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Top 10 iPad Games

April 18th, 2012

Gaming on the iPhone or iPod Touch is one thing, but when it comes to the 9.7 inch screen on the iPad,

gaming takes on an entirely different outlook. Factor in the Retina display found on the iPad 2 and iPad 3, and you have to take it up another notch. The large screen gives gamers a visual experience that no other handheld devices can ever live up to. Be it racing, action or sports, the iPad is an excellent device for any game category. Here is a list of what we think are the top 10 games for the iPad.

1. Angry Birds HD

This super hit game needs no real introduction, but the prospect of being able to play it on a 9.7” Retina display is enough to make even the most seasoned of gamers drool. Spread across 195 levels, it is your job to bring vengeance upon the evil pigs for their thievery from the birds.

2. N.O.V.A. HD

Fancy being a US marine who has been called out of retirement? Then this is the game for you. Against your will, you have been summoned by the government to help prevent the end of mankind, by turning invading aliens to pulp. HD graphics make this third person shooter a must have game.

3. Real Racing HD

The only way to really find out what this game has to offer; is by playing. Graphics are unbelievably realistic, the controls respond at your slightest tilt and you have great tracks and cars to choose from. To make things more real, make use of the full HD 1080p TV-out and enjoy the game on the TV screen.

4. 9mm HD

Play John Kannon in this Max Payne inspired third person shooter from Gameloft, as you rid the world of thugs and criminals. It features slow-motion effects which allows you to accurately dodge bullets – and also fire them at will, wherever you desire.

5. Pinball HD

Another classic, this game is now available in HD, and boy does it look fantastic. Ten tables with unique and amazing themes, different viewing angles and ‘real physics’ make this renewed avatar an interesting game. Here is the best part though; this is one of those few brilliant iOS games, which are free!

6. Tiger Woods PGA Tour 12

The Tiger Woods series is out for the iPad, and with great gaming in the form of PGA Tour 12. The graphics are great, and the touch based swing feature works flawlessly. The game has eight courses; and a few mini games too.

7. Reckless Racing HD

This game is touted to be probably the best top-down racing game ever. As the name goes, the only way to win this game is to drive recklessly. It gives you 8 awesome tracks to race around, realistic controls and physical attributes. It has 3 different game modes too, which ensure that the game never gets boring.

8. Infinity Blade

A sword fighting action game, it is powered by the award winning Unreal Engine 3, making for spectacular graphics. It takes handheld gaming to an entirely new level, with the game play experience being as close to console level as possible. Navigation and player control is more intuitive than ever, requiring only a swipe.

9. Dungeon Hunter 2 HD

RPGs, or Role Playing Games are hot favorites among gamers. This game does a very good job of bringing handheld-weapon action to our fingertips. An intriguing array of quests, excellent controls and well-designed fight scenarios make this a game you wouldn’t want to put down.

10. NBA Jam HD

With 30 NBA teams to pick from, this is one of those games that appeal to the gamer in spite of not having fancy graphics. The game play is plain brilliant, offering modes like Play Now, Classic Campaign and Local Multiplayer. It also supports two different control schemes, D-Pad and gesture based.

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iPad Care 101

April 18th, 2012

While the iPad is predominantly known for its sleek looks and loads of applications,

most iPad owners seem to have little knowledge about how to care for their iPad. It should be noted that the iPad is among the more expensive of computing devices and getting it repaired isn’t a cheap affair. Most iPad owners have realized this through bitter experiences. Thus, it makes sense to have a basic understanding of how to care for your iPad using the following tips:

Taking Care of iPad Screen

The iPad screen is among the best in the niche of PC tablets. This screen has a special coating that makes it immune to fingerprints. This essentially means that the screen is resistant to grime and dust found on our fingers. However, over a period of sustained usage, the screen can become a bit vulnerable. Thus, it is advised to properly clean the iPad screen.
• It is always better to wipe the iPad screen in circular motion to avoid any kind of scratching.
• Ensure that the cloth you use is free from any sand or debris. If the wiping cloth is contaminated, the dust can get impacted upon the screen, disturbing clarity of images.
• It is better to wipe the screen every two or three days with a dry piece of cloth. Don’t rub too hard when cleaning it.
• The best kind of cloth to use for the iPad screen is lint-free fiber cloth that should be slightly damp.
• If you find the screen smudged due to something on your hands, clean it immediately.
• Don’t use harsh cleaning solutions like all-surface cleaning compounds, car screen sprays or glass cleaning compounds.
• Some retailers have introduced screen protectors specifically for iPads. Ensure that you buy one from a reputed retailer of i-Accessories.

