SYNAPSE CIRCUIT PHABLET TALK

LG G3: Redefining the Android handset.

SYNAPSE CIRCUIT
PHABLET TALK
Good evening, Synapse Circuit Readers. How are you? I hope that you are doing well and not sneezing every 5 minutes like me! Oooh, hayfever! Bah!

Tonight I wanna share my thoughts with you on the phablet concept!

#Phablet #SamsungGalaxyNote4 #GoogleShamu #LGGPRO3 #ASUSFONEPAD7ME372CL

iPHONE 6 5.5”
Yes, while Apple is allegedly gearing up for the iPad killing iPhone 6 5.5” us Android users have been enjoying the phablet concept since the Galaxy Note in 2011! The Dell Streak almost made it in 2010 but for some reason it didn’t take off! Never mind! I am sure that Dell can make a phablet comeback with a decent design!

Isn’t it ironic that Apple have been running down Samsung in a futile Tech-War yet the company, thanks to Samsung, is able to explore the wonderful world of the phablet?

SAMSUNG: NOTE 4
Whether you like Samsung handsets or not I bet you are curious as to what will be the Galaxy Note 4! And just in case you are not wondering about the imminent Note 4 I will not bore you with the current round of rumours as to what it will entail: flexible screen, metal chassis, retina scanner, blah, blah, blah... Thankfully, we do not have too long to wait; it is hotly tipped for the Note 4 to make its appearance in the first week in September! I think the 4^th day of to coincide with the fourth incarnation of what is proving to be a popular phablet! We shall see...

For those who have, like me, a Note 2 or if not a Note 3 aren’t you curious as to the design more than anything? It is a given that Samsung will stuff it with some serious hard to beat features but I am quite curious – concerned even – as to how it looks. Take the great but odd looking Galaxy S5 – it is a great handset but the design is pretty pedestrian. One has to ask what happened... What happened, Samsung? Why have you become as boring as Apple? C’mon, you have to admit that the iPhone is the most boring design when compared to the Android superphones! The Galaxy S3 was a major departure in design and therefore it became Samsung’s breakthrough! When Samsung followed the S3 with the S4 I think a lot of us were disappointed with the design but very much turned on by the features! But the tech-media hammered Samsung for the flamboyant S4 launch and I think that made them rethink the Galaxy S handset concept. I reckon that Samsung took the tech-media disapproval of the S4 launch as a sign that the consumer wanted something less fussy! Right and wrong! Right in that the UI interface shouldn’t get in the way; TouchWiz, for some people, is viewed as convoluted and a little “laggy”. But the good thing is that one can turn off unwanted features and some people don’t realize that. And wrong in that a majority of us want Samsung to go to town with unusual, bold design concepts and this so-so design in the S5 could be the reason why it has been reported that the sales have been a little disappointing. I think that Samsung left the design door open for others to walk right through...

LG G PRO 2 & G3
Gosh! When LG brought out the G2 it made people take notice! It made me take notice! The G Pro 2 was a handset that made HTC uneasy as they probably thought that the One M7 design would be very hard to beat. The G Pro 2 and G3 are killer designs – especially the G3 - that have pushed the One M8 back to the point of sheer frustration for HTC. I think what gives the Galaxy S5 certain edges over both the One M8 and G3 are the camera quality, fingerprint scanner and pulse monitor. In a way I can understand why Samsung wants to crystallize the Galaxy S design: they don’t want to mess around with what people have come to recognize on a mass scale. Yes, like the iPhone design. I reckon that Samsung now realizes that the consumer is not looking for “safe”.

What LG has been doing is to push the boundaries of what is the Android handset. The Nexus 5 pushed the Google experience out to near 5 inches whereas before I found Nexus designs uninspiring. I actually wanted a Nexus 5 but the Galaxy S4 camera has got to be one of the best cameras to be found on a phone! Then the G Pro 2 pushed the handset size further to almost 6”! The amazingly thin bezels didn’t make the G Pro 2 feel like a phablet. And with the G3’s 5.5” screen it has redefined the standard of the Android handset.

6.5 – 7 INCHES:
THE NEW PHABLET?
Shamu! No, this is not something that the late Michael Jackson would utter to punctuate such wonderful rhythms and melodies! Uh-uh! Shamu is the codename for the rumoured Nexus 6 handset that is said to be a 6 inch phablet to be manufactured by Motorola! Golly! I guess the Shamu / Nexus 6 will coincide with the finished Android Lollipop Lemondrop release this fall! Another thing to look forward to, Android L!

It looks to me that the new phablet size is from 6.5” to 7”! Just look at the developments of the Android handset and tablet... Handsets have gotten delightfully bigger to the point whereby anything less than 5” is seen as made for the preteen market! I told you about my nephew who is 11 and although he is the owner of an iPhone 5S he can’t help but look at the Galaxy S5 and the Note 2 and 3 simply because games and movies look great on these devices (I own a Note 2 & S4 and my brother owns an S4 & S5 – for his profession as a personal trainer). I’ve said it once; I’ve said it a thousand times: the Galaxy S4 appears so small after I’ve been using the Note 2 for extended periods.

When the Nexus 7 tablet came out I was surprised that I was able – for the most part – to operate it with one hand. It made me wonder what it’d be like if a data / network capability was added to it. Then along came the Asus 7” FonePad with 3G onboard that could act like a handset. Again, some tech-journalists (sic) say how self-conscious they’d feel by accepting / making a call on the FonePad when nobody cares! The FonePad costs a mere £130! You get quite a lot for the money:

Android OS, v4.3 (Jelly Bean)
2 MP, 1600 x 1200 pixels
4 / 8 GB, 1 GB RAM
Intel Atom Z2520, dual-core 1.2 GHz

I am sure that the next FonePad will have a little more power to it!

