From the side it’s the Note II... Full on, S3! But it looks as though Blu Products aren’t deploying a UI (user interface) skin over Android 4.1, Jelly Bean due to no physical home button (like aforementioned Samsung models). I could be wrong! I am curious to find out!

I think it is about time that such handsets enter the UK (and Worldwide) market! The budget smartphone market could do with a shot in the arm! Bring it!

I will be bringing you more info on budget handset very soon!

Thank you for reading!


Please check out the Synapse Circuit website for video, i-PDF and more! 

Synapse Circuit Dot Com!

SYNAPSE CIRCUIT: THE GALAXY S4 ON THREE ULTRAFAST NETWORK





SYNAPSE CIRCUIT: THE GALAXY S4 ON THREE ULTRAFAST NETWORK

Good late afternoon, Synapse Circuit Readers! Apologies for the blog gap! I have been busy making some changes on the Synapse Circuit Dot Com site! I think it looks better! What do you reckon? Anyway, I am on the Tech-Blog case and will be returning to my prolific output very, very soon!

THE SAMSUNG GALAXY S4 – THE MOST ANTICIPATED HANDSET IN THE WORLD IS COMING TO UK NETWORK, 3!

Yes! I’ve not long to go before I can upgrade to the Samsung Galaxy S4! I have registered my interest on 3! As you can see the S4 is ready for the 3 Ultrafast network!

Again, many people have accused me of being biased towards Samsung and that I am blinkered but nothing can be further from the truth...

Let me ask you a question... What am I beyond a journalist? Oh, I see some of you are scratching your heads... Yes, that’s right... I am a consumer! What am I going to consume? The very best that I can afford! And it is my duty to be biased in that way. Ultimately, I am a blank sheet that forms an opinion from surveying the competition. So, obviously, I am going to tell you, my Dear Synapse Circuit Reader, my opinion. You could take what I have written onboard or you can be derisive of it. I can’t say that derision matters to me because it will not change my viewpoint after due consideration.

ARGUMENTS
It is so funny and weird when someone chooses to argue on the strength of their favourite brand / manufacturer instead of the facts. Some dude was trying to tell me how the HTC One was better than the Galaxy S4 and this dude considered himself to be a self-confessed “Geek” but I don’t know where he was getting his info from as he turned out to be wrong on all accounts regarding the CPU – he was saying that the HTC One 1.7 GHz CPU is faster than the 1.9 GHz CPU in the S4. Both CPUs are produced by Qualcomm, the Snapdragon. Yes, we in the UK are not getting the octo-core CPU! We are getting the Qualcomm Snapdragon instead, but I am not going to turn my nose up at 1.9 GHz!

Again, there’s the question over the battery... S4 has a removable 2600 mAh battery to the non-removable HTC One 2300 mAh. C’mon! Be real!

I can’t wait to see the TV ad campaign for the Galaxy S4. Typically, the HTC One ad concentrates on just one aspect, the frontal speakers! No doubt that the frontal speakers look great into the design and probably sounds just as great as they look. But seriously, how practical is that when in public the polite thing to do is use the headphones or earplugs provided? I personally do not use my handset to listen to music so I will not appreciate the frontal speakers. Audio on my Samsung’s for watching video has been very good. Therefore, at least to me, the speakers aren’t an issue. That said, I wonder how many folk by those extended speaker docks for their handsets? I know that there are a lot available for the iPhone and iPod, but I don’t see that many for Android based handsets. Hmmm, I have never really thought about using my handset as a means to provide music before. Hmmm... Anyhoo, I put the facts to this “geek” and I haven’t heard from him since!

The only satisfaction I get from winning such arguments is the knowledge that I have presented correct information. I do take pride in my writing! Of course, I am bound to get some things wrong and I am not above admitting my mistakes as and when I make them! I don’t consider myself to be an infallible Tech-Guru! Lol! I wish I were!

ILLOGICAL
I am well aware that the public make their decisions based on other factors than the hardware. I mean, any handset with a quad-core CPU clocking over 1.5 GHz isn’t going to be shabby! Yes, there are those who find screens over 4.5” too much to fit in the trouser pocket (how about the jacket pocket?) and so on and so forth! It’s all good!

That’s the beauty of Android handsets... You get a variety to choose from to suit you. I am not here to influence you in any way! I am just here to present what I see as important facts or issues that you should consider – perhaps! But that’s why you read my blogs, right! It is not lost on me that there some out there who read my blogs to wind themselves up! It’s like those TV complainers who deliberately set out to watch a specific show and complain the heck out of it when there are other channels to explore! It’s a strange, but still a wonderful world.

I liked the HTC One so much that I was considering it; but for my needs... Er, no! Don’t let me stop you!

I am looking get my S4 on the 3 network for the Ultrafast data speeds! 4G is way to expensive for me! 

Hey, have you gone to a mobile phone shop and the shop assistant says bad things about 3 when you want to make the switch or go on it for the first time? Please let me know and give enough detail as possible. The same goes for a telesales person dissuading you from going to 3!  

COMPLETELY UNRELATED
I would just like to acknowledge the tragic deaths of two young girls:

Olivia Langley who died when her buggy was blown into the path of a delivery van on the 26th of March.

Jade Lomas-Anderson, 14, mauled to death by dogs also on the 26th March.

May they rest in peace and my sincere condolences to their family and friends. These deaths are really upsetting... Young lives taken in such horrific circumstances.

Thank you for reading!


Please check out the Synapse Circuit website for video, i-PDF and more! 

Synapse Circuit Dot Com!

Tuesday, 26 March 2013

Reallusion Brings Facial Animation for Mobile Games to GDC


Reallusion Brings Facial Animation for Mobile Games to GDC

Reallusion Unveils New Universal Pipeline That Enables Any Game Character to Come to Life from Head to Toe

San Francisco, CA, March 26, 2013Reallusion (GDC booth #2031), the award-winning leader of 3D and 2D Cinematic tools, today unveiled its universal facial pipeline for game designers with iClone 5.4. New features enable any game character to be imported and come to life from head to toe. Easy-rig characters with bone, bone-morph or morph-based character for auto-lip-synch and motion puppeteering. 

"We want to do for game designers and developers what we've done for animators and filmmakers," said John Martin, VP Marketing, Reallusion. "With universal support for game developers, the iClone Animation Pipeline evolves the ability to quickly generate characters and talking avatars on a budget for indie, commercial and educational projects."

iClone 5.4 and 3DXchange 5.4 enliven any 3D character with body-motion and facial-animation to enable game developers to generate character motions for any game engine.  Unity 4.1’s Mecanim animation is fully supported by iClone with an optimized pipeline for creating game character motions.  iClone enhances support for DAZ3D’s Genesis characters with new one-click capability to import and rig Genesis 3D characters for face and body animation in iClone.  GameBones in iClone 5.4 adds a specialized skeleton for developers to utilize in their character design offering a more efficient game content creation solution. 

iClone & 3DXchange simplify the animation pipeline with quick character FBX import and complete character animation creation.  iClone & 3DXchange  bring power-tools for developers with or without animation experience. Reallusion’s iClone and CrazyTalk interactive avatars are on display at the GDC Expo portion of the Game Developers Conference, March 27-29, booth #2031.

Video: New iClone Facial Animation Features
New Facial Animation Features in iClone 5.4 & 3DXchange 5.4 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WQPlsudTekw

iClone 5.4 Features:

     Full Facial Animation for Bone, Morph and Bone-Morph Faces (DAZ, Zbrush, Autodesk)
     Look At & Auto Blink for imported 3D characters
     Viseme Strength Tuning
     New G5 Talking Heads for Better Lip-sync & Tongue Movement
     Improved Motion Editing
     View Bone Mode & Edit IK for Extended Bones
     Custom Spring Effects for Props


iClone on the "Nick Kroll Show" on Comedy Central:


GET STARTED:
iClone 5.4 is available now. Download your free trial copy: http://www.reallusion.com/iclone/iclone_whatsnew_v54.aspx

###
About Reallusion, Inc.
Headquartered in Silicon Valley, Reallusion is a leading-edge software developer providing cinematic animation tools for PC, Mac and mobile platforms.  Reallusion’s pioneering storytelling technology excelling at character animation, facial morphing and voice lip-sync allows fast creation of interactive avatars for 3D real-time filmmaking and previsualization for professional post-production. Their powerful yet easy-to-use tools make character animation accessible to both Mac and PC users of all skill levels. Reallusion’s development of core technologies and growing base of intellectual property firmly establish the company as power among emerging technology innovators, furthering their graphic and imaging embedded kernels to top-brand device manufacturers worldwide.

Friday, 22 March 2013

SYNAPSE CIRCUIT BROADCAST 2: DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHY



SYNAPSE CIRCUIT: BROADCAST 2

Good late afternoon / early evening, Synapse Circuit Readers! Thank you so much for reading the blogs! I can see that you really like them – more so than the iPDFs! I don’t blame you... The Interactive PDFs are hefty and they take time to download! And there are a serious amount of pages to read! Anyhoo...

SYNAPSE CIRCUIT BROADCAST 2 IS ONLINE: THE SUBJECT IS DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHY!

Take a look to see what is on offer for your digital photographic needs! It may astound you! Here’s what you can expect to see:

Serif PhotoPlus X6 – Could this be a viable alternative to Photoshop? Well, it very well could be... Take a look to see if it serves your needs! It’s come a long, long way! If you take regular photographs on your digital camera or mobile then you really ought to take a look at this!

Samsung NX210 20.3MP digital camera – Are you looking to go beyond your reasonable camera on your smartphone? Great! Take a look at this! The NX210 boasts Wi-Fi and a 15mm – 55mm lens! The NX210 could be just the very thing you are looking for!

Reallusion FaceFilter Pro 3 – Now this could come in handy if you are into taking portraits or have the ambition to set-up your own photographic studio / imaging. I think you could be amazed by this product! Check it out!

SYNAPSE CIRCUIT DOT COM
Keep a watch out on the Synapse Circuit website as there will be some exciting new competitions to come!

The videos will continue to get more frequent! There’s a lot planned! So, stay tuned...

Thank you for reading!


Please check out the Synapse Circuit website for video, i-PDF and more! 

Synapse Circuit Dot Com!

Tuesday, 19 March 2013

SAMSUNG: DEPARTING FROM ANDROID?



SAMSUNG: DEPARTING FROM ANDROID?

Good evening, Synapse Circuit Readers! Are you enjoying the Jelly Bean upgrade on your Motorola RAZRi? I certainly am!

There’s some odd bit of rumour going around...

THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN GOOGLE AND SAMSUNG ISN’T GREAT AT THE MO’...

Can this be true? This notion has come about through the launch of the Galaxy S4 on the 14. Some observers are saying that because Android wasn’t mentioned there must be bad blood between the two massive tech-giants. Hmmmm... Is this the proverbial poop stirring? I suppose we will learn of an exploding S4 in due course... Hmmmm... I wonder where that stunt would emanate from. Let’s have a look...

LIFE IS A CABARET
No matter what we thought of the launch the fact is that Samsung didn’t concentrate on even its own Exynos processor or Qualcomm’s Snapdragon. What Samsung did was to concentrate on what the S4 can do for our lives. As I stated in another blog, Samsung by now expects its audience / consumer base to know the value of this premium handset in terms of base hardware:

Quad-core processor.
Android.

To dwell on the above items would not have been a waste of time, no. I always like to hear about processor speeds and what Android brings to the table. But we know it or should know it by now. I guess time wouldn’t allow for Samsung to wax on about the processor and the latest version of Android. I think there was barely enough time to fit in all of what the S4 can do!

Could Samsung have made more time if the presentation wasn’t so dramatic? I doubt it! As different as the presentation was, Samsung can in no way be faulted for not giving the audience valuable information and I think the dramatic set-ups were effective. Enough said on the presentation!

Oh, I just want to say that I would love to see Samsung launch the Galaxy Note 3 in Canada, Toronto with the help of renowned director David Cronenberg! I wanna see Cronenberg do some movie short with the Note 3 camera! Yeah, I know they used Win Wenders in Berlin but I think with an artist of Cronenberg’s stature it will compliment the Note 3 to great and most memorable effect! Heck, I don’t know why Samsung don’t put Cronenberg’s name to the Note 3 as I predict sales will go through the roof! Yes, I am a huge Cronenberg fan and I don’t think David Cronenberg has done anything since the famous Nike ad a good while back! I am such a nut sometimes! Lol!

GOOGLE ANDROID
If Samsung is upset with Google it could be that they thought they didn’t get enough support from Google with the Apple lawsuit that cost Samsung over $1 billion; however that figure has been halved due to certain realizations of the case... Who knows where that’s going for sure? I think that Samsung will be exonerated simply because Apple has not been able to show anything that can challenge the S3 and Note 2. You would have thought by now Apple would have a substantial device to show that Samsung are inferior. Uh-uh! Far from it! Anyway, that should be common knowledge by now!

