How to control your Computer using your Android Device

There are times when you are sitting some distance away from your computer and you want to play a movie, or open a file, or browse the internet, or may be shutdown your computer. This all activities could be done using an application called Unified Remote.

Through this application you can do about every single activity that you can do with your Mouse or your Keyboard. Right from typing text in notepad, commenting on your friends Facebook status, Volume up-down of your player, opening a new tab, shutdown, restart your computer each and everything.

Its simply a 2-min job to do and you are ready to access your whole computer with your Android device.


Requirements -

1) Wi-Fi installed on your computer
2) Android Device


Steps -
You have to download two applications, one from your computer and the other from your Android device.

1) Download and install the Unified Remote server application on your computer. This will allow your device to connect and communicate to your PC on your home network. Requires Windows and .NET Framework 4.

Link:  http://www.unifiedremote.com/

2) After starting the server you will have to allow the software to bypass your firewall. This is again an important step as the Unified Remote server application on your computer must be allowed to bypass your firewall for it to connect to your Android device.

3) There appears a Unified Remote icon on your task bar. You can control the server (Start/Stop) from here.

4) When you double click the icon a window opens from where you can Start/Stop the Unified Remote application server when not in use.

5) Now your computer part is done. Time for installing the Unified Remote app on your Android device.

Search into Google Play from your Android device for "Unified Remote" and download the FREE version. Or go to the link,

https://play.google.com/store/apps/developer?id=Unified+Intents

Screenshots of Unified Remote app-

 

Here's a demo video:

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The War of the Smartphones

There is a battle in progress - the winner will take a profitable chunk out of the mobile phone market and with it the ad and app revenue generated therein. The problem is that the media, bloggers, journalists and even the public believe there is an on-going battle between Google and Apple/BlackBerry in progress. But in reality this isn't the case, far from it, in reality Apple and BlackBerry are competitors as they have handsets which use a proprietary operating system and then they spend a small fortune marketing the brand. Google does something else. It does not make handsets (granted the Nexus is a Google handset but made and co-branded by Samsung) and it does not sell its operating system (it gives it freely to handset manufacturers under terms which allow Google services to interact within the network and handset to generate advertising revenue).

This creates a quandary whereby Apple and RIM are creating in all intense and purposes 'lifestyle' devices incarceration within a pre-determined ecosystem and enclosed application-based environment but Google leaves the portcullis to the castle open to anyone able to adapt, develop and thereafter resell their software. The problem is that Apple/RIM are intoxicated by their own 'brand', although that is not to say Android isn't a brand it's just what that brand means and therein becomes associated with is completely different to anything Apple or RIM create and distribute.

Market share

So, what the issue here surrounds is that of the public perception whereby 'Google' is going to steal or beat Apple and RIM into inferiority within the smartphone market. However this just isn't the case, in reality a free Google product will help to see an increase in market share, but that does not mean Google captures that market share for its self. HTC or Samsung capture that market. We need to remember that Handsets and Operating Systems, partially due to the success of Android, have become divorced from one another. This cleavage creates a perception  problem and one that needs to be cleared up.

Android is battling BlackBerry and Apple

Apple makes the iPhone. The iPhone is in incredible piece of both technological and marketing accomplishment yet it's operating system iOS is confined to the Apple mobile computing environment. You cant install iOS on a BlackBerry 9780 or a HTC Sensation. So that means Android cannot be compared to Apple or BlackBerry in the same way. Yet, this is what has happened so far. The question is can this be healthy for the future of Android.

The argument about Android's open eco-system are predominantly based on the Wintel arguments of the 1990s where, generally perceived, PC manufacturers and Software manufacturers colluded to bring down quality and technical excellence so as they could compete on a race to the bottom. Price was everything and that's how Intel, Windows and HP/Dell or IBM won out! The arguments are transplanted into the twenty first century that Google's Android will with Samsung, HTC and Sony Erricson's help see 'excellence' eroded through a battle of 'dumbing down' and racing to the bottom and competing on price.

Customer Views'

Yet, the issue here is that we are arguing that BlackBerry and Apple, the undoubted smartphone pioneers, worked hard to keep their phones at a certain cost level so as to retain their incredibly profitable revenue streams from collapsing because of engineering excellence. Apple and RIM make billions from selling phones, so when Android came along and people like DoCoMo, Huwaei and HTC created mid-range phones offering similar experiences to the iPhone or BlackBerry but at a substantially reduced price this created the perfect storm to occur within the mobile phone market. Apple and RIM went tooth and nail for the premium customers whilst Android's open handset alliance went all out for the budget and mid-size customers. The result was the undoubtedly that Android would dominate the smartphone market. Android handsets are shipping at 3-1 to Apple or RIM handsets according to Catalyst/comScore but, importantly, to different customers. 