Archos has also released the 7” Xenon that also has 3G onboard and the only thing that lets it down is the 512MB of RAM that may prove to be a little light for the most demanding games and applications. However, the Xenon costs £79.99! Wow! It is very tempting as one of my contract handsets has died on me and it needs replacing!

The Acer Iconia Tab 7 A1-713HD certainly looks like a very interesting device... Check it out:-

Android OS, v4.4.2 (KitKat)
16 GB, 1 GB RAM
5 MP, 2592 х 1944 pixels
Quad-core
microSD, up to 32 GB
800 x 1280 pixels, 7.0 inches (~216 ppi pixel density)

I think this Iconia Tab 7 A1-713HD should reach the UK stores soon! I think the cost will be around £150!

7” tablets with 3G and 4G (I am sure that there will be some 4G enabled 7” tablets coming out soon) can so easily replace a broken handset cost effectively! This is what Apple is unable to do for the iPad and mini variant i.e. add 3G / 4G connectivity cost effectively! Also the Android tablet design is getting a lot better with smaller bezels that make the 7” tablet more comfortable to hold with one hand!

You have probably noticed that the new Android tablet standard seems to be 7.9” or 8”. The 8” tablet designs from LG and Samsung are phenomenal that they feel like 7” tablets. The LG Pad tablets do not appear to have any 3G / 4G connectivity whereas the Samsung Galaxy Tablet S has a 4G option that makes it a very attractive proposition. Oh, NVIDIA Shield Tablet is said to be available in the UK from the 1^st September 2014! A month away!

BUDGET ANDROID HANDSETS?
You should know how I feel about budget Android handsets by now... Budget Android handsets with a dual-core processor below 1.5 GHz, 512MB RAM and less than 4GB storage is a waste of money – unless you don’t mind having a few essential apps! Well, define “essential”! You will find that defining what essential apps are will be very difficult indeed as the people you want to communicate with may have free messaging / calling apps that may prove to be too large for such budget handsets. When I had a ZTE Blade handset I had to get rid of it quickly! One update of the Facebook app put paid to its usefulness! Compromised; Regressive; Aggravating and Pointless!

Sure, Motorola has come up with the Moto G that costs around £119.95 and it may be okay but add a bit more money to it and you can get a better new phablet that was once called (at least by me) the 7” tablet. Let me leave you on a positive note (no pun intended)... Synapse Circuit Readers allow me to present what I consider to be a potentially great 7” phablet...

...ASUS FONEPAD 7 ME372CL
By the looks of it this amazing phablet form (or tablet if you want to be pedantic – hee hee) is one that could challenge what manufacturers considers to be “budget” handsets and tablets. I think that manufacturers of budget Android handsets could be using the small form as a selling point. The idea of a 7” phablet may be too much for some but I welcome it because of a bigger screen, cost effective 4G connectivity, a longer battery life, faster processor, more storage capacity and so on. For me the notion of replacing a busted premium or mid-range handset with a cheap handset is a redundant one; those days are over! I predict that the Asus Fonepad 7 ME372CL will sell very, very well! Again, it is devices like this that nails the iPad & mini variant coffins tightly shut! This is a phablet that I asked for: 4G connectivity without breaking the bank and a bit of power too! This is what makes Android unstoppable! Check out the spec:-

4G LTE
2 X 2: Intel® Atom™ Multi-Core Z2560 Processor 1.6 GHz (with Intel Hyper-Threading Technology)
1GB RAM
16 GB of internal storage
Micro SD Card Reader,up to 64GB
Camera 5MP main and 1.2 MP front



That’s some great spec for the asking price of £199.99! I can’t wait to review it! If it is able to edit 4K video it would be pretty darn amazing!

THANKS FOR READING...
Please check out the Synapse Circuit site here: Synapse Circuit.com

Yes, I am well aware that the site is due an update soon! It’s coming...

Synapse Circuit for tech news, opinions, articles, reviews and competitions. You will find interactive PDF magazines, videos and links to free legal software! Check it out at Synapse Circuit dot com

SYNAPSE CIRCUIT WebSite X5 Pro 10 NEWS

SYNAPSE CIRCUIT
NEWS!
Incomedia Presents WebSite X5® Professional 10 to the Gamescom Audience.

Good evening, Synapse Circuit Readers. I hope that all is well with you and yours! I also hope that you are enjoying the summer! With this heat come hayfever, nosebleeds and heat rash! Hahaha!

#Incomedia #WebSiteX5Pro10 #Gamescom #FreeWebDesignSoftware

WebSite X5® Professional 10 revolutionizes the way Web Professionals work by providing an “all-in-one” easy solution to creating top notch websites with a high level of customization.

London, UK, July 31st, 2014 - Incomedia attends Gamescom Cologne 2014 to present WebSite X5® Professional 10, together with its other  versions Evolution 10, Home 10 and Compact 10. Incomedia WebSite X5® meets the requirements for a web design package from those who are starting off in creating their own website or blog right through to the most demanding web professional user interface regardless of the monitor size.

Gamescom is a trade fair for video games held annually at the Koelnmesse in Cologne, Germany. This year the event will take place from 13th until 17th August 2014.

Gamescom is Europe's largest gaming event, (measured by exhibition space and number of visitors) with 340,000 visitors, more than 6,000 journalists and 635 exhibitors from 88 countries attending the show in 2013.