Taking Care of iPad against Moisture

You need to protect the iPad against possible entry of moisture. The device is quite sturdily built and leaves little room for entry of moisture. However, it is better to be cautious.
• Ensure that the device is kept away from wet surfaces.
• Wipe the openings like the connection ports. These might make way for moisture into the machine.
• If the device gets wet, don’t use it. Wipe it slowly. Allow it to dry under the fan. Leave it for a few hours until all traces of moisture have been eliminated.

Taking Care of iPad against Temperature Extremes:

• Don’t leave the device in the sun or in sunlit areas for too long.
• Don’t leave your iPad locked inside a car—the internal temperature of a vehicle can shoot-up pretty fast with closed windows.
• Try not to place the iPad next to extremely hot or cold objects, like when seated at the dining table.
• Placing the iPad near dishes from which vapor is emanating is not advised.

Understanding Screen Protector Usage in iPad Care:

• There are two, basic types of screen protectors recommended for iPads. The first one is called the ZAGG protector. This is more comprehensive. It covers the entire device.
• Most people are happy using the front-only or the exclusive screen protector that doesn’t cover the rest of the device.
• You can order these from home too via online retailers like Amazon or eBay.

Caring for iPad Batteries

Standard batteries for the iPad are rechargeable Lithium Polymer Batteries. Though these have a long life, they are prone to wearing-out. You can prolong their life with:
• Keeping yourself on-board with all the iPad updates. Apple makes smaller tweaks to its software that might help to increase or impair the battery life.
• Experts recommend doing one whole charge cycle, once, every month. For this, you need to recharge the device to 100% capacity and then use it until it is completely exhausted. This is supposed to augur the battery’s recharging capacity.

Taking Care of iPad with iPad App

This had to happen considering that Apple has introduced an application for virtually everything that we need. Thus, creating an app for taking care of its most revered creation, the iPad, was inevitable.

There are apps that update you about the iPad’s performance, including system information and software-related things. This information is updated more frequently than the inbuilt update mechanisms within the iPad. For instance, the System Activity Monitor application is like an inspector for the iPad, checking every bit of its performance. Obviously, it cannot help you if you drop your iPad from the terrace!

Basic IPad Maintenance: External Protection is Vital You have many options to consider, including the:

• Standard case
• Folio case
• iPad Sleeve
• Bag made from mesh or leather or both

The number of options keeps increasing in this niche but this is the basic categorization. Ensure that you buy a kind of iPad case that has good consumer reviews. Don’t buy cheap replicas that might look stunning but offer much less in terms of actual protection.
• The case ensures that the device survives accidental drops that are likely to happen.
• It is better to move around with a shoulder-slung iPad bag when traveling during rush hours as people are more likely to bump into the device.
• iPad cases that provide enveloped protection are the best bet. Those that offer shield-like protection or act like mere fancy covers are more of a style thing.

iPad Maintenance Tips

Best charging practices for the iPad:
• Connect the iPad to the power outlet using the Dock Connector linked to the USB Cable.
• iPad retailers recommend Power Adapters with 10W USB ratings and this should be followed.
• The iPad battery isn’t meant to be charged by a PC in Standby or Sleep mode.

Tips to Handle iPad Freezing:

• The best way to handle this situation is doing a Forced Restart.
• This method doesn’t cause deletion of data except for what hasn’t been saved.
• You need to hold down upon the Sleep/Wake button that is located along the right, upper side of the iPad. Simultaneously, press down upon the Home button too. Do this until the iPad is properly shut down.
• This induces a reboot that neutralizes the freezing in about 30 – 45 seconds.

More Tips to Take Care of Your iPad:

• Don’t try to jailbreak or unlock your iPad in an unauthorized manner since this makes it more vulnerable to security risks and nullifies the warranty.
• It is better to use the latest version of iTunes so keep checking for updates.
• When the message “Do Not Disconnect” appears on the screen, heed to the warning. You need to Eject the iPad before you Disconnect it from the PC. This is vital to ensure longevity of the data saved on the drives.

General Maintenance More Cleaning Tips for iPad:

• It is better to invest in a cleaning kit that is retailed specifically for iPads.
• It is better to keep a microfiber cloth within your iPad case. This should be used for frequently cleaning the entire surface.
• Switch off your iPad before you start cleaning it.
• Don’t buy random cleaning solutions being marketed as “recommended for iPads” unless the retailing brand has some sort of global reputation.
• All tablet cleaning solutions are not recommended for cleaning iPads since every tablet has a slightly different screen composition.
• For cleaning the ports, you can use an Air Can. This contains compressed air. However, don’t use blow dryers. Air Cans are useful for cleaning smaller crevices found within headset jacks and SIM slots.
• Invest in a new screen protector if the old one seems to be wearing-away.
• Don’t try to force things into the port connections. Every peripheral in the device is compatible with a particular range of devices and you shouldn’t experiment with the recommended connectors. Doing so can eat into your warranty!

