Software

HP Unveils Slate 7 Tablet at MWC 2013

Hewlett-Packard, the world’s largest manufacturer of personal computers announces the release of Slate 7 tablet during the Mobile World Congress (MWC) in Barcelona, Spain.

The HP Slate 7 tablet

HP Slate 7 is an affordable Android tablet that aims to compete in the space now occupied by Google Nexus 7 and iPad Mini. Here are the features and technical specification of the device.

[Related: Google Unveils Nexus 7 Tablet]

[Related:  iPad Mini Philippines Now Available!]

HP Slate 7 Specs

- 7-in touchscreen display (High-aperture-ratio Field Fringe Switching (HFFS) panel) – Android 4.1.2 (Jelly Bean) - ARM Dual Core Cortex-A9 1.6 GHz processor - 1GB RAM – 8GB on-board storage – micro SD card slot – 3 MP rear camera and VGA front camera - embedded Beats Audio –  he HP ePrint application

Pricing and Availability in the Philippines

HP Slate 7 will be available in the US this April 2013. The device was priced at $169 (around 7000 Pesos). Availability in the Philippines was not mentioned but there’s a huge possibility that the device will make it to the Philippine market.

After HP TouchPad and the WebOS

HP is struggling to come out of the fading PC business like Dell. In February 2011, the company attempted to jump into the bandwagon of the fast growing tablet market by announcing the HP TouchPad. It is a 9.7 inches tablet powered by WebOS, a mobile operating system HP bought together with Palm in 2010. The device hardware and software (WebOS) were met with positive reception from reviewers. But the key flaw of the TouchPad is the lack of available apps, an area where  Apple and Google had a huge advantage.

The TouchPad endeavor eventually ended in August 2011 when HP decided to drop the development of WebOS and all other devices running on it. The remaining TouchPads went on sale for $100 and the demand was crazy. Two years after that, here’s HP again, trying to enter the tablet space with HP Slate 7. Now that they have partnered with Google in using Android, that will solve the main problem they had with WebOS, that is, the apps availability. Will HP finally make it this time? Probably. The tablet market is increasingly becoming a bloody battlefield, with better and cheaper tablets coming every other month. Having that said, it would be a tough challenge for HP.

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iOS 6.1.2 Release Fixes Battery-draining Bug

Apple Inc has released iOS 6.1.2. The mobile device technology company said that the new iOS version has the fix for a bug in Exchange calendar that causes the battery to be drained easily. And although Apple didn’t publicize it, recent tests show that they already also fixed the bug that can bypass the Passcodes in iPhones.

iPhones should be upgraded to iOS 6.1.2 to solve passcode bypass bug

Updating to iOS 6.1.2

To update your device to iOS 6.1.2 , go to the Settings App, General, Software Update. Make sure that you have enough free space for the installation files and at more than 50% battery if the device is not connected to a power supply. The update will take about 10 minutes depending on internet connection speed.

To update device to iOS 6.1.2, go to Settings App>Genera>Software Update

About iOS

iOS is the operating system running Apple mobile devices namely, the iPhone, iPad,  iPod Touch, and Apple TV. The first version was released in 2007 along with the first iPhone. Since then, it expanded its support that included new Apple devices. Apps that works with iOS can only be downloaded in the App Store (except for jailbroken  devices).

 About Apple

Apple Inc is a leading manufacturer of consumer electronic devices. They manufacture Macs, iPhones, iPads, iPods and Apple TV.  It is also the biggest online seller of digital music via their iTunes Store. Apple was founded in 1976 by computer enthusiasts Ronald Wayne Steve Wozniak and Steve Jobs

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Google Maps for iOS Now Ready for Download in the App Store

Finally, the much awaited Google Maps for iOS app is now ready for download in the App Store.  The App features voice navigation, local search, Street View, transit & more features waiting for you to discover and use. You can now ditch you Google Maps for iOS shortcut icon that you created before.

Google Maps for iOS

Screenshot of Google Maps for iOS

Google Maps for iOS versus Apple Maps

Apple ditched out Google’s mapping service in the release of iOS 6, the latest version of their mobile operating service. It was replaced by Apple Maps, an internally developed mapping service that features, turn by turn navigation, and flyover data. But just a few days after its release, Apple received plenty of complaints. Most customers complained about the comparatively smaller data in Apple Maps as compared the massive data in Google Maps. Also there are complains about inaccuracy of locations and landmarks.

The issue with Apple Maps has come to a point where Apple has to issue a public apology. It was also rumored that the removal/resignation of several top Apple executives was because of Apple maps fiasco. A recent report also relates how important accuracy is for Apple Maps. In Australia, the inaccurate map data leads the police in the wrong direction.

With this release of Google Maps for iOS, it is expected that many customers will be delighted. Google Maps for iOS is expected to deliver just what Apple customer needs and has been accustomed to. In earlier versions of iOS, Google Maps satisfied them with quantity and quality of map data.

Note: Google Maps for iOS 6 is not yet available in the  Philippines

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Twitter Now Have In-app Photo Filters

Instagram recently ditched Twitter by not allowing sharing Instagram edited photos in to the popular social network. Well, it took just a few days and viola! Twitter now offers an instagram-like capability of phot editing such as cropping and filters.

The feature is now available for both Twitter for iPhone and Twitter for Android. Just update them to the latest release.

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iOS 6.0.1 Update Now Available for Download

Apple released today the first update to iOS 6, that is iOS 6.0.1. According to Apple the update contains improvements and fixes to some known bugs.

iOS 6.0.1 Update Improvements

Here is the list of errors fixed in this update:

- Fixes a bug that prevents iPhone 5 from installing software updates wirelessly over the air
- Fixes a bug where horizontal lines may be displayed across the keyboard
- Fixes an issue that could cause camera flash to not go off
- Improves reliability of iPhone 5 and iPod touch (5th generation) when connected to encrypted WPA2 Wi-Fi networks
- Resolves an issue that prevents iPhone from using the cellular network in some instances
- Consolidated the Use Cellular Data switch for iTunes Match
- Fixes a Passcode Lock bug which sometimes allowed access to Passbook pass details from lock screen
- Fixes a bug affecting Exchange meetings

As you can see above, majority of the bugs fixed were found in the iPhone.

Apple Maps Update? None

Well, I think many of us is expecting an improvement for the Apple Maps or better yet, if Apple returns to using Google Maps. But no, there’s no such update for the Apple Maps app.

For those not familiar, many customers complained about the new Apple Maps. Serious errors such as missing landmarks, wrongly spelled name of places, entire city disappearing were just some of the errors found. The customer backlash even reached the point where Apple CEO issued a public apology. And rumors has it that the recent ousting of Apple executive Scott Forstall is partly due to his decision with Apple Maps.

The update is 30 to 40 MB (I think it depends on the device) and will just take a few seconds or minutes to download depending on the speed of connection.

How to update to iOS 6.0.1?

You can update via iTunes. Just plug in your device and check for software update. You can also do it over-the-air. Just connect to a WiFi or turn-on your mobile data and go to the Settings App. In the General Setting, tap on the Software Update.

iOS 6.0.1 Over The Air (OTA) Update on an iPad

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Google Announces Nexus 4, Nexus 7 and Nexus 10

Google announced an expanded portfolio of mobile devices (Nexus) via its official blog. The announcement was made through blog instead of an actual event due to Superstorm Sandy. The following were the new devices:

Nexus 4

Google partnered with LG Electronics to make Nexus 4 smartphone

New Nexus 7 Model and Pricing

Google revamps the Nexus 7 models and pricing

Nexus 10

Google introduces Nexus 10, the first multi-user tablet

Smart Office 2 – Free Office App for iPad and iPhone

Looking for a free office app for your iOS device? You can always find one in the Apps Store. Some examples include Documents and Documents 2 apps. But the common problem among the free versions is the limited capabilities. For example, Documents app has the basic capabilities  like creating and editing text and excel files. But recent updates on the app does nothing good but pull back some of the capabilities in the free version which appears to be a push for current users to upgrade to a paid version.

Smart Office 2 – Complete and Free Office App

As I explore the app store last week, I noticed that one of the top application in the chart was Smart Office. It was free and offers almost all the needed capabilities of an office app. It can view, create and edit Microsoft Office documents such as Word 2003, Word 2007, Excel 2003, Excel 2007, PowerPoint 2003, and PowerPoint 2007 files. You can even store them in your Google Drive or Drop Box accounts. Yes, all of those capabilities are for Free.

Free office app Smart Office 2 for iOS is free to download in the App Store

Smart Office 2, a free office app for iOS supports Microsoft Office 2003 and 2007 files.

One of the few things though I don’t like about the App is its navigation. It doesn’t match the iOS conventional navigation and it can be really confusing to first time users.  Also, it will take some time for an average users to learn to create the presentations and excel files.  But I guess the latter was primarily die to the touch environment, not about the app itself. But again, the fact that it is powerful yet it was offered for free readily overshadows the flaws I just mentioned.

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Apple Maps Woes Prompts Tim Cook to Apologize to the Public

Releasing Apple Maps in iOS 6 is one of the few bad moves Apple has done in its history. Unlike Google whose mapping service was honed for years by beta testings and user interaction, Apple Maps is just too young to deserve a place in the default apps on iOS devices. Well, I don’t know why did it happened and who decided to launch it. But it’s a sorry mistake.

Apple Maps is flawed with missing or misplaced landmarks. In this image, however, the entire island of Leyte is missing.

Well, Apple has released a public apology over the incident and at the same time promises to work hard for a fix. But I guess, there are two big the reasons why there’s such a huge customer backlash on Apple Maps.

(1) Apple is EXPECTED to deliver the BEST
Well, it’s not easy to build a company with such reputation as Apple. The company is known for smart, user-friendly and amazing consumer products. Apple’s history is a complete testimony of that. So when the company updates a product that many of its customers has already been using, they would expect it to be better. But in the case of an app, well, I guess the minimum requirement is that it should do at par with the earlier version. In the case of Apple Maps however, it is far from being at par with Google Maps, the engine running behind the earlier iOS mapping app.

(2) Google Maps is Great
Well, I guess if consumers has tremendous concerns with the earlier version, they wouldn’t mind if another poor version come out after the update. In my opinion though, when it comes mapping service, Google Maps it is actually one of the best, if not the best period. Well, Mapping service is obviously very important for Google which invested a lot of money to make it better with Street Views, Live Traffic, Bus schedule, and other features.

Cook Says Sorry over Apple Maps

I think Apple is well aware of the trouble they are into. In response to the flood of customer complaints, Apple’s CEO, Tim Cook issued a letter of apology. Here’s the copy:

To our customers,

At Apple, we strive to make world-class products that deliver the best experience possible to our customers. With the launch of our new Maps last week, we fell short on this commitment. We are extremely sorry for the frustration this has caused our customers and we are doing everything we can to make Maps better.

We launched Maps initially with the first version of iOS. As time progressed, we wanted to provide our customers with even better Maps including features such as turn-by-turn directions, voice integration, Flyover and vector-based maps. In order to do this, we had to create a new version of Maps from the ground up.

There are already more than 100 million iOS devices using the new Apple Maps, with more and more joining us every day. In just over a week, iOS users with the new Maps have already searched for nearly half a billion locations. The more our customers use our Maps the better it will get and we greatly appreciate all of the feedback we have received from you.

While we’re improving Maps, you can try alternatives by downloading map apps from the App Store like Bing, MapQuest and Waze, or use Google or Nokia maps by going to their websites and creating an icon on your home screen to their web app.

Everything we do at Apple is aimed at making our products the best in the world. We know that you expect that from us, and we will keep working non-stop until Maps lives up to the same incredibly high standard.

Tim Cook
Apple’s CEO

It’s been two weeks since the above apology was released and still we haven’t heard anything about an update on Apple Maps. In the meantime, as suggested by Apple itself, you can create a shortcut icon of a web-based mapping service in the home screen of your iOS device. Here’s the step-by-step instruction.

Step-by-step procedure to install map icon in the home screen of iOS device.

Here’s the specific procedure for Google Maps.

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Google Maps for iOS? Nope, but you can have an icon instead

For those still not aware, Apple has already ditched Google’s mapping service in the latest version of their iOS mobile operating system. In replacement, Apple released their internally developed mapping service called Apple Maps. A few weeks ago, the service has gone live upon the release of iPhone 5 and the iOS 6.

People are not happy with Apple Maps
Surprisingly though, Apple Maps enraged many customers complaining about the inaccuracy and lack of data. Some inaccuracies are big such as misplaced cities and landmarks. The customer backlash has reached the point where Apple needs to issue an official public apology promising to make a fix as soon as possible. But from the look of it, it would be a hard job to do. Google has by far, the most data among all the mapping service. And ever since the first iOS device made into the market, Google has always been there as a default app. Customers are already accustomed to Google from day 1 of the iPhone.

Google Teaches iOS Users How to Access Their Maps in the Home Screen
Many expected Google to release a Map App for iOS, just like what they did when Apple ditched YouTube. Well, that hope has died down because one of Google’s leaders confirmed that they are not making an App for iOS. But in a blogpost, Google taught users how to access Google Maps from the home screen of Apple devices. Here’s the procedure.

1. In Safari, go to maps.google.com

2. In the top bar to tap on the arrow and select, “add to home screen”.

3. You can change the name of the icon.
.

After the above steps, you will have an icon for Google Maps in the homescreen.

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DepEd Goes Google, Leaps into the Cloud!

The Department of Education (DepEd) proudly announced today that they have teamed up with Google to provide IT infrastructure that will enable quick and easy collaboration among the 600,000 teachers, staffs and administrators nationwide. DepEd will be using Google Apps, Google’s cloud-based collaborative IT solution which is basically composed of email (Google Mail), chat (Google Chat), calendar (Google Calendar) and document storage, sharing, and editing (Google Docs and Google Drive).

Department of Education (Philippines) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

With this move, the Department of Education is expected to save significant amount from their IT expenses. Also, DepEd will join over 16 Million students and and teachers around the world who uses Google Apps for Education.

Cloud Computing is a technology that allows the user to use software solutions without actually installing the software in their devices. The cloud-based software is typically used via internet browser. And because the software doesn’t need to be installed in many devices, cloud computing offers advantages in cost and ease of management because the data is centralized. One concern though with cloud computing is security.

Among the leading providers of cloud computing applications were Google, Amazon, Microsoft and Apple.

see press release here.

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