This year Incomedia will be presenting the new WebSite X5® Professional 10 version to all the visitors at Gamescom. This software is designed to meet the needs of web designers and SMEs for creating web sites and mobile sites. It is even complete with App. 

“We are looking forward to returning to Gamescom and to be able to present WebSite X5® Professional version to the audience. As in previous years, this show is an important event in the Incomedia calendar. It gives us the opportunity to meet with existing users and to open discussions with potential new business partners.” said Incomedia CEO, Federico Ranfagni. “We have many years experience in web design which we have drawn on to create this Professional version. We have developed a software program able to meet the needs of Web professionals. This version combines a logical and intuitive interface with endless customization features resulting in a time and cost saving benefit”.

Incomedia will be pleased to welcome visitors, business partners and journalists from the 13th until 17th August 2014 at their stand A 021 in Marketpoint at Gamescom.

For more information about Incomedia: Incomedia Website: Software Solutions - multimedia publishing - Incomedia Website

For more information about gamescom: http://www.gamescom-cologne.com

About Incomedia:

Incomedia, founded in 1998, is a leading independent developer and publisher of multimedia software for the PC.

Incomedia’s flagship product WebSite X5®, currently sold in over 40 countries through a well-established network of International distributors, resellers and retailers, was developed with the aim of bringing high-end website creation software at affordable prices to home, business and education users. The software is designed specifically for users who want to publish high-quality websites and online shops, with a professional look and feel in just 5 simple steps. http://www.incomedia.eu/en/index.html

STOP THE PRESS!!!! GET A COPY OF THIS FANTASTIC WEB DESIGN PROGRAM NOW!!!

DOWNLOAD WEBSITE X5 COMPACT 9 here:

http://static.incomedia.eu/websitex5.com/v9/wsx5_cp.exe

Once you have downloaded the software you need to register it. See below to register!

REGISTER WEBSITE X5 COMPACT here:
http://www.websitex5.com/magazine/syncircpt914

THANKS FOR READING...
Please check out the Synapse Circuit site here: Synapse Circuit.com

Yes, I am well aware that the site is due an update soon! It’s coming...

Synapse Circuit for tech news, opinions, articles, reviews and competitions. You will find interactive PDF magazines, videos and links to free legal software! Check it out at Synapse Circuit dot com

SYNAPSE CIRCUIT APPLE’S PSYCH WAR

SYNAPSE CIRCUIT
APPLE’S PSYCHOLOGICAL WARFARE
Good evening, Synapse Circuit Readers. I hope that the weather is treating you well! It is so hot even after a torrent of rain that I sit sweating in front of the computer!

If the two tech God’s aren’t battling in court over patents they are certainly engaging in a psychological battle... Here is the latest...

#Apple #iPhone #iPad #Samsung #GalaxyS5 #GalaxyPrime

PROFITS?
In the past I’ve exposed how Apple’s PR puts a spin on their sales only for a more realistic figure to surface further on down the line. I saw this with the iPhone 5; the reaction from the public (as far as London goes) was not positive contrary to Apple’s smoke ‘n’ mirrors PR machine. I have revealed that smartphone retail outlets in London say that Samsung Galaxy S2, S3 and S4 are the preferred choice over the iPhone 5, 5S and 5C and not forgetting the HTC One M7! Here’s an article I wrote earlier: Is the iPhone finished?

This year I have seen that the Galaxy S5 is dominant over the iPhone 5S / 5C on the streets by a large majority. We know this is because of the larger screens that Samsung, LG, HTC and other manufacturers have to offer. This is why Apple is backtracking on the iPhone’s thumb policy / ethos and will bring out an iPhone 6 with two different screen sizes: 4.7” and 5.5”.

I read a newspaper on Wednesday, 23, July, that states that Apple sold 35.2 million iPhones in the 3 months to June and sales are up by 13%! Now I find that very hard to believe due to the fact that the article (if you can call it that) does not specify if this is the 5S, 5C or a combination of both. I just don’t buy it – pun intended!

GET READY FOR THE LAUNCH
This exaggeration of iPhone sales figures is, I suspect, to gear people up for what promises to be the biggest ever iPhone launch in history! It is rumoured that 80 million iPhone 6 units will be manufactured for the launch in September! WOW!!! But I seriously doubt that. I reckon that half that figure will be manufactured. Oh, it is a little odd that there’s no mention of an iPhone 6 C in the pipeline. Hmmmm... So, how many iPhone 6 5.5” units will be manufactured?

The reality is that Apple has been losing money since the advent of the Thunderbolt connector; this pissed a lot of Apple fans off as it meant that their peripherals were not compatible and they would have to shell out for adaptors. So, all this PR about Apple’s record profits even though the demand for the iPad has gone down is just to get the public geared up for iPhone fever in a bid to recreate the glory days of old whereby fans would line up overnight to be amongst the first to lay hands on the device that came from the iClouds!

The fall in Apple’s mobile devices is attributed to them being so good that people do not see the need to upgrade. Hmmmm... But if iPhone and iPad customers are so satisfied with their products that they do not feel the need to upgrade then how has Apple achieved its record sales? iTunes????

CANNIBALISM
Not wishing to blow my own trumpet – yet again – but I could see how that Apple have trapped themselves with being verbally derisory towards the competition and then stealing their ideas and by the release of “new” devices that are essentially bigger or smaller products of the original. The iPad mini has cannibalized the iPad and I reckon that the iPhone 5C may have eaten greatly into the 5S sales. But we know that Apple are pretty exceptional at putting on more than a brave face on things however on closer inspection you can see that things haven’t been adding up for Apple.