Please let us know if we have missed upon something important. You can also contribute with some handy tip that you believe most iPad owners don’t know!

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Laptop Care 101

April 16th, 2012

Laptops might be facing competition from Notebooks, Netbooks and PC Tablets but for many, they remain the most ideal way of computing.

Laptops are highly mobile and with abundant internet connectivity options, easy financing and plenty of design configuration options to choose from, owning a Laptop is the first choice for many.

However, despite being a durable and technologically-progressive device, Laptop needs some degree of caring. The following are some tips on how to care for your Laptop:

Laptop Care Against Humidity

Humidity remains a major challenge for most of the basic and mid-range Laptops. Thus, you need to ensure that your Laptop is kept away from all possible sources of water. This includes sitting in a room being ventilated by an air-cooler that uses water. It is better to swipe your Laptop with a dry cloth once, every two or three days. This is particularly useful during humid climatic conditions.

Laptop Care Tips for Fighting Dust

Laptops might be retailed as having a dust-repelling surface but over a period, most of them surrender to the sheer volume of dust that surrounds us. Thus, maintain a habit of dry wiping your Laptop every now and then. Don’t leave the Laptop open when the room is being cleaned or dusted. When carrying it outside, always cocoon it within the Laptop bag. Never keep the Laptop close to the ground or on carpeted surfaces that are most likely to be dusty.

Critical Laptop Care—Using an Anti-virus

Every computing device needs an updated and robust antivirus and your Laptop is no different. This can be understood as caring for the lifeline of the Laptop since a single day without a dependable anti-virus could induce circuit errors, hardware-related slowness or a complete software breakdown.

Laptop LCD Care Tips

A common mistake is to hold the Laptop by its display or the lid. This is the worst possible manner of handling the Laptop. It induces unwanted contact on the display and causes smudging, compressing the dust/grime harder onto the screen.

Laptop Maintenance Tips When Closing It

• When closing your laptop, you should be using both the hands. This ensures that pressure created on the hinges is distributed equally. If you pressurize one side of the lid when closing it, the hinges tend to become overused on one side, causing the display to develop a bend/angle.
• Keeping the hands towards the center of the lid is the best approach.
• At the time of shutting the laptop, ensure small items that often escape the eye like earphones or pens are removed. These can induce damage on the screen.
• Don’t shut the lid too hard.

Laptop Power Cord Care

Another common Laptop care mistake is pulling on the power cord. Yes, the power cord seems rather durable but it is not meant to be tugged at. Tugging the cord from the power socket reduces its longevity. A better approach is to extend your hand and pull or plug the cord directly into the power socket. Take care that the cord is plugged somewhere that is visible to you and others. Many times, people step on or over the cord, tripping over and crashing the Laptop on the floor in the process. A concealed Laptop cord also increases risk of it being overridden by chairs and footfalls. Try to keep the cord away from your feet and that of the people around you. Basically, any high-traffic area at home or office isn’t the best for your cord’s placement.

Laptop Slot Care

Don’t try to push the accessory devices into inappropriate slots of the Laptop. Take care to read the symbols printed along the side of Laptop and insert accordingly. Forcing accessories into the wrong slots can damage the sockets permanently. Caring for the slots also extends into inserting drives into their respective slots only without trying to enforce them and using the recommended angles.

Laptop Care When Inserting Media

A common error committed by many Laptop users is inserting media in the form of DVD, CD that have loose labels. These can get jammed within the drives and damage them to the extent of needing a replacement. Similarly, trying to play media in the form of an under or over-sized CDs can permanently damage the player.

Laptop Care in Extreme Temperature Conditions

If you live or work in area that has extreme temperature conditions, it is advised to ensure some degree of temperature adaptation for the Laptop. For instance, if it is extremely cold, almost freezing inside, but your office is kept comfortably warm with the help air-conditioning systems, it is better to switch-on the Laptop a few minutes after entering the office. This allows the machine to acclimatize to the sudden change in temperature which can otherwise cause internal condensation and damage the electronic circuits.

Laptop Care When Using Vehicles

Don’t leave your laptop, encased or uncovered, within a locked car. With the windows shut, heat within the vehicle can shoot-up rather quickly. This is an unnecessary, avoidable risk that you don’t want to take with your Laptop. Excessive heat is injurious to the motherboard among all the basic and mid-segment computing devices.