Could it be that Samsung have purposely stepped out of the way in terms of talking about Android knowing that the Google i / o developer conference is going to happen in May? Here we hope to learn more about Android; new version, 5 Key Lime Pie, what it can do, etc. I believe that the conference is going to be bigger than last year!

Samsung is doing exceptionally well from Android and I think it wouldn’t make any sense business wise to depart from Google.

ANDROID IS OPEN SOURCE
Samsung have always used their TouchWiz skin over Android and HTC has its Sense skin and other manufacturers have placed their own unique take on Android – even Motorola. That’s the point of Android - it gives manufacturers the option to embellish with their own flavour! Samsung has certainly made great use of Android and with the S4 they have really gone out of their way to blend Android and TouchWiz seamlessly. I think it works (from what I have seen of it).

But, hey... Hang on... Samsung has produced a lot of Android handsets last year such as the Grand! I have lost track of how many Android handsets are out there courtesy of your friendly neighbourhood Samsung! So, where does the idea come from that Samsung is getting ready to depart from Google Android?

TIZEN?
Tizen is another promising operating system that is based on Linux like Android is. Samsung is promising to launch a high-end Tizen handset later this year. But is that reason enough to assert that Samsung is preparing to part with Android?

Did the tech-observers say the same thing when they launched their premium Windows handset? To be honest I don’t remember. How many S3s did Samsung sell last year? Over 40 million! And Samsung are going to turn that tap off???? I don’t think so somehow...

SUSPICION
I do wonder if this rumour is put out there to destabilize the Galaxy S consumer... Are we meant to think, ‘Oh, better not go Samsung, they won’t be doing Android for much longer...’ Hmmm...

Watch out for more rumours concerning the Galaxy S4... Lol!

Thank you for reading!


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Monday, 18 March 2013

SAMSUNG: THAT SYNCHING FEELING...



SAMSUNG: HomeSync

Good early morning, Synapse Circuit Readers! One of the items that Samsung previewed albeit at a glance is the HomeSync home cloud for storing, sharing and streaming content across multiple devices.

THAT SYNCHING FEELING...
Samsung Electronics Co, Ltd., a global leader in digital media and digital convergence technologies, today announced Samsung HomeSync, a home hub solution that a shared storage fit for a family, the best entertainment experience on a big screen TV, and a new way of enjoying your HDTV through a familiar and smarter Android user experience.  

SHARED STORAGE FOR A FAMILY
HomeSync’s 1TB drive can help you sync to multiple devices, providing shared or private storage for all your content. It supports eight separate accounts to cover a whole family, and allows each user to upload and download content from multiple devices and instantly share with other family members. File encryption and user-specific ID and password ensure content in a user’s private area remains separate from the shared area in HomeSync.

ENTERTAINMENT ON A BIG SCREEN
The HomeSync brings the best of Android gaming, movies, TV shows and streaming content direct into your living room. It allows you to stream content from your Galaxy device wirelessly to the TV – letting you watch, see and use all your home videos, photos and apps, and all at a full HD 1080p.

GIVING ANY HDTV NEW SMARTS
Users can enjoy the full and familiar Android experience with HomeSync’s Jelly Bean media player and access to Play Store and all of your apps. HomeSync also enables new ways to interact with your content via the control modes enabled wirelessly on the phone.

HomeSync will be available from April 2013 starting in the US and continue to expand globally.

SYNAPSE CIRCUIT COMMENT
This HomeSync could be interesting if it is priced right. It is powered by Android – it is not clear as to which version. The spec on it looks good and it could possibly enhance a cable TV set-up! But then one has to be a Samsung fan as I can’t imagine that an iPhone user being able to make use of it.

At the time of publishing there is no news of pricing. More on this when I get more news!

TECH-SPEC

CPU
1.7GHz Dual Core

Memory
1GB DDR3 8GB eMMC 1TB HDD

Connectivity
LAN
Gigabit Ethernet
WiFi
802.11 b/g/n 2.4GHz & a/n 5GHz HT40 2x2 MIMO Channel Bonding
Bluetooth
V4.0
Interface
USB 3.0
External USB I/F Connection (x2)
Micro USB
PC Connection 11pin mUSB (x1)
HDMI out
Support (HDMI1.4)

Optical Audio
Audio Amp. Connection

Codec
Video
H.264, H.263, MPEG4, VC-1, Sorenson Spark, WMV7/8, MP43, VP8, DivX

Audio
MP3, AAC LC/AAC/eAAC, WMA 9std/10pro/Lossless, FLAC, Vorbis, AMR-NB/WB, Wav, Mid, AC-3

DRM
HDCP 1.3/2.1, Playready, Widevide, Trustzone

Thank you for reading!