There is a reason why iPhone fans couldn’t enjoy the larger screens that Android and even Windows users are enjoying and it is because a larger iPhone screen will cannibalise the iPad mini! But such is the demand by iPhone users for a bigger screen that they have had to cave in but not before collaborating with IBM to make use of the surplus iPad units to be adopted for use in business – presumably for use as a PDA (personal digital assistant) or make that BDA (business digital assistant).

SAMSUNG
Yes, Apple’s smoke ‘n’ mirrors is really aimed at Samsung; the aim is to make it look like no matter what Samsung achieves that they will never beat Apple when the exact opposite is true. Samsung by the way has reported a loss of profits and I will write about that in another article.

Even talk show host and comedian Conan O’Brien had to poke a bit of fun at Apple’s imminent iPhone 6! Check it out here: Conan O’Brien

There is a lot of truth in that joke and I can imagine that Apple is fuming! Ha ha ha! But you can’t take anything from Samsung as they’ve given the world the Galaxy Note – amongst other great devices - and that’s what this rumoured iPhone 6 5.5” is aimed at! It will be interesting to see how the two devices will square up: iPhone 6 5.5” vs. Galaxy Note 4. The Galaxy Note 4 rumour mill is ramping up and it is predicted that Samsung will have an Unpacked event in the first week of September; probably the 4^th as it is the fourth Note.

Another reason why I am not convinced about Apple’s profit gain is that the article mentioned the operating system as being the best and that’s why iOS devices have such a strong customer loyalty. We know that Android surpasses iOS in use; iOS 8 has borrowed so much from Android and, like I have stated before, it is all good! iPhone and iPad users ought to enjoy what Android has had for years.

Anyhoo! With iPhone and iPad users not upgrading as they are satisfied with current models and consumers turning to Samsung, LG and HTC the question has to be asked again: How is Apple able to report such profits?

THANKS FOR READING...
Please check out the Synapse Circuit site here: Synapse Circuit.com

Yes, I am well aware that the site is due an update soon! It’s coming...

Synapse Circuit for tech news, opinions, articles, reviews and competitions. You will find interactive PDF magazines, videos and links to free legal software! Check it out at Synapse Circuit dot com

SYNAPSE CIRCUIT TABLET TALK

Above: NVIDIA Shield gaming tablet.

SYNAPSE CIRCUIT
TABLET TALK
Good evening, Synapse Circuit Readers. I hope you have had a good day and if your day is still unravelling there is still time!

What’s happening in the tablet world? Let’s have a look....

#Tablet #NVIDIASHIELD #iPad #GalaxyTabS
iPAD
Though iPad sales have fallen two quarters in a row, Apple Chief Executive Tim Cook said on Tuesday he isn't concerned, and teased that his company is working on new innovations that, along with the newly announced IBM partnership, could help reinvigorate growth.

How is it that iPad sales have been declining while Android tablets continue to grow? Okay, I will answer that question...

Apple is blessed with the OS X operating system and such wonderful toys as the Macbook Air and therefore Apple fans have worked out that they are better off with a serious computing device that has a considerable amount of longevity to it than to feel obligated into purchasing a new iPad every year or so! Apple would be better off squeezing a Macbook Air into the body of an iPad – BookPad Air! Yes? Why not? An iPad is more of a luxury these days! Besides, when Apple releases the much rumoured 5.5” inch version of the iPhone it will be bye-bye iPad!

ANDROID
Android doesn’t have the burden of a computer system – yet – and therefore it is easier for Google and associated manufacturers to create a tablet for just about any niche market: Pro; children; games; entertainment and so on. Manufacturers are able to develop tablets at considerable price point and yesteryear’s tablet going very cheaply at the moment! One can pick up a Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 7” for £140 and possibly cheaper! True, the Galaxy Tab 3 7” is Wi-Fi only but it is not a big deal to share your smartphone’s data connection whilst on the move. But at home it is just fine for browsing, entertainment, social networking and so on! The children ought to be satisfied playing on it and thus frees up your smartphone and / or PC / laptop! It would have been something if Samsung had put in a 3G compatible chip in it!

7” is the new phablet size!

It seems like years away when I picked up the Dell Streak and thought it was ginormous! Then when the Galaxy Note made its appearance and upon reviewing it I felt that I had to have one! Fast forward to the first Nexus 7; when I picked it up it was so remarkably comfortable to hold in one hand! Gosh! So, when those 6” phablets came out they seemed – at least to me – like the standard smartphone. My Galaxy S2 really feels like the dainty iPhone these days compared to my Galaxy Note II! I love the fact that I can easily fit the Note II in a trouser or jacket pocket! I am so used to watching video content and surfing the web on a big screen! It is delightful! I can no longer see myself ever going back to a screen smaller than 5”! I have a couple contracts to be renewed next year and I do not think I will be getting a handset but whopping phablets instead! One of my Motorola RAZRi has gone caput already! Never again!

CONNECTED
In one of my articles I asked manufacturers to just add 3 or 4G and have done with it! It is so inexpensive to add network capability to a tablet and I feel that Apple exploits this for far too much money – no wonder iPad sales are in decline! People want to feel liberated! Not everyone can share the data connection of their mobiles; some networks do not allow it unless the consumer takes out a rental phone for over £38! Many network providers in the UK want to exploit yet another SIM for rental to hold the consumer in yet another cage! Set them free! In the age of financial uncertainty give the consumer something to be happy about! Okay, okay... I am off the soapbox now! Ha ha!