Basic Laptop Care—Using a Cleaning Kit

It is advised to invest in a cleaning kit that is easily found across most electronics and computing devices retailers. This package contains the ideal instruments meant for cleaning the Laptop. You need to clean your Laptop at least once, every ten days though some people might insist on weekly cleaning.

Laptop Battery Care Tips

It isn’t advisable to leave your battery blinking to the last breath before your charge it. Always charging the Laptop at its flagging end could build-up towards battery failure over a period. Seeking a charge when the battery is about 30%-35% charged is a wiser approach. This is more of a preventative tip. When the battery indicators show that limited time is left before the device becomes dormant, it is time to stop working and start looking for nearest power socket.

Laptop Keypad Maintenance

To ensure that you don’t induce damage on the keypad of the Laptop, try to keep it on flat surfaces. Don’t lean towards one side of the laptop or place it on inclined surfaces. This tends to create unfavorable angles that induce excessive stress on some parts of the keypad, making them prone to wearing-out early. This is why some folks have Laptops with one part of keypad looking smoked while the other half looks brand new.

Tips on Everyday Laptop Protection

Don’t put excessive weight or load on your device. This means not placing anything heavy like books, baggage or your elbow on the Laptop to reduce chances of physical damage.

Recommended Laptop Maintenance—Use a Proper Case/Bag

Yes, Laptops are meant to be sturdy and are ideally suited for those who are on the move but they need protection from repeated shocks and abrasive surfaces. Thus, it is better to invest in a Laptop bag that is good enough to safely envelope your device and protect it against any kind of harsh physical.

(Tips on Buying Laptop Bag: When you are buying a Laptop Case, ensure that it is appropriately sized for your Laptop. Many cheaper versions have been created that are marketed as a fit-all solution. However, such Laptop cases can be loose and might not provide the kind if impact-negating protection your device needs.)

A case that is too tight increases chances of you tugging at the Laptop, when pulling it out, and accidentally dropping it. It is better to buy a Laptop bag that has some kind of meshwork on the inside for protection against moisture/humidity. Pure leather cases might look great but they need caring too. So buy accordingly, i.e. something that is useful and you can maintain easily.

Important Laptop Usage Tip

Try to maximize your Laptop usage in a place that has a decent degree of air circulation. This is the best and simplest way of avoiding overheating of laptops.

More on Laptop Maintenance

If you know how to go about handling hardware of Laptops, try to brush the area surrounding the external, exhaust fan. This component is prone to getting plugged if you use the Laptop in enclosed spaces. This is when the exhaust fan is really stressed and chances of overheating arise. If you don’t know how to access the exhaust, get the cleaning done from a professional.

Laptop Maintenance Tips When Traveling

With the advent of charging devices and charging sockets present in most vehicles, many people like to charge their devices, including Laptops, when traveling. However, for Laptops per se, this isn’t the wisest thing to do. Most hard drives used in Laptops are prone to developing injuries if they are being subjected to motion and charging at the same time. Some experts even recommend not putting the Laptop in the Suspend/Sleep mode when it is packed in the case. Though it isn’t very clear as to how this can damage the device, it might be a good idea not to push your luck.

Tips on Laptop Usage

Using your laptop regularly on the bed isn’t the best thing to do. Beds are a source of dust and debris, including hair and dandruff. This can get sucked into the Laptop.

Tips on Packing the Laptop

When packing your Laptop in its case/bag, try not to press lunch boxes, pens, pencils, cell phones and other stuff against the device. Place the Laptop in one, zipped section and other things, in different sections of the bag. These objects can scrape the outer surface of the Laptop and age it prematurely.

If we have missed upon something or if you have any handy tip to share with our readers—Please Let Us Know Via Your Comments.

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Micromax Funbook Tablet: A Review

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Micromax Funbook Tablet: A Review

April 12th, 2012

Micromax recently launched its first tablet in the segment called the Micromax Funbook for the Indian markets.

One of the cheapest tablets unveiled at a price of Rs. 6499/-, it comes with a pre-loaded Android Ice Cream Sandwich operating system.

Micromax, known for its affordable and worthy products for the Indian consumers, released the tablet in the entry level, offering a compelling tablet experience. The 7” tablet with mid-range specifications is a worthwhile option for everyone looking for entertainment on the go.


Thanks to its compact size, measuring 12.2 x 19.2 centimetres and weighing around 350 grams, the Micromax Funbook is comfortable to hold for longer durations.

