Samsung Galaxy Tab 4 Nook: The First Android e-Reader

The Samsung Galaxy Tab 4 Nook that was launched recently was the first full-features Android tablet that was designed for reading.

Instead of the Google Play or Samsung Hub installed on this tablet, you will get the Barnes & Noble Store pre-installed. This is no surprise as this tablet is a tie-up between Samsung and the US bookseller Barnes & Noble.

At $179 we think it is quite affordable too, especially as it comes with $200 of free Nook content. With this tablet one also gets lots of freebies: books, trail subscriptions to magazines and free episodes of TV shows.

Samsung has not compromised on the hardware. The screen is the same as the Samsung Galaxy Tab 4 - 7-inch screen with 216 ppi, the 1.2GHz quad-core processor and 1.5GB of RAM, 3MP rear camera and 1.2MP front camera.

Currently the Nook has only released in the United States. Will you prefer this tablet over the Kindle of the Nook? Answer in comments.

A Machine That Reads Minds and Moves Objects

Ever thought it was possible for you to move objects with your mind? We're here to tell you it is possible with the Emotiv.

The Emotiv is a cutting else technology that clips on to your hear and gives you the ability to move a toy car just by thinking about it. It can also help quadriplegic mix music like a DJ by only just using their brain power.

The Emotiv is an EEG device that scans your brain for signals and using those signals can detect your emotions, interests and lot of other things. When you train with the Emotiv, you can actually move objects with just the power of thought.

All of that sounds fun, but the real value of this technology is in its uses. People with disabilities can perform tasks that were earlier impossible for them. Emotiv can help people with epilepsy, sleep disorders and ADHD to relax their minds and focus. It might also help you drive safely, as was demonstrated in a recent study by the Automotive Club of Australia.

It also has a vast set of uses in the world of advertising and market research. Often during market research surveys, participants have to verbally express how they feel about a product. With Emotiv, market researchers can detect the reaction of your brain to a particular product you see in a store. They will know whether or not you like a product just by reading your brain signals on a computer.

An important thing to note is that this technology could come with its own set of risks. The Emotiv has the potential to be used as brain spyware, especially in video gaming. An EEG signal can be used to decode your bank card number and even determine the state of your mental health.

Emotiv sells both the EPOC($299) and EEG($750) Version of their system. Both headsets allow developers to create their own applications using the licensed SDK software. The EEG headset goes further by allowing users to collect raw EEG data and conduct research.

While this technology may have its pros and cons, it is noteworthy and is sure to make one sit up and take notice. What do you think? Will you buy the Emotiv?

John Oliver's Scathing Review of Native Advertising

John Oliver who hosts the talk show "Last Week Tonight" never misses a beat when it comes to making an observation on funny situations in our daily life. This week the hit show took on the topic of "Native Advertising".


Native Advertising is advertising that is partially disguised as editorial content. In the segment, John Oliver takes sensible yet utterly funny look at this new advertising format. He did not pull at punches and took on media moguls like Jonah Peretti whose website BuzzFeed draws all of its revenue from native advertising. He also took on Joe Ripp, CEO of Time Inc. Time Inc. has recently built a new native advertising unit. The segment is thought-provoking and funny, especially when John Oliver draws a parallel between maintaining a separation of Church and State and maintaining a separation between advertising and editorial content.

New Facebook messenger app is #1 in app stores. Still has a low rating!

In April Facebook announced that it will eliminate chat features from the Facebook app on iOS and Android. Users will be forced to send messages via a newly created Facebook Messenger app.

This news comes in succession after Facebook acquired WhatsApp for $19 Billion in February 2014.
Now the Facebook messenger app has officially arrived on all the major app stores (iOS, Android, Windows) and is forcing the users of the Facebook app to download it. But the users are not happy about having to download another Facebook app, especially for their messaging service.

Because of this, the app is the in the unique position of being the #1 free app on almost all app stores, but at the same time having a dismal rating.

Here are the app ratings on iTunes:

Here are the app ratings on the Google Play:

The Messenger app has better ratings on the Google Play Store because the ratings here are cumulative for all versions of the app.

The reviews on both sites are mixed, with several users complaining about being forced to install another app for messaging on Facebook.

Google Fit SDK to Help Developers Build Fitness Apps

Google is the latest player in the fitness market with Google Fit.