It is good to see that there are a number of tablets with a built-in data connection. And it is foolish to read tech journalists feeling self-conscious to make / receive a call on such a tablet! It is ridiculous! I don’t care who is watching me take a call on a tablet / new phablet! It was not so long ago that these journalists were saying that they felt self-conscious using the Galaxy Note to make and accept calls; I bet they feel stupid now! Besides, there is also the Bluetooth earpiece! Oddly enough, even Bluetooth users are being made to feel foolish as this comes up regularly with comedians looking to make a cheap laugh! Okay, I am really off the soapbox now! Hee hee....

The original Samsung Galaxy Tab had 3G on it but for some reason it couldn’t make calls; I tried to take a call on it once and all I got was a bunch of white noise! It almost deafened me! It is good to see that some manufacturers have taken the initiative to add a data connection on their tablets such as the Asus Fonepad, £149! It looks pretty good and I may get one to replace my dead RAZRi but there again it has an Intel processor in it – the Fonepad! Hmmmmm... Not too keen on Intel processors just yet.

There’s also the Archos 70 Xenon 7" for a mere £79.99 that features a 3G connection; sure it is not the most powerful tablet in the world what with MediaTek MT8312 processor (1.2 GHz, dual-core) and 512 MB of RAM onboard but it could really work!

This trend continues with the Huawei MediaPad M1 that retails at £219 but with a 4G connection and it is very tempting! It features a quad-core 1.6 GHz, an 8” 800 x 1280 pixel resolution (~189 ppi pixel density) and 1GB RAM! It is pretty good for a 4G device even though the screen is of a low resolution. Then how about...

...NVIDIA AGENTS OF THE SHIELD TABLET
Huh? Huh? I am liking this one in particular! The NVIDIA Shield is pretty juicy for an 8” 4G tablet! Look at the spec:-

Tegra K1 (192 core Kepler) GPU, 2.2GHz Quad Core CPU, 2GB of RAM and an 8” 1920x1200 multi-touch Full HD display! YES!!! It comes in two flavours:-

16GB Wi-Fi £239.99

32GB Wi-Fi & 4G £299.99

What’s not to like? Incidentally, the Shield design looks quite similar to the HTC One M8 and the aforementioned Huawei MediaPad M1which is not a bad thing. The NVIDIA Shield could very well be my first tablet as the specs make it ideal for the purpose of making music on the fly!

MICROSOFT ON THE SURFACE
It is funny how things work out, huh? It wasn’t so long ago when Tim Cook was laughing at Microsoft’s effort, the Surface! But it turns out that Microsoft have the best idea; instead of creating yet another operating system in the sea of OpSys’ Microsoft are doing its best to pack what is essentially a laptop into a tablet form; Surface Pro 2. It is pretty expensive for the top of the range powerhouse of a tablet... £1,279.00 gets you:-

Intel® Core™ i5-4200U Processor (1.6 GHz, 2.6 GHz with TurboBoost, 3 MB cache)
8GB RAM
512 GB storage
10.6" screen, 1920 x 1080 (207 ppi)
USB 3
MicroSD card reader
5MP camera
3.5MP webcam
Battery lasts up to 15 days

Now that’s what I call a tablet but at that price it is too much to swallow! Oh, you do get the full version of Windows 8.1! The cheapest Surface tablet with the full version of Windows 8.1 is £649! The latest Surface Pro 3, as far as I can see, isn’t yet available in the UK! Goodness knows how much that will cost! I have seen a comparison between the Surface Pro 3 with i5 processor compared to the Macbook Air and that indicates how powerful it is. But I would imagine that the serious Windows user would invest in a top of the range multimedia / gaming rig for best value! I’ve said it once and a thousand times, “The Surface Pro must come in at a lower price point...” Who would feel comfortable taking such an expensive tablet on the road? If you’re not given to clumsiness there are thieves to consider and they are bold! The top of the range Surface Pro ought to come with a taser or some “smart-weapon” that temporarily incapacitates as opposed to being lethal! Ha ha!

Microsoft’s Satya Nadella reckons that the Windows operating system will be the same for all devices! This I have to see! I wonder how long that will take... ...we see that Android “L” is going be compatible with 64-bits and will be able to run on numerous CPU architectures. It could very well be that Android will be able to run on a PC! Fancy that?! Android on a PC could be very interesting.

However, I would imagine that most PC users would rather go for and Android tablet instead of forking out what is an arm and a leg for a Windows tablet! I know that’s my thinking! I mean just look at the Microsoft Office compatible alternatives available for Android! Do I really need a Windows tablet? Hmmmm... I don’t think so somehow!

Oh, here’s a question: When Android eventually becomes 64-bit does that mean music making apps will be able to utilize VST instruments and effects? Is this feasible? In any event I am sure that someone will come up with some great instruments to take up the lead where Single Cell Software Caustic left off! I have to say that because of music apps such as Caustic I want a tablet more than ever!

Hey, soon I will be able to bring you a review of Archos GamePad 2! It looks pretty darn good! Watch this space!

THANKS FOR READING...
Please check out the Synapse Circuit site here: Synapse Circuit.com

Yes, I am well aware that the site is due an update soon! It’s coming...

Synapse Circuit for tech news, opinions, articles, reviews and competitions. You will find interactive PDF magazines, videos and links to free legal software! Check it out at Synapse Circuit dot com

SYNAPSE CIRCUIT SAMSUNG LOSS

Above: The Samsung Galaxy Alpha! 