The tablet has a 7-inch capacitive screen with a resolution of 800×480 megapixels. It is powered with a 1.2 Ghz Cortex A8 processor, dual graphics processor for multimedia, 512 MB RAM, 4 GB internal storage extendable upto 32 GB via micro SD card and a 0.3 MP front camera. The tablet has a mini USB port to connect pen drives and 3G dongles through an adapter, a 3.5mm audio port, HDMI port, microSD card slot and a charging port. For network connectivity, there is WiFi and 3G dongle support via USB.

The device can play 1080p videos, but the lower screen resolution hampers the full HD clarity. The Funbook can be connected to the TV screen via HDMI port and used as a media player. The tablet doesn’t have a rear camera and the 0.3 MP front camera is only good for video chatting.

The tablet is a decent performer, but its major drawback is the screen. Since the screen has a very low resolution, the display is dull and has poor viewing angles. Users would face difficulty in reading and browsing for longer durations.

To sum it up, the tablet has a decent build quality, is portable and gives good performance. The user experience on the Android Ice Cream Sandwich is amazing. If you’re looking for a cheap computing device for reading or browsing, the Micromax Funbook fits the bill. However, for a professional user, we wouldn’t recommend this tablet. But, at Rs. 6499/- the tablet gives you the full worth of your money. (Technology, MensXP.com)

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5 iPhone Games You Must Play

April 11th, 2012

With the advent of major technology in the smartphone category, people have started using them for various purposes other than just calls or messages.

One of the most important feature of the smartphone is gaming. In fact, the Apple iPhone has taken gaming to an all new high with an in-built app called the Game Center wherein you can play games along with your friends or with people across the world, check leaderboard and unlock achievements.

We bring you 5 must-play games on the Apple iPhone:

1. Angry Birds Space

The Angry Birds developer company Rovio have come out with a sequel to its franchise, called Angry Birds Space. Angry Birds Space is more a entertaining and complex game than its predecessor. The game is set to be played in space, with spectacular gameplay in zero gravity ranging from slow motion to complex puzzles, new birds with super-powers; you have to grapple with the gravitational pull of planets, asteroids as well as the neutrality of space. These aspects make the game a lot more interesting than Angry Birds.

2. Draw Something

This is the most popular drawing and guessing game available on various platforms. Draw something is a simple game that lets you pair up with friends or other players. You can challenge your friends via Facebook or Twitter or automatically pair up with other players. In each round, you are presented with a list of words with variable difficulty and you are to choose one to draw. You have the options to change the thickness of the pen, change color and the rest is how you draw and present it to your opponent. Once you are done, the picture is sent to your opponent, who guesses the word with the help of the picture and some jumbled letters shown in the window.

3. Worms 2: Armageddon

This game is clearly the best turn based strategy game ever developed. There are plenty of weapons like grenades, shotguns, boomerangs etc., and various game modes and campaign missions to choose from. You can battle against your friends via Bluetooth with upto 4 players or upto 2 players over Wi-Fi or 3G. There are plenty of customization options too, like naming your team, choosing grave-stones and speech-banks. The game on iPhone has improved visuals with animated 3D backgrounds, water effects.

4. Temple Run

Temple run is similar to a treasure hunt where you have to find treasure after getting over lot of traps and death-defying getaways. Race down ancient temple walls, avoid obstacles, collect coins to buy power ups and complete the hunt. You will also have to escape a violent group of monkeys running after you. This game is very much addictive, and since you can share your scores with your friends, you will never stop playing this game to have the best score amongst your friends.

5. Death Rally

Death rally is an action packed racing game with multiple combat levels. You can upgrade/boost up your cars with career mode or global multiplayer scene. You can choose how you win– destroy your opponents or sabotage the race. Players compete in various events; from standard events to knockout races to races where specific weapons must be used. The recent update allows upto 6 players to race against each other online.

There are many more games available for the Apple iPhone. Some are free and some paid. But, the games listed here just cannot be missed. (Technology, MensXP.com)

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Why Facebook Paid a Billion Dollars for Instagram

April 11th, 2012

San Francisco based Internet startup Instagram has almost no revenue for itself, yet Mark Zuckerberg, in all his entrepreneurial wisdom, saw fit to buy the company for a billion dollars.

Instagram, as you may know, is a mobile application that allows users to add fun and quirky effects to photographs and share them with friends. Although there is nothing pathbreaking in what it does, Instagram commands tremendous loyalty from its user base of an impressive 30 million. However, that’s not the only reason Zuckerberg bought out the company. Here are some other possible reasons -

The history

Zuckerberg had his eye on Instagram before it was even founded. He had invited Harvard graduate Kevin Systrom to join him after the latter had created Photobox, a service that allowed users to send large files to each other. Systrom had demurred at that point, and went on to found Instagram along with Mike Kreiger. Mostly, the duo worked with two other engineers in South Park neighbourhood in San Francisco, an area that had once been the office of Twitter.