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RAZRi MOTOROLA JELLY BEAN UPGRADE!



RAZRi MOTOROLA JELLY BEAN UPGRADE!

Good early morning, Synapse Circuit Readers! Thank you so much for reading my series of blogs on the Galaxy S4! I can see that you like the blogs very much and that makes me so very happy! Why, even Samsung has given me a nod on Facebook and Twitter! Cool!

Do you have the Motorola RAZRi? Are you thinking of getting it after reading my “Smartmoney” blog? Well, read on...

MARCH 18 2013
This was a great date in history for Android handsets because the RAZRi just received its Jelly Bean, 4.1.2 upgrade! Excellent!

I do think that the RAZRi is one of the most underestimated handsets going! The Android update brings more functionality to it – especially with Google Now! You’ll be able to interact with the notifications without the need to go into the app itself!

As you know or should know, the RAZRi represents great value for money if ever you wanted to get a contract! Some networks have it going for a value for money £15 a month! I believe the RAZRi is the first under £20 a month handset to have the Jelly Bean operating system!

Go for it!

Thank you for reading!


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CAN YOU SAY THE S4 IS A GAME CHANGER?



THE GALAXY S4, A GAME CHANGER?
THE AFTERMATH... A DESIGN 4 LIFE
PART 5

Good afternoon, Synapse Circuit Readers! Ok, ok... I am going to answer the question now...

THE GAME CHANGE

REALLY & TRULY
Let me tell you something right now, it was the Samsung Galaxy S2 that changed the game for Samsung. Why? I hear you cry!

While the tech-media was telling everyone that the iPhone was the best thing since wholemeal bread, it was the Galaxy S2 that was secretly selling in abundance. As soon as it was launched I knew instantly that it was better than the iPhone in terms of design and, of course, it had Android on it. Once again, all the mobile phone retailers have told me that the Galaxy S2 sold more than the iPhone; as a mystery shopper (working for my own articles / blogs) 9 out of 10 retail outlets recommended the Galaxy S2 over the iPhone. Now they don’t even have to make a recommendation because the S3 has got the vote by default! If for some reason the customer does not like the S3 they go for an HTC model instead (usually the One X).

Again, the game change happened with the Galaxy S2. The only comeback that Apple had was the Retina screen which defeated the purpose compared to the 4.5” screen of the S2! It has a great camera and takes magnificent full HD video! The S2 is an all round multimedia beast!

THE SMASH & GRAB
The Galaxy Note came along and smashed all expectations and created its own new category, the “phablet”. Then they grabbed attention with their premium software suite that allows for a great amount of productivity with the notes one can create. Apple couldn’t and cannot follow it!

The Note 2 is a great bit of gear! It can function as a computer with the special dock that will set you back an extra $100!

THE SWITCH

The S3 came along and switched things up some! It also destroyed the iPhone outright! HTC One X smashed the iPhone too! But where the S3 is strong is in its usability and functionality! Samsung put in a great feature set in the S3 that it impressed the likes of Lord Sugar, who was an electronics giant in the UK, tweeted about its virtues for days! The camera features were brilliant too! Through the functionalities alone the S3 was able to outclass the competition! HTC One X was and is a great handset but people gravitated to the S3 just because of the useful features!

THE GALAXY S4...
...has become THE GAME!

I know, I know... I am going to get the inevitable accusations of bias towards Samsung but when I see the Sony Xperia Z advertised the only feature they have to offer is that it is waterproof. Ok, I will say that the Xperia Z looks like a magnificent handset with the right features in terms of hardware. But they aren’t saying much when it comes to the functionality of the handset.

The S4 - as you have seen either through my blogs and / or the live event video - has so much to offer the consumer... A lot more! I can’t help but love the way Samsung chose not to make much of the powerful hardware – powerful quad processors are a standard now as is a good chunk of RAM! They concentrated on showing us how the S4 can be a part of their lives.

It could be possible that the Galaxy S4 could be beaten in the hardware stakes but I have yet to see any other manufacturer offer such awe inspiring functionality! I have to see what the 360 camera option can do! I wonder if it works seamlessly because they didn’t mention it at all!

I would have thought that other manufacturers would have tried to come up with user functionality in the advent of the S3, but they didn’t or at least they weren’t saying what their models can do in the adverts or on their websites.