Apple and RIM are rivals but Google's Android isn't, yet, a competitive rival to these two smartphone rivals.

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Polaroid launches 16 megapixel HD smart camera powered with Android

Polaroid announces world’s first Android HD smart camera – the Polaroid SC1630 at the CES last week. The compact camera would be running an Android smartphone within it and has no calling features even though press images show a signal strength bar. Having the Polaroid SC1630 smart camera powered with Android you will no longer need to pick between your smartphone and camera because it offers the best of both worlds.

The Polaroid SC1630 delivers everything expected from a digital camera but powered by android astounding packs all the features needed to handily capture, connect and instantaneously share stunning HD digital photos and videos into one device. The five ounces camera is an ultra-portable, 2-in-1 instant sharing powerhouse which leaves behind even the most powerful camera phones by mixing together an advanced imaging feature with an android powered mobile platform. 

                                  

Now what’s cool with the SC1630 is that it has sharing features. The camera has a built in Wi-Fi, so that captured images can be sent off to the cloud or transferred to a PC without the need of the cable. Many of the image editing apps can be downloaded since the SC1630 has access to the Android market which gives the photographer editing possibilities in the field.

Scott W. Hardy, president of Polaroid said, “Polaroid has helped the world bring stories to life through photographs for the past 75 years, the newest member of the Polaroid family, the Polaroid SC1630 Smart Camera unites the beauty of high-end digital images with powerful Android connectivity features. The result is an instant experience of click, capture and share that enables social networks to see and experience the moment as if they were there."

Highlights of Polaroid SC1630 -

• 16 megapixel camera
• 3x optical zoom
• 36mm - 108mm lens
• 3.2-inch display screen
• Wi-Fi
• Face and smile detection
• Geo-tagging
• Red-eye removal
• Resizing
• Colour correction
• microSD card slot. Up to 32 GB
• HD video capture
• Focal length: 3.1 - 5.6

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Apple co-founder "Woz" says Android better than iOS in some ways

In the year 1976, Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak jointly founded Apple, furthermore the very first Apple I computer was launched later the same year. The electrical engineer, Steve Wozniak (Woz) left the company after twelve years. He still holds Apple shares but are not full-time employee any more. His latest chat with Dan Lyons of The Daily Beast made headlines.

Woz said in a recent interview that there are some things which could be done much better with an Android smartphone compared to the iPhone 4S. Even though, Steve highlighted that iPhone 4S still his first preference phone and he believe the iPhone 4S is the most excellent overall smartphone. "My primary phone is the iPhone. I love the beauty of it. But I wish it did all the things my Android does."

The co-founder is not very much impressed with the iOs app Siri any more (Siri is an intelligent software assistant and knowledge navigator functioning as a personal aide application for iOS. The application make use of a natural language user interface to answer questions, make references, and perform procedures by hand overing requests to a web services). He says the voice commands on Android work better than on his iPhone. According to Woz:

“I used to ask Siri, ‘What are the five biggest lakes in California?’ and it would come back with the answer. Now it just misses. It gives me real estate listings. I used to ask, ‘What are the prime numbers greater than 87?’ and it would answer. Now instead of getting prime numbers, I get listings for prime rib, or prime real estate.”

                                                              iPhone's Siri App

Another feature where Wozniak thinks Android is better is the built-in navigation system.

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Motorola Droid Xyboard review: CES 2012

The minute you get your hands on the Droid Xyboard, it is clear that this is a higher-caliber Android tablet while comparing with almost everything else available today. The tablet is sleek, properly balanced and felt comfortable in our hands. A completely new look, significantly enhanced performance and some productivity-oriented enhancements make it feel and look like a first-class business tablet.

The 10.1-inch tablet is powered with Android OS v3.2 (Honeycomb) which is upgradable to v4.0. Motorola Droid Xyboard is just 8.8 mm thin (0.35-inch) which gives the sleek and slim look. But it’s not thin as the Toshiba’s Excite X10 which is just 7.7 mm thin which is the thinnest tablet yet.  It has a 5MP rear camera and a 1.3MP camera on the front. The camera also has a autofocus fuction provided with LED flash which can produce 2592 x 1944 pixels.