Access to photo sharing

Commenting on the deal, Zuckerberg wrote this on his Facebook (where else?) page, “Providing the best photo sharing experience is one reason why so many people love Facebook and we knew it would be worth bringing these two companies together. This is an important milestone for Facebook because it’s the first time we’ve ever acquired a product and company with so many users.”

Access to mobiles

The biggest reason for the buyout however would be the reach Facebook will acquire on mobile devices through Instagram. In India, too, the photo sharing service is quite popular and the explosion of smartphones around the world will ensure that Facebook will find viable ways and means of recovering its billion dollars over a period of time.

IPO

Facebook is set to be listed on the stock exchange as early as next month via an IPO and with an estimated addition of $100 billion to its revenues through its shares coming in. To Zuckerberg, a billion dollars would be like a big bank spending a million dollars on a useful application that has a proven track record within two years of its launch.

To keep Google away

Last year’s biggest deal was Google acquiring Motorola’s patents that included a number of photo application softwares. Google has since also worked to revamp its own social networking site Google Plus with a renewed zeal. Through this deal, Facebook will pre-empt Google from making any big ticket announcements this close to its IPO and stealing its thunder. In the long run, Instagram’s engineers will also be made to integrate their company’s profile with the widest social networking site on the planet, leveraging the power of social photos to increase Facebook’s dominance.

Not everyday does a really small startup come into a billion dollars. The challenge for both companies now is to stay true to their core ideologies while working together to create a unique value offering for customers of both companies. And knowing Zuckerberg, something spectacular may just be around the corner. (Technology, MensXP.com)

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10 Best Business apps for the Apple iPad

April 3rd, 2012

With the revolution of tablets penetrating into personal computer’s market,

more and more users are ditching their personal computers to buy the tablets because of their portability, small size and almost as effective as to what a PC can do. The Apple iPad rules the tablet market at present and there are numerous productive apps which you can use for your business continuity. The iPad is rapidly getting acclaimed as the ultimate portable business device.
We present you 10 best apps for the Apple iPad which you can use for your business.

1. iWork

iWork is Apple’s productivity application for the iPad which includes Pages (for Word processing), Keynote (for presentation slides) and Numbers (for spreadsheets). The iWork for iPad is made compatible for multi touch input. According to Apple, you can open Microsoft Word, Excel or Powerpoint files in the iWork app. You can also export your documents created with iWork to PDF format files.

2. Cisco Webex

Cisco Webex meeting center app for the iPad offers the best and simplest interface for users to share screens, videos and upto 6 videoconferencing feeds without asking customers to install any additional plugins or add-ons. There is no need of any client side intervention on this. Meetings through this app can be held on multi-platform devices since it is based on a web browser. You can easily create meetings with one single click and share the invites to the attendees.

3. LogMeIn

The iPad is a great device to work on the go, but there are instances where you would need a computer to complete a task. The LogMeIn app for the iPad is a remote control app wherein you can control any remote Mac or a Windows PC. This app on the iPad turns your PC to a touch-enabled system. You can transfer files between the iPad and the PC.

4. PrintCentral

The Printcentral iPad app is a marvelous printing app where you can print emails, web pages, photos, documents to printers connected via Wi-Fi or other printers through your PC. You can also move files or clipboard data to or from your computer and print. The app is well designed and is very simple to use.

5. Dropbox

If you need your most commonly used and most important documents while on the go, Dropbox is the app you need and it is free! The service offers you 2 GB of free space in their cloud for you to store the files and it also syncs your cloud storage space with the folder on your PC. The app provides a split-screen layout for convenient access to files. You can’t move files between folders, but since the app is available for free, it’s hard to complain.

6. Evernote

This popular note taking app is the most essential app for any kind of user. You can save notes by typing it out or use the camera or use the photos from library and tag data or through voice memos. You can add title, tags and descriptions to your notes and are easily searchable, organize your notes for future references. You can sync your notes with multiple devices on multiple operating systems.

7. Powerpresenter

This is undoubtedly one of the best apps for PowerPoint presentations. You can draw, highlight text on the slides for presentations. This app automatically detects the projector and can send signals to the projector using the VGA cable.

8. Square

This is a mobile point of sale app. It allows you to accept card payments for your business wherever you are. You can create your own inventory to add items to the bill quickly. It is a virtual cash register, also offers analysis tools to check sales performances. The app also has option to email, text or print the receipts.

9. Sorted

Sorted is a splendid task management app with a simple and easy to use interface. You can easily add tasks and mark them when completed. The app can manage multiple lists, add due dates, reminders and apply color labels for easier management. The app also allows you to search within the tasks saved.

10. Stocktouch

Stocktouch app helps investors view the stock markets as they want. The app allows the investor to view stock data across time, sort the stocks by different categories. Users can mark stocks as favorites, use search function for find a particular stock.

Apple has many more productive apps in its stable which lets the user use these apps for various business perspectives. Most of the apps require an active data connection for the usage. Though, the iPad can’t completely replace a computer, it still is the best when you are looking for a more lighter, portable, comfortable and personal device. (Technology, MensXP.com)

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Reasons to Buy the Windows Phone

March 24th, 2012

Android and Apple have been leading the smartphone race for a couple of years now.

The Operating system, customization, social and productive applications, all these features made one throng to the retail/online stores and buy one of these smartphones. It would have been difficult for another company bring a new operating system embedded into a smartphone into the market with already most common features available. But Microsoft has unleashed the Windows Phone 7 and recently updated to Windows phone 7.5 named Mango.
Here is how Microsoft celebrated their launch of the Windows Phone

Microsoft earlier had the Windows Mobile 6.5 version which didn’t impact the smartphone rivalry with Android or Apple. But since the release of the latest Windows Phone OS, the smartphone race got more interesting with buyers getting more options and features to look into. Microsoft has infused many of its applications into one unit. The user interface (UI) – Metro UI is similar to the one seen in Windows 8 OS for the computers which has live tiles which are linked to apps and hubs. These live tiles bring new notifications like new message or email to the home screen so that the user can directly view them instead of navigating to the app.

We look into the best features that Microsoft has put in that will help you decide on whether to buy a Windows Phone or not.

1. Hubs

The Windows Phone comes with several hubs which makes your social life easier and connected. The People Hub accumulates your friends from all the social networks into multiple screens. You can also update your status from the People hub.

The Picture Hub lets you see all the pictures on this hub, the recent pictures captured by you, pictures uploaded by your friends etc and allows you to share your pictures on the social networks.
With the Office Hub you can easily sync documents between your phone and the PC. You can use the OneNote, Word, Excel, Powerpoint and Sharepoint with the office hub. You also get access to the Outlook mail application. This hub helps you a lot while you are travelling and you need to make last minute changes for the big presentation.

The Games Hub provides access to your Windows phone games collection, your XBOX Live account, your achievements and gamer profile. The games hub is also referred to as the XBOX Live hub. The Music+Videos Hub also referred to as Zune Hub provides you a perfect Multimedia experience. Listen to music, podcasts, radio. Watch TV shows, movies. You can also access 3rd part media services like last.fm. The Marketplace Hub provides your access to all the applications, games and music purchases similar to the Android Market or the Itunes Store.
Microsoft provides you cloud hosting facility called Skydrive where in you can upload your documents, music, pictures and then access them on your phone or a browser. You can stream your music playlists directly from the Skydrive.

2. Voice Control

You can now dictate voice messages to your Windows Phone. The utility is accurate if you speak clearly and slowly. You can dictate any text message that needs to be sent as an SMS or take down some notes.

3. Social Integration

You can integrate your Windows Live, Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn accounts all into one. This means, even your contacts will get integrated with the social networks you login to on your Windows Phone. Facebook Chat is now integrated into the Messaging hub. You can set your chat status to Online or Offline from within the SMS menu.

4. Linked Email Accounts

You can setup multiple email accounts on to your phone like your Windows Live, Google, office accounts. The phone will provide you a single window with all the accounts added.

5. Multitasking

This gives you the ability to switch between apps. Suppose you are listening to music and you receive a message during that time. You can minimise the music player, check the message and reply to it if needed and then get back to the music player. During this time, you will be able to listen to your music track and view the SMS window simultaneously.
You won’t have to close or restart the app anytime.

6. Internet Explorer 9

One of the major advantages of the Windows Phone 7.5 Mango is the integration with IE9. This mobile browser is very good in terms of rendering Web Pages and is very smooth to use while scrolling. The browser will have native support for HTML5.

7. Maps

Though Google Maps is fully featured and widely used, the Windows Phone comes with Microsoft’s own Bing maps which works like a charm on the phone. One can access satellite images, real time traffic information. You can pinch-zoom to view the location clearly.