GIMMICKS?
Yes, you have probably heard that the S4 is full of gimmicks! This sentiment comes from the competition and that seems to be mainly Apple and HTC! Oh, and the fans of the competition too!

Let me tell you, if Apple had come up with Air View they would have called it iTouch – the 'i' standing for invisible. They would have run to town and back claiming how wonderful the iTouch is! Naturally, it is the same with HTC; they went nuts with the Beats headphones but that can’t be called a game changer.

It is so funny! When the competition comes up with something unique it is called a “gimmick” and if the opposition had the idea these will be called “features”! Lol! If Apple had the Dual Camera function it’d be called i2Eye. If they had come up with the off screen pause feature they’d call it iPause.

It is so laughable when the competition feel they have to take a swipe at others. And it’s the same with the fans! I know that if the iPhone had the same features as the S4 they’d be raving about it until the cows come home!

I think that so far the S4 is the game in terms of hardware and most definitely the functionality. We’ll see if any of the competition will rise to the challenge.

So far I have heard that the iPhone 5S is coming back for revenge! Bring it on! I wonder if Apple will stick to the 4” screen – if they do I think it is game over!

All that is left for me to do on the S4 is to review it! That will come asap!

Thank you for reading!


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IS THE GALAXY S4 GAME CHANGING?



IS THE SAMSUNG GALAXY S4 A GAME CHANGING DEVICE?
THE AFTERMATH... A DESIGN 4 LIFE
PART 4

Good afternoon, Synapse Circuit Readers! So far no rain! I plan to pop at after this blog and do a bit of shopping! Oooh, it’s clouding over... Hey, do you think that the Samsung Galaxy S4 is a game changing device?

CHANGING THE GAME...

HTC
From what I have gathered through the media, HTC do not think the S4 is a game changing device, Benjamin Ho, the chief marketing officer for smartphone maker HTC, has slammed Samsung Galaxy S4, saying the new mobile by the Korean electronics giant “offers nothing new” to its users...

That doesn’t make any sense because there are great new features that I haven’t had in my Galaxy handsets (S1, S2 and Note 2). I love the Dual Camera feature and I am looking forward to using the S Translate, eye tracking features that pauses a movie when I look away from the screen, etc. As a user I can’t say that Mr. Ho speaks for me!

THE GAME CHANGER: iPHONE & ANDROID
The game changing device in the wonderful world of mobile is undeniably the iPhone! However, Android changed the game up some more when they featured support for the Adobe Flash web plugin. Steve Jobs said that it, (Flash) posed many problems for his devices and Android said, ‘Not for us!’ So, for many who do not want constrictions, Android was the game changing software because it was and is the most accommodating!

Typically, Apple has, as you know, responded to the Samsung Galaxy S4 with an extra advertising page to its website stating how much the iPhone 5 is loved!

Let’s break it down, shall we... Hahahaha!

Here’s what they say...

“Apparently love can be measured. In eight straight studies by J.D. Power and Associates — that’s every study since the first iPhone was introduced — iPhone has been ranked “Highest in Customer Satisfaction with Consumer Smartphones.” iPhone ranked highest in the study, which reviewed the following categories: performance, physical design, features, and ease of operation.”

I have never heard of J.D. Power and Associates. All I can say about their claims is that I know so many iPhone users who want to switch to either a Galaxy S3 (and now the S4) and Galaxy Note II. The reasons may soon be apparent.

“It’s nearly impossible to make a device so thin and light without sacrificing features or performance. Yet iPhone 5 achieves that goal. It’s an accomplishment of engineering as much as one of design. Every detail and every material — particularly the sleek aluminum enclosure — has been meticulously considered and refined. And it’s made with a level of precision you’d expect from a finely crafted watch, not a smartphone. As a result, iPhone feels substantial in your hand and perfect in your pocket.”

What can one say to that? There’s no denying that the iPhone 5 looks good. I honestly don’t like the design above the Samsung models that I own. I have said it many times, but I will say it again... It is the polycarbonate material that houses the Samsung premium handset makes it more durable than the iPhone. I have seen so many iPhones with cracked screens and chipped / dented bodies that would have me purchase a protective case immediately if I were an iPhone user. But I think that there are many vein iPhone users who do not wish to hide the wonderful aluminium aesthetics. I have dropped my S2 a few times, I should get a case for it, and nothing happened – not even a scratch!