According to the Google Fit website, Google fit is 'an open platform that lets users control their fitness data.'

The Fitness app market is already populated with third party apps like Nike+, LF, Adidas, Basis, Runtastic, RunKeeper and more. These apps help fitness enthusiasts keep track of their workouts and fitness. Although these apps find a place on Google Play, iTunes as well as Windows Store, they are not affiliates with either of these telecom giants.

Google Fit has tied up with a lot of partners to make the experience better and to integrate a lot of fitness software into their own. Here are a few of their partners: Adidas, Asus, Basis, HTC, intel, LG, Motorola, Nika, noom, Polar, Runkeepper, Runtastic and Withings

According to the website, Google Fit will officially release in Fall 2014.

The Google Fit Software Developer Kit will help developers create fitness apps by granting them access to the app user's fitness history. Apps built by developers can use that data for personalized coaching, recommendations and fitness insights.

Download the software development kit for Google Fit here: https://developers.google.com/fit/

Microsoft will launch its SmartWatch in October

Rumors suggest Microsoft will launch its latest piece of technology in October 2014. It will have 11 sensors and come with a Nike FuelBand-style design. Reportedly the Microsoft SmartWatch will have fitness skills and it will work cross-platform.

Sources also claim that this SmartWatch will be a thinner and flatter than the Nike FuelBand.

Image Source: Nike.com.

The display will also be on the inside of the device rather than the outside as most SmartWatch manufacturers prefer.

The Microsoft SmartWatch will reportedly go on sale in October. Will you buy this?

FASTER Undersea Cable to Connect US and Asia at 60Tbps

USA and Asia will soon be connected with an Trans-Pacific undersea cable that will transmit data at - wait for it - 60 Terabytes per second.

This super network will be called FASTER and it will connect the United States to two landing locations in Japan. The total amount of investment for the FASTER system is estimated to be approximately USD $300 million. This investment will be made by 5 Asian telecom companies (China Mobile International, China Telecom Global, Global Transit, KDDI, and SingTel) and Google.

Trans-Pacific route of FASTER

Google's senior vice president of technical infrastructure wrote on his Google+ page:

At Google we want our products to be fast and reliable, and that requires a great network infrastructure, whether it's for the more than a billion Android users or developers building products on Google Cloud Platform. And sometimes the fastest path requires going through an ocean. That’s why we’re investing in FASTER, a new undersea cable that will connect major West Coast cities in the US to two coastal locations in Japan with a design capacity of 60 Tbps (that's about ten million times faster than your cable modem). Along with our previous investments - UNITY in 2008 and SJC (South-East Asia Japan Cable) in 2011, FASTER will make the internet, well, faster and more reliable for our users in Asia.

According to reports, the network should be ready for service in the second quarter of 2016.

Facebook and Youtube Dominate Mobile Market Share

According to recent reports, Facebook and Youtube together, bite into a major chunk of online mobile traffic. Cumulatively, they account for one-third of all the mobile web traffic in North America.

The Top 10 services which take account for maximum web traffic comprise of many popular apps/services. Together the top 10 account for 77% of total web traffic. The remaining 23% percent are accounted for by mobile apps. The chart below lists the mobile traffic share of the top 10 web services.

Created by Statista 

Samsung to Launch its own Wearable Virtual Technology Device

2 years ago, Oculus Rift created a splash with gamers across the world. Amongst the first wearable virtual reality technology, the Oculus Rift raised that raised over $2 million in its Kickstarter campaign in 2012.
In May 2014, there were rumors of Samsung working on its own virtual reality headset, similar to Oculus Rift. A photo of the device has been leaked and now the rumors seem more substantiated. Here, have a look.

The device will be called Gear VR and will reportedly make its debut at the IFA consumer electronics show in Berlin this September.

The side view of the Gear VR shows a black and red exterior with a touchpad on the side of the lens housing. Reports suggest, it also has a version that allows users to shift to a see-through mode.

Other rumors also suggest that the Gear VR will have a USB 3.0 dock that can be used to connect to a Galaxy mobile device and use the mobile device's accelerometer for head tracking — rather than embedding sensors in the headset itself — to achieve a virtual-reality effect.

Most interesting is the rumor that claims that while the hardware is manufactured by Samsung, the software will be provided by the innovative creators of the Oculus Rift.

Guess we will just have to wait and watch. Keep checking this space for more information.