Dev Tips & Technobuzz

The days of carrying a bulky laptop around with you might be over if Dell has any say in the matter. Project Ophelia is an Android-powered device that plugs into any TV or monitor, giving access to local files, desktop remote access and any of the apps, movies and TV shows in the Google Play store. Better yet, it's as small as a USB flash drive and will cost less than $100. The idea is simple: rather than take your laptop everywhere with you, you can simply plug the dongle into the HDMI port of whatever screen you find. You'll be presented with the same Android interface you'll see on tablets. If you've got the right set of tools installed, you can use it exactly as you would use your laptop. You'll need to connect a Bluetooth mouse and keyboard to navigate around Android. Install office tools like QuickOffice Pro -- using the built-in Wi-Fi -- and you'll be able to get on with your work. Ophelia has 8GB of internal storage for your files, but you can

The Finnish manufacturer is, as expected, mum on the devices it will unveil at the event. It is rumoured to be working on a tablet that will operate on Windows RT and have a 10.1-inch touchscreen. Previously, Taiwan-based tech website Digitimes reported, Nokia is in talks with Microsoft,  Qualcomm  and Compal Electronics to manufacture this tablet. Another report said this device will have two batteries - one standard and other in keyboard cover. The upcoming Nokia device is also rumoured to have HDMI as well as USB ports and support cellular data connectivity.  Apart from this tablet, a smartphone with 'true' PureView camera technology is also expected to be showcased at the event. Earlier, The Verge reported that the company is working on a new Windows Phone-powered smartphone - codenamed EOS - that will have true PureView technology. This phone is rumoured to have aluminium body and launch this year.  The company's flagship phone, Lumia 920, also features this imagin

  Apple  unveiled a new  iPad  with twice the storage capacity as the existing model in an effort to score business with companies that share large amounts of data.  Apple's new iPad will have a capacity of 128 gigabytes compared with the current model, which comes with different memory capacities but has a maximum of 64 gigabytes.  "With twice the storage capacity and an unparalleled selection of over 300,000 native iPad apps, enterprises, educators and artists have even more reasons to use iPad for all their business and personal needs," said Apple senior vice president of marketing Philip Schiller in a statement.  Apple quoted several web application developers who said the additional memory capacity would allow businesses to better serve clients in conceptual design, music recordings and sports strategy.  Apple's move to expand its iPad following comes as the company faces tough questions from Wall Street over its growth prospects.  Company shares lost about 12

Samsung has made the rumoured Galaxy Xcover 2 official, a mid-range smartphone that is IP67 certified. This means it is waterproof and is impact and dust resistant. The new smartphone runs on  Android  4.1 (Jelly Bean) layered with Motion UI and takes over from its younger sibling, Galaxy Xcover.  The newly announced Galaxy Xcover 2 features a 4-inch TFT display with resolution of 800x480p and has approximately 233ppi pixel density. It is powered by a dual-core 1GHz processor, paired with 1GB RAM, and comes with 4GB onboard storage, along with microSD card support up to 32GB. Connectivity options in the device include 2G, 3G, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0 and microUSB 2.0  Samsung has included a 5MP autofocus camera with LED flash on the back of Galaxy Xcover 2, while a VGA unit is placed on the front panel. The new device is powered by a 1,700mAh battery and comes with a host of pre-loaded apps, such as S Voice, S Cloud, Best Shot and Samsung Hubs. Apart from these, the phone also has ap

  Apple  launched  iPhone 5  with much fanfare just five months ago, but reports say the company is already working on not one but two iPhones as well as next generation  iPad and iPad mini.  Ming-Chi Kuo, an analyst with KGI Securities, says that Apple is working on an  iPhone  5 successor that will have new features like snappier processor, fingerprint sensor, better camera and more powerful LED flash. Kuo's claim of fingerprint recognition system gains a little credence from Apple's 2012 acquisition of Authentec, which deals with this technology.  Coming to the  cheaper iPhone  being developed by Apple, Kuo says this device will be same as iPhone 5 but will be a little stockier. Instead of the aluminium body and waistline of 7.6mm, the cheaper iPhone will have a plastic casing and measure 8.2mm around the sides. He also said this device will be available in six colours, a rumour that has done rounds in the past as well.  Technology blog iLounge has also reported about the up

 Refrigerators are getting smart. A new model released earlier this month runs apps to help users browse recipes, create shopping lists and manage the expiration dates of items like yogurt and milk.  The  T9000 refrigerator  by electronics company Samsung  has a 10-inch Wi-Fi-enabled touchscreen and includes apps such as Epicurious for recipes and  Evernote  for note-taking.  "The fridge, because it's the hub of the family and the kitchen, is now another access point without having to drag around your tablet or have your phone with you in the vicinity of where you're cooking or entertaining," said Warner Doell, a vice president in the home appliance division at Samsung Canada.  The display enables users to keep up with the news, weather and even Twitter from the fridge door. It can also replace hand-written calendars with Google Calendar integration, and run slideshows of photos, according to Doell.  Shopping lists can be created on the fridge with the Evernote

Microsoft’s research lab in Cambridge, UK has developed a new way to interact with the digital world using intuitive hand gestures. “Digits” uses 3 different IR cameras to track the positions of fingers with respect to each other. One of the  applications  for this technology includes 3-D  spacial  interaction with a mobile device. By assigning gestures to certain functions, the user could conceivably control any aspect of a device. This also allows for vision free control of the device. In example used in Microsoft’s  video , they assigned the the “thumb’s up” to answer an incoming call. Other applications include  sign language interpretation  and endless possibilities for gaming. Could this be the new controller for XBox 720? Guess we will have to wait to find out. Watch the Video Demonstration Of MIcrocoft's Digits Computer Interaction: