Technology & Business
FocusTwist is a Lytro alternative for the iPhone
FocusTwist from Arqspin on Vimeo. FocusTwist is a fresh app that simulates the Light Field Technology intriduced by Lytro (only it costs $2 instead of $400). The app takes several pictures at different focus settings and then creates a Lytro style interactive picture that can be "re-focused" after the fact. It works best with subjects that don't move in well lit conditions. You can see sample picture taken by existing users and shared on twitter here.
KLYPAPP for iPhone review - take pictures by clapping (free app)
My go to camera app on the iPhone is Camera+ but I thought some of you may find this useful so I am sharing it. Klypapp is a new app by Manfrotto, the kingpin of photo accessories and enables you to take pictures by simply clapping your hands (great for group shots you want to be in). It has a basic settings menu where you can set timer, delay, number of photos per activation, etc. There is a night mode that increases the camera's sensitivity (clearer shot in darker situations but a hige increase in noise).
Best video recording app for the iPhone
For most iPhone owners, the built-in camera and video app is more than enough. For the rest of us, there is FiLMiC Pro. Best App Ever Awards: video nominee 2011, 2012 Best App Ever finalist, Tap! Magazine Gizmodo Essential App 2011, 2012 Best Video App of 2011 - TUAW, Editors Pick 5 Stars, Editors Review, cnet.com App of the Week, Time.com/Techland Editorʼs Choice - Wired, Film Riot, Macworld During the Zacuto "Revenge of the Great Camera Shoot Out", Filmic Pro was used with an iPhone 4s and put against some major competitors (one costing $5,000 and the other $13,000) and won out during a blind "
Samsung pushing OTA update for Canadian Galaxy S4 devices
SamMobile is reporting that Samsung is pushing an update (I337MVLUAMDJ) to its Kies servers. This is typically the first step of the general availability of an Over The Air update. Based on their analysis, it seems to be a bug fix release improving performance and stability. Typically the update should become available in the next week or so.
Facebook may be interested in WAZE GPS
Mark Zuckerberg is clearly taking mobile very seriously and want premium placement on your smartphone. We all heard of the Instagram acquisition last year and the release of Facebook home [for select Android phones]. Israeli newspaper Calcalilst is now reporting that Facebook may be interested in snapping up Waze. Acquiring Waze and mapping users to their Facebook accounts would provider incredibly valuable signals to the social goliath it can use to further target ads. It will be interesting to see if this $1 billion deal actually materializes and if it does, how Waze's existing users will react.
Microsoft SkyDrive celebrates 250 million users
Since the launch of Windows 8, Microsoft has been under attack about forcing users to a less usable Operating System. That is why its doubly nice to see Microsoft having cause to celebrate. Microsoft is celebrating 250 million SkyDrive users. Microsoft is forcing Windows 8 on consumers buying a new PC and SkyDrive is intimately tied into windows 8 so it is logical that the giant's online cloud storage service got a bump in usage. It is a decent competitor to Google Drive, Box and Sugarsync but falls short of Dropbox.
IOS 7 to debut at WWDC 2013
Many IOS users are anxiously waiting to see how the Jonathan Ive lead IOS 7 will look and perform. Every rumor I have read indicates that the new look will be very flat (like Windows phone 8). The rumor mill is saying Apple is "late" but like Rene Ritchie (from iMore.com) said, they can't be late for a product they haven't announced. Many trusted sources have confirmed that developers have been pulled from other groups to help speed up IOS 7 development.
Apple AppStore almost at 50 billion downloads
As the app download race continues, Apple may be the first to the 50 billionth download. Apple will be awarding a $US10,000 gift certificate to the person that makes that magical download. The next 50 people will be given $US500 gift cards. As I write this, the count is at: Link to countdown timer.
Samsung Galaxy S4 available in Canada
The much anticipated Samsung Galaxy S4 is now available to all Canadians wanting to use Samsung's "Life Companion". Most carriers are showing limited quantity warnings but delivery is 1-2 weeks (which is very good). We know pre-orders are strong in the US and Canada is usually fairly similar. Here are the provideer pages: Videotron Bell Fido Koodo Rogers Telus Virgin Mobile