The soft rubberized grips on the horizontal sides of the tablet gives a comfortable feel and slip-resistant, but also delicately strengthen the notion that this tablet should be held in landscape mode. The tablet uses an IPS (In-plane switching) panel which results in a bright, vibrant screen that aids readable quality in all lightning conditions.

The only drawback is, the Xyboard lacks the full-sized USB port and SD card reader that other tablets have. But, it does have an IR transmitter that support in tablet’s en suite Dijit app which helps to contol your home theater.

Highlights -

• Size: 10.1-inch, 1280 x 800 pixels
• Weight: 599 grams
• Android OS, v3.2 (Honeycomb), upgradable to 4.0
• 1.2 GHz dual core TI OMAP 4 processor
• Camera: 5MP primary, autofocus, LED flash; 1.3 MP secondary
• 1 GB RAM
• 16 - 64 GB internal memory
• 3.5 mm audio jack
• Bluetooth
• Wi-Fi
• Battery: 7000 mAh; Talktime: 10 hours

Price -

Droid Xyboard is available for $479 for 16 GB version with two-years 4G contract. $579 for 32 GB; $679 for 64 GB; $699 for 16 GB Wi-Fi version.

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Sony announces its first mobile phone in 10 years: Sony Xperia Ion

Sony announces its very first mobile phone ‘Sony Xperia Ion’ in 10 years after it is being seperated from Ericsson at the CES 2012. Now the new products and devices is back with its brand logo of Sony instead of Sony Ericsson. AT&T is the first operator to have a Sony phone in the assortment.  Sony has selected AT&T as the first collaborator for the rejuvenated brand.

The first Android-based smartphone of Sony is the Sony Xperia Ion. It chose AT&T as its partner just like the corporation did while the announcement of Xperia Play in US.  The 4.6-inch model has a 12 megapixel camera with running Android Gingerbread. It has a dual core CPU provided with Qualcomm Snapdragon S3 MSM8260 processor.

                   

The logo on the backside of the phone is of Sony Ericsson which is seems to be a strange factor, since Sony has it own logo. This appears to have been in a rush as they have turned out a Sony logo in the frontside and Sony Ericsson logo on the backside.

Highlights- 

• Size: 132 x 68 x 10.6 mm
• Weight: 144 gram
• 4.6 inch HD Reality display with a 720 x 1280 pixels resolution, 16 million colors
• 1.5 dual-core processor, Qualcomm Snapdragon S3MSM8260
• 12 megapixel  Exmor-R camera, 3D sweep panorama, Fast capture feature
• 1.3 megapixel Exmor-R front camera
• 1 MB RAM, 16 GB storage
• HDMI out
• Wi-Fi
• Bluetooth
• 3.5mm audio jack
• 3D games
• Battery: Standyby - 400 hours; Talktime - 10 hours
• Android 2.3 Gingerbread Operating System. Upgradable to Ice Cream Sandwich in 2nd quarter 2012 

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Sony Xperia S announced

There went a rumour about the announcement of the Sony Xperia S and also we have seen some leaked photos of the model  many time before. The latest leak photos had Sony Ericsson logo wearing on it but this final product image from CES has a Sony logo on the top. 

It is a smaller version of Sony Xperia Ion lacking of the LTE high speed connectivity. While the Xperia Ion has a huge 4.6 inch display, the Xperia S has a smaller 4.3 inch display. Even though it has a smaller display it comes with the same 720 x 1280 HD resoulution.   The white version of the Xperia S is said to be a Phones4U fashionable on the islet.

The camera megapixels count has increased from 8 to 12 in this newer version. There are very few smartphones that tender such a high number of megapixel count. Samsung Pixon 12, Sony Ericsson Satio and the legendary Nokia N8, all of these fabricate excellent image quality and we could expect that the 12 megapixel camera of the Sony Xperia S wil do the same.

Highlights -

•  Size: 128 x 64 x 10.6 mm
•  Weight: 144 gram
• 4.3 inch Reality display
• 720 x 1280 pixel resolution
•  Mobile Bravia Engine
•  Camera: - 12.1 megapixel camera, Sony Exmor-R sensor, Fastest Capture feature to take shots in 1.5 seconds geotagging, Smile shutter, Face recognition 
• 1080p video capture – primary
•  720p video capture   – secondary
•  1.5 GHz dual core processor
• Wi-Fi
• HDMI
•  3.5 mm audio jack
• Playstation Certified
• Available in white and black
• Battery: Standby – 450 hours; Talktime – 7 hrs 30min

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