“The Retina display on iPhone ushered in the era of super-high-resolution displays. Its pixel density is so high, your eye can’t distinguish individual pixels. The images and words are amazingly vivid and crisp. Everything just looks so real. In fact, once you see a Retina display, you’re never satisfied with anything less. Yet it remains a feature found only on iPhone and other Apple products.”

The Retina display was a unique feature but it isn’t anymore. The HTC One display features a massive 468 ppi! The Galaxy S4 display is a respectable 441 ppi! And guess what? The iPhone 5 screen amounts to 326 ppi! So, I guess that puts the Retina display in its place!

Also bear in mind that the iPhone screen is quite small at 4” compared to the wonderfully large screens that feature in many premium Android handsets. In my humble opinion, I would rather have a larger screen with less ppi than an iPhone with a smaller screen. It’s like packing a great clarity into a 15” computer monitor and saying that it is better than a 22 inch monitor! As it happens most 21” or 22” monitors are full HD 1920 x 1080! It is great that the Galaxy S4 combines a high pixel per inch density and a full HD resolution! Thus the S4 full HD Super AMOLED display beats the Retina.

“It’s impressive that iPhone 5 gives you long battery life so you can easily make it through your day. You get up to 8 hours of talk time, up to 8 hours of browsing over cellular networks, and up to 10 hours of video playback.2 But it’s extraordinary that we fit such a powerful battery into such a thin and light design — all thanks to Apple scientists who created unique battery chemistry instead of settling for a large, off-the-shelf option.”

Hmmm... Some iPhone 5 users have complained that the battery life is poor! For those who say that I am biased towards Samsung I have to say that it’s not true because it is iPhone users that are coming to me with complaints. Yet at the same time, I am a reviewer and ultimately I am going to be biased if a product is better than another.

Again, for the umpteenth time... Many manufacturers would like to think that their batter offers great life and most of them do in standby mode; it’s when you start consuming media i.e. YouTube, Internet, music and so on the battery starts to deplete! Of course, if you have WiFi and Bluetooth on the battery will deplete even faster!

Annoyingly for iPhone users the battery is non-removable. This is why I would never touch the iPhone! Say I was using the iPhone on the road and sending and receiving important email and the battery died, what do I do? With most Android handsets I can just replace the dead battery with a spare. I do think that manufacturers ought to place a spare in the box!

“Apple designed the A6 chip to make just about everything you do on iPhone remarkably fast. It makes quick work of even the most graphics-intensive apps, and high frame rates make gameplay feel smooth and downright real. And the A6 chip works hand in hand with iOS 6 to be extremely power efficient. So you don’t sacrifice battery life for speed.”

And the A6 chip was manufactured by Samsung if I am not mistaken! I think the A6 chip functions well from having played around with the iPhone. But I think that the quad-core CPUs in the S3 and Note 2 are exceptional; both handsets are remarkably responsive. They make light work of the applications that I use i.e. YouTube, video recording and playback and other media intensive functions. It helps that Android 4.1 Jelly Bean is faster and more responsive than ever.

“With LTE on iPhone 5, you can browse, download, and stream content at remarkable speeds. Apple engineers not only created a way to fit LTE in the thin iPhone profile, they did it in a way that optimizes battery life, too. Dual-band 802.11n accelerates your Wi-Fi experience. And because iPhone 5 supports more networks all over the world, you can connect at blazing-fast speeds no matter where you are.”

I do feel that 4G LTE is a little overrated, but it is good to have. Many Android models including the premium Samsung range has LTE compatibility as does the Galaxy S4. Unfortunately, I think the UK pricing for 4G is quite steep!

“The iSight camera on iPhone is the world’s most popular camera. It’s an amazing camera that’s always in your pocket. And while other smartphones simply tout large amounts of megapixels, taking great pictures is about so much more. The 8MP camera on iPhone 5 captures great photo data, and the hardware and software work together to make behind-the-scenes image and color adjustments. So it’s easy for anyone to take impressive photos in various lighting conditions.”

That could be true that the iPhone camera is the most popular as the iPhone initially was the one to beat! This is changing. I do think that the S3, Note 2 and S4 will be the most popular cameras with other premium handsets from other manufacturers such as Sony Xperia Z!

“The more apps, music, movies, and TV shows you download, the more you realize there’s almost no limit to what iPhone can do. With iPhone, all that content comes from one source: Apple. The iTunes Store is the world’s largest and most trusted entertainment store. And the App Store is home to over 800,000 apps — all reviewed by Apple to guard against malware. Other mobile platforms have a myriad of fragmented store options, resulting in availability issues, developer frustration, and security risks.”