8. Search

Microsoft has powered its Windows Phones with Bing Search. One can run voice search which works perfect. The searches not only provide you web pages as results but also news, and if you have turned on the location function, the search will provide you nearby accurate results. These are some of the major features packed on a Windows Phone. Though, the Windows Phone 7 OS is new in the market, it has had initial hiccups, which of course every other mobile OS has had. But, with the recent update to Mango, Microsoft has resolved many issues and brought together a whole new experience on the Windows phone.
If you are devoted to Android OS, Apple’s iOS or Blackberry, then moving to Windows Phone 7 would be difficult, yet, the Windows Phone deserves a chance to be looked at. It’s all upto one’s personal opinion as to what makes the phone better than the rest.
Some of the leading Windows Phones you can opt for are Nokia Lumia 800, HTC Titan, HTC Radar, Samsung Omnia W and Samsung Focus. (Technology, MensXP.com)

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The New iPad 3

March 13th, 2012

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New iPad. Yes, the folks back at Apple don’t call it iPad3 but New iPad.

The company is so confident about the device that they have done away with traditional numbering and see this year as an all new starting for the iPad.

So let’s see what devil lies in the details of the New iPad -

First to catch your eye, very literally, will be the new Retina Display technology. In a 9.7 inch form factor, the Retina Display has a 2048 x 1536 pixel resolution. That adds up to 3.1 million pixels, approximately 1 million more than you’d see on an average 1080p HD TV. Such high display res makes catching an individual pixel impossible. In simple words, it’s a pleasure for your eyes. You can see a significant improvement in display vs the iPad2.

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Well, good 3.1 million pixels and all.. isn’t that supposed to make the hardware grumble? Yes. So, there’s a new A5X chip onboard the new iPad. Offering quad-core graphics capabilities, Apple stated that the A5X performs 4X better than the NVIDIA Tegra 3 mobile GPU. This one will be a pleasure for the gamers as Apple is claiming the new iPad is good for 10 hours worth of use from a single battery charge. This means they may lose a lot of hours here. Though the device did hang few times and, also, showed no significant improvement in app load time, A5X still seems to be a step ahead.

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Camera – Apple took a lesson from the Blackberry boys and introduced the iSight camera onto the rear of the tablet, capable of shooting 5MP stills. It’s more or less the same as you’d find in the iPhone 4S, offering a five element lens, a hybrid IR filter, backside illumination, and Apple’s own ISP. There’s also 1080p recording onboard now. The pictures had a significant upward quality shift in comparison to the ones taken on the iPad2. Another good addition is iPhoto which basically is a simple software which gives a run for money to photoshop and is simple enough for even a novice to churn out some expert images.

4G LTE support – Yes, the company made a lot of noise about this technology which basically enables high speed downloads to the device but unfortunately, with the network band specification, it has come to light that this technology can’t be used in any of the Asian networks (forget India as we do not have the 4G networks here).

Initial Verdict

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Lets go through the checklist most of us set for the iPad 3 -

Retina Display? Check. Faster processor? Check. Better cameras and image editing options? Check. 4G mobile downloads? Check.

It’s hard to fault the new iPad in this regard. So if you were planning to buy a tablet, well time has come. Though an up-sell from iPad 2 to the new one is not a very strong proposition yet, Apple is helped by the competitors. While Kindle is no match for the iPad, the only tablets standing are Galaxy and Playbook and both of them have at-least one more generation to cover before they can mount an attack on the New iPad (although we don’t bet that both Samsung and RIM will stay calm). So let the storm brew. (Technology, MensXP.com)

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How to get more Followers on Twitter?

March 10th, 2012

The number of twitter followers equals your status in the virtual world.

The more you have, the more esteemed, intelligent you are considered and you automatically become a sought after online mini-celeb. Stars, famous people, musicians, politicians, businessmen, sportsmen face no difficulty in gaining followers. It is ordinary people like you and me that have to make an attempt to gain followers. While not entirely easy the path leading to more followers is not difficult as well.

1. Humour, humour and more humour

The funnier you are, the more followers you’ll gather. If you can make wise cracks about anything and everything then your follower count will surely go up. People in the virtual world love humour and truly appreciate it. So get your funny bone tickling and attract followers.

2. A sane voice

The more rational and sane your opinions on current happenings, the more followers you’ll get. Everyone likes to hear a good opinion, and if you give that to people, they will follow you.

3. A whacky display picture

You will get to see the most whacky and outrageous display pictures on twitter. Right from close ups, to black n whites, to pouting red lips to sexy profiles. The whackier the dp, the more followers you will attract. Compliment these dps with good tweets and the followers will stick.

4. Get the right people to tweet you a #ff

A #ff or #followfriday is a hashtag which doubles as a recommendation. Get your followers to recommend their followers to follow you. A #ff will surely increase your follower count by quite a number.

These tips will surely add more followers to your follower list. So tweet away! (Technology, MensXP.com)

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