SYNAPSE CIRCUIT
SAMSUNG: LOSS?
PART ONE
Good afternoon, Synapse Circuit Readers. It’s great to see you today! It’s another scorching hot day and my fan is set to warp speed!

Gosh! The mighty Samsung making a loss! How?

#Samsung #GalaxyS5Prime #GalaxyS5Premium #GalaxyAlpha #GalaxyKZoom #GalaxyNote4 #GalaxyS5
SATURATION?
Samsung Electronics Co Ltd (KRX:005935) reported its second straight quarterly drop in profits mainly because of its loss-making flat-screen panel business and weaker demand for high-end smartphones in the first quarter of the year, but managed to narrowly surpass its revenue guidance for the quarter.

Hmmmm... The answer to the above is the competition on the rise... Remember this article: The Chinese Are Coming? Well, that’s what is happening at the moment; Chinese and other manufacturers are entering the market virulently!

Just go to your local supermarket here in the UK and you can pick up a HD 1080p flatscreen panel by unknown manufacturers at a relatively cost effective price compared to the known brands i.e. Samsung.

As far as smartphones go and a notion of a “weaker demand for high-end smartphones...” I am not too sure about that.
PIONEERS
Samsung faces a different market today whereby what used to be considered as a low-end phone is yesteryears high-end handset! Gosh! Shock? Horror? No! It is inevitable that with the advent of the Galaxy S4, S5, Note 2 and 3 that the S3 and Note were bound to come down in price. And, of course, we have the many competing manufacturer handsets such as the Sony Xperia Z1for as little as £18 a month line rental and the Huawei G6 for £14 per month – bargains! I don’t think that there is less of a demand for high-end handsets but due to austerity maybe some people are settling for less. And if that’s not enough there are manufacturers putting out high-end handsets at a lower price point such as Xiaomi’s recent announcement of its flagship Mi 4 that is said to be retailing at £190 and just look at what you are getting for that price: Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 2.5 GHz -core processor, 3GB of RAM, and a 5-inch 1080p screen. There’s a 13-megapixel rear-facing camera, a 8-megapixel front-facing camera and a 3080 mAH battery! It’s hard to beat, right? But this market was made possible by Samsung as it pioneered low to mid and high end markets as they went toe to toe with Apple and won! While it is true that Samsung have suffered losses it is because they opened up all the markets as mentioned above. I feel as though it is a price to pay for being at the forefront – in a way Samsung can write off those costs as promotion!

Samsung may do well to rethink its low to mid range handsets...

DESIRE
Could it really be that there is a weaker demand for high-end smartphones? I don’t think so! I mean just look at how people are anticipating this Galaxy Alpha Prime F and Note 4! I think many people are waiting for the absolute best! I have learned that LG’s G3 has sold 14.5 million phones in total thus so far while the Galaxy S5 has sold around 11 million since the launch. So, what does that tell you? I don’t know about you but that tells me that the Galaxy S5 is a knockout handset and if I were due an upgrade at the time of release I would have upgraded from my S4. But as it stands I will be looking at the S6! Anyhoo, I reckon people are just waiting for Samsung’s finest to drop!

Then there is the Galaxy Note 4 to come and yes there are the usual speculations on what the Note 4 will feature... Flexible screen? Metal case? I am not going to bother to throw my speculative hat into the ring as there is no telling what Samsung has planned for definite at this stage. I would imagine that the design ought to be a departure as Samsung have been getting a bit of flak for recent unadventurous designs of late.

As always, and probably not to Google’s liking, Samsung is going after Apple. Going after Apple means that Samsung will be pitching a number of handsets to combat the iPhone 6 hotly rumoured 4.7” and 5.5” screens said to be coming this September! Watch out! This is going to be interesting! Samsung Galaxy Alpha Prime F vs. Apple iPhone 6 4.7”! And it’s the Galaxy Note 4 vs. iPhone 5.5”! Get your tickets now!!! Ha ha!

THANKS FOR READING...
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Synapse Circuit for tech news, opinions, articles, reviews and competitions. You will find interactive PDF magazines, videos and links to free legal software! Check it out at Synapse Circuit dot com

SYNAPSE CIRCUIT AUDIO CLEANING LAB 2014 MAGIX

Above: The easy to use interface of Audio Cleaning Lab 2014!

SYNAPSE CIRCUIT
MAGIX AUDIO
CLEANING LAB 2014
£39.99 
#AudioEditing #AudioMastering #Magix #AudioCleaning

Good morning, Synapse Circuit Readers! It is great to see you again! Yes, I am up in the wee hours of the morning bringing you the first of a new batch of reviews to come! I still haven’t forgotten the Animation Special! More animation software is coming soon! But first...
...BECOME AN AUDIO MASTER!
If you are fussy about the quality of your audio files be they music MP3, speech recorded into your computer / smartphone, high quality audio WAV files that could be your musical compositions from a basic digital audio workstation, etc then you need to check out Audio Cleaning Lab 2014 from Magix!

INTERFACE
The interface has undergone a very dramatic change to good affect! The interfaces is clearly sectioned into:

Import
Cleaning
Mastering
Export

Very logical, right? Yes, it is! First you import an audio file and if it has some noisy artefacts you can remove them very easily with a set of cleaning tools within that section. Audio Cleaning Lab 2014 tries to do these changes for you automatically and if you want make a more detailed alteration then you can tweak the cleaning tools such as deHisser, deClicker, DeNoiser and so on. Do not worry if you are new to such effects as the there are explanations for each effect by clicking the “Info” tab and then selecting the effect you wish to learn about.

The effects are done as a project and as an object. The difference between the two is that “project” usually deal with multiple audio clips that can be burned as a multiple track audio CD for example. Multiple recordings can be made if, as another example, you are transferring analogue vinyl records to digital formats such as WAV, MP3 and OGG Vorbis, etc effects can be applied uniformly to get a continuation in sound. Whereas the “object” deals with a single audio clip thus making it easier to apply effects to a selected audio clip amongst multiples.

There are some great presets for a number of mediums: vinyl, cassette, smartphone, etc. A lot of the time these presets will do the job admirably.

Mastering a project consisting of multiple audio tracks is very easy – especially if you have used other Magix products such as Music Maker! Here you want to optimise your audio for CD, smartphones that include Android and iOS, vocal recordings that you may wish to add to your PowerPoint presentations and so on. Personally, I like to tweak my mastering settings myself and, of course, you can do that too!

Exporting audio couldn’t be easier! As you’d imagine... You can export to popular audio formats such as MP3, OGG Vorbis, Audio CD, WAV and so on. The CD burning process allows you to create a cover and / or inlay for printing to make that home produced CD look professional! I cannot for the life of me understand why artists are rushing to get their music onto the likes of iTunes and earn a pittance for it! I always advocate that artists get off their backsides and produce their own CDs and sell them via their own websites! Yeah! Don’t bother with the likes of iTunes because you will get a pittance for your efforts! It is horrible! Hey, I learned that Magix has also released a brand new version of their award winning Web Designer program; I will be bringing you a review asap!

CONCLUSION
Audio Cleaning Lab 2014 is a must for the audiophile! An absolute must for the musician who is not afraid to master his / her music without all the expensive software and services. Also, it’s a must for multimedia producers!

The only thing missing is the ability to use VST effects in conjunction with the powerful array of effects within ACL 2014 but it truly isn’t that much of a big deal – it may make the whole process of optimization easier! Sometimes I think that all these available VST effects (free or otherwise) can get in the way of progress. ACL 2014 has all the effects to make any audio file sparkle and then some!

SCORE
4 / 5


THANKS FOR READING...

Please check out the Synapse Circuit site here: Synapse Circuit.com

Yes, I am well aware that the site is due an update soon! It’s coming...

Synapse Circuit for tech news, opinions, articles, reviews and competitions. You will find interactive PDF magazines, videos and links to free legal software! Check it out at Synapse Circuit dot com

SYNAPSE CIRCUIT SWANN EYE HD

SYNAPSE CIRCUIT
I’M BACK, BABY! PART TWO
Good evening, Synapse Circuit Readers! What’s happening? Are you going away on holiday? Whatever you do: Do not Tweet or make this known via your social network statuses. You just can’t be too careful or careless these days! Have you seen the ‘Purge’ movie? No, it’s not an art movie whereby someone has stuck his / her fingers down their own throat! It’s a movie about legalized lawlessness! Well, if the government can do it then why not let the civilians have a go, eh? In the meantime safeguard your home with this brilliant device...
...SWANN EYE HD!
Security From Abroad! View Camera Live From Anywhere in the World with the SwannEye HD Plug & Play Wi-Fi Security Camera. Peace of mind has never been easier.

London, UK (24th July 2014) – Swann Security, an industry leader with more than 25 years of security monitoring experience, announces the SwannEye Plug & Play Wireless Network Camera.

Protect your home like never before with the SwannEye Plug & Play Wireless Network Camera; an easy and affordable, Wi-Fi ready, all-in-one, powerful IP camera and surveillance system. The SwannEye HD Plug & Play Wi-Fi Camera is extremely easy to setup and can also be viewed on Smartphone or tablet (iOS or Android). Simply download the free SwannEye HD app, scan the QR code or enter the unique ID to connect to your camera and then start viewing.

You can also listen in to hear what’s being said on the camera’s built-in microphone. Not only can you hear what’s being said you can also view your camera during the day and night 24/7.

This camera is plug & play internet ready and comes packed with features for home and business security available at £119 inc VAT

Main Features:

‘Plug & play’ Wi-Fi internet camera packed with features for home & business security

Easy 3 step set-up using a QR code & your Smartphone or tablet with no networking required

Saves video & HD pictures to an Micro SD card or your 3G/4G device & sends you an email notification when motion is detected

Built for life on the move with the free SwannEye app for viewing on PC, Mac, tablets & Smartphones including iPhone, iPad & Android devices*

Mount the 720p HD camera on any flat surface, on a wall, or upside down on the ceiling

Perfect for day/night surveillance with the ability to see and hear what’s happening 24/7

Included in the Package:

SwannEye HD™ Plug & Play Security Camera

Network Cable

Mounting Bracket, Screws & Plugs

Power Adapter

Operating Instructions

Theft Deterrent Stickers

Price & Availability:

The SwannEyeHD is available from Makro, Screwfix & Maplin at SRP £119 inc VAT

About Swann:

Swann is a global leader in security monitoring solutions and fun gadgets targeting consumers through retail channels. In 2012, Swann celebrated its 25th anniversary as a manufacturer of consumer electronics products that are innovative yet cost effective.

The company’s products are mainly do-it-yourself with easy-to-follow ‘plug-and-play’ instructions, free after-sale 24/7 technical support and retail-friendly product packaging aimed at home, office and small-to-medium retail users.

For customers needing more high-tech solutions, Swann is at the forefront of the latest international trends including full HD 1080p, HD surveillance cameras, Wi-Fi network video recording, live Smartphone connectivity and more.