Interesting... It is true that there are wonderful apps for the iPhone and that at one time Android was far behind. Today, the quality of Android apps is catching up and certainly there are just as many apps on Android as there is in the App Store. Also, iPhone users are locked into iTunes. Speaking for myself, I can’t say that I am attracted to what’s available on iTunes. I can’t say that there are movies that I would want to purchase specifically for any of my Android handsets. If I like a movie a great deal I still buy it on DVD / Bluray and it is now customary for movie distributors to include a digital version of the movie to be consumed on mobile devices. I have more freedom with Android in that I can have a variety of sources from which to get apps, etc.

Another thing to take into consideration with Apple’s scaremongering... Apple developers just have one phone to develop for whereas with Android there are so many choices to be had! Yes, it is a pain for developers but because the latest trend is for 5” and above screens there will be uniformity to Android handsets thus making it easier for developers to create apps with HD resolution. I think... I think – I can’t say for sure – Android 5 will be able to ease some of the problems for developers. There ought to be a routine that resizes apps according to the screen resolution.

You will find that the old handsets will fade into history while the newer handsets will bring about the death of older versions of Android. In saying that, I am still using my HTC Desire with Android 2.2 seamlessly! Again, Apple wants to try and fool you with the idea of “fragmentation”.

Malware? Hmmm... So far, touch wood, I haven’t experienced any malware on my handsets. I think it is wise to take advantage of deploying a good antivirus and malware protection app and to be careful over what you download. C’mon, if you are going to be downloading dodgy apps i.e. stuff to do with scantily clad women then you can expect the worst! If you’re selective about what apps you download then it limits the chance of malware. Google are doing their best to help with removing malware apps from their Play Store.

“iPhone is so easy to use thanks to iOS 6. Innovative features like Siri and FaceTime plus built-in apps make iPhone not just useful but fun. iOS updates download right on iPhone, so the latest iOS version is just a tap away. And because Apple makes both the hardware and the software, iOS features are designed to work perfectly with iPhone features like the Retina display, gyro, and accelerometer. iOS is also the platform for over 800,000 apps that let your iPhone do even more.”

I can’t honestly that the iOS 6 operating system is the best in the world. Android beats it when it comes to being flexible! Sure, Android has its flaws but there’s no way I would say that iOS is better. I prefer Android for sharing without restrictions. For example I can copy my YouTube channel link as text that I can place in any app! Or alternatively I can select from an app list that includes Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp, etc. I love that I can customise the look of my Android screens to suit me! If I want a newsfeed on a designated screen it is done! You can’t do much with iOS 6. It’s close, but no cigar!

“Siri, the intelligent assistant, lets you use your voice to send messages, schedule meetings, place calls, set reminders, and more. You can even ask Siri who’s winning the game. And with Eyes Free, you can use Siri to get things done in your car without taking your eyes off the road. You can speak naturally to Siri — it understands what you say, knows what you mean, and helps you do the things you do every day. All you have to do is ask.”

Well, on Android there is the awesome Google Now which gives results faster than Siri in the tests that I have seen. The S Voice is a good feature... On the S3 it was great to interface with the handset and with S4 the S Voice appears to have improved. You have Google Now as default and S Voice and that can’t be a bad thing!

“iCloud takes the experience of using iPhone that much further. It stores your content — your music, photos, apps, mail, contacts, calendars, documents, and more — and wirelessly pushes it to all your devices. And with Photo Stream, pictures taken on one iOS device automatically appear on all your devices, including your Mac or PC. iCloud is seamlessly integrated into your apps, and it all just works. So you’re up to date everywhere you go. All you have to do is nothing.”

Hey, there’s Google Drive and Dropbox! Now, I have been told that if you own a music track on your iPhone you can’t share it with your iPad... Is that true? I cannot say for sure, but I have been told something along those lines.

So, there you have it! I really don’t know what Apple hopes to achieve with the “Loveable iPhone” preach-vert. Once again, this only serves to highlight the Samsung Galaxy S4. I don’t look at that preach-vert and think, ‘Oh, I ought to upgrade to the iPhone 5...’ And I doubt that it would cause consumers who have gone elsewhere to return... I guess it’s there to please the fans...

In the next blog I will answer the question, ‘Is the Galaxy S4 a game changing device?’

Thank you for reading!


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