Swann was founded in 1987 and now has offices in the USA, Canada, Australia, the UK, China and Hong Kong with distribution partners around the globe.

Swann’s reseller network includes some of the world’s largest retailers and distributors including Fry’s Electronics, RadioShack, Best Buy, Costco.com, Canadian Tire and Maplin Electronics.

THANKS FOR READING...

Please check out the Synapse Circuit site here: Synapse Circuit.com

Yes, I am well aware that the site is due an update soon! It’s coming...

Synapse Circuit for tech news, opinions, articles, reviews and competitions. You will find interactive PDF magazines, videos and links to free legal software! Check it out at Synapse Circuit dot com

SYNAPSE CIRCUIT CRAZYTALK 442oons

With CrazyTalk Animator’s fast production and custom avatar creation, 442oons’ animated football parodies have  been on national news and TV channels in Holland, Greece, Poland, Croatia, Bosnia, Colombia and Sweden.

SYNAPSE CIRCUIT
I’M BACK, BABY!
Good evening, Synapse Circuit Readers. I hope that all is well with you! I hope that all is well in your world! It is good to see you again! I am back from a much needed holiday! What did I miss? The World Cup? Well, I knew that we weren’t going to win... We’re not hungry enough! I don’t think we have that deep single-minded athletic commitment... But check this out...

NO OTHER SOFTWARE CAN DELIVER LIKE CRAZYTALK ANIMATOR 2
London, 24 July 2014— United Kingdom animation producer, Mark Stobbart is running an animated football-related parodies channel called 4-4-2oons, producing gut-busting World Cup videos every week. Mark’s 2014 FIFA World Cup cartoon series hits 2 million views on You Tube in one week with the help of CrazyTalk Animator’s fast production and powerful animated avatar features.

When animating concurrent events, it’s no wonder why many animators shy away from the production nightmares that daily animation entails, with creation logistics that only powerhouse studios can afford -- but not Mark Stobbart who has unlocked the secret of weekly, almost daily, animation thanks to the muscle of CrazyTalk Animator 2.

Mark originally trained as an actor and voiceover artist in London, having no previous experience in animation. But being a massive fan of animated comedy, and football had motivated him to combine the best of both worlds producing 442oons as a channel that is all about poking fun at the football world. 

“No-one is safe!” – says Mark.  “Ideas, scripting, voicing, singing, editing, most artwork, animating, production and publication are all done by me - as well as promoting the channel!”

“Being a one-man-army has its merits as it helps me make my animation dreams come true by leveraging CrazyTalk Animator’s clear advantages like being easy to learn, having customizable characters, fast production and high quality output. CrazyTalk Animator provides a quicker way to get my story and ideas animated and this is the secret that allows me to produce animated videos every day.

I also love how easy it is to create customized characters with unique personalities. It helps a lot when I create players that look like real football players in my FIFA animations. During the 2014 World Cup, I have produced around 70 unique characters for 32 teams in total. The latest 2 minute video took only around 8 hours - this was very quick because I could recycle two characters and props that I had already created for earlier videos. It was worth it in the end, and the quality of the final video is so rewarding when I watch it back.” – explains Mark Stobbart.

WHAT IS CRAZYTALK ANIMATOR 2?
CrazyTalk Animator 2 is a revolutionary animation suite with all the necessary tools to easily create highly customized animations without any background experience.

In the past, it took time and manpower to create fast, high quality animations. For independent hobbyists the idea was almost unheard of, as traditional 2D tools provided no panacea for such an idea. But now CrazyTalk Animator 2 provides an exciting new approach to 2D animation with innovative tools that allow users to easily customize comics, photo-face avatars, and facial lip-syncing. Today, all barriers have been lifted as literally anyone can now easily customize their avatars to depict different personalities, quickly crank out animations to generate videos every day, all with a low-learning curve that takes but weeks to tackle.

Users can also apply 3D motions to 2D characters, while opening new possibilities for freely editing 2D motions and viewing them from any angle with a single click. Combined with functional features like facial puppet and body motion key editing, CrazyTalk Animator has become the most creative software for 2D animations, as it also allows for quick capture export and compatibility with other 3rd software and tools.

Pricing and Availability:

CrazyTalk Animator 2 is available in 3 different versions for Mac and Windows PC to fit any creator’s budget. Download versions of CrazyTalk Animator 2 are available from the Reallusion

Online Store at:- 

http://www.reallusion.com/store/purchase_cta.aspx

CrazyTalk Animator 2 Standard: £37.99

CrazyTalk Animator 2 Pro: £129.99

CrazyTalk Animator 2 Pipeline: £229.99

For more info and free download, please visit: http://www.reallusion.com/crazytalk/animator/default.aspx

More about 4-4-2oons and his animations, please visit: http://www.reallusion.com/reallusiontv/featuredstory/442oons.aspx

About 4-4-2oons

442oons creates animated football parodies, with songs and pictures. It is created by actors and voiceover artists with a love for football, comedy and animation. At 442oons we spent the time teaching ourselves how to do animations in order to be able to combine everything we love into one project!

Twitter.com/442oons / Instagram.com/442oons / Facebook.com/442oons /Plus.google.com/+442oons

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 3-D 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.

http://www.reallusion.com/

THANKS FOR READING...

Please check out the Synapse Circuit site here: Synapse Circuit.com

Yes, I am well aware that the site is due an update soon! It’s coming...

Synapse Circuit for tech news, opinions, articles, reviews and competitions. You will find interactive PDF magazines, videos and links to free legal software! Check it out at Synapse Circuit dot com