Homescreen Beauty Bragging [TECH NEWS]

So what’s with this new trend of home screen flaunting?  Had anyone else notice this new trend? Is been pretty hard to miss lately as I have seen them shared on XDA forums,  Google+ post and even saw a new big emerge MyColorScreen.

(If you ever have an iPhone user tell you Android isn’t  beautiful direct them to this site, it’s pretty impressive)

Well I am guess i am assuming that if you own an iPhone you wouldn’t have any idea because they all look the same, but Windows and Android users would relate.

So after looking at a few of them today and seeing hundreds of home screens over the years I decided no one has one just like me. Time to join the home screen showoff party. Maybe this is the beauty of home screen art.  It never looks the same.  Now mine isn’t as artsy as some you will see but to me functionality is its beauty.  I’d you want to know anything about what you see below leave a comment.

First the lock screen.

Screen Previews

Now I will run through each screen starting with my default screen.

I achieved this look with Holo Launcher HD as my launcher. Widgetzoid for the highly functional default screen widget(green). 1Weather for the cool weather widget.  And a jedi rom for the rest of the customization. UCCW for the custum clock widget on the home screen.

Think your Homescreen is better shoot me an email @ TheCrazySignGuy@gmail.com.

Top 3 Tablets 2012 [BEST TABLET]

1. Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1

Pros- thing this has a beautiful 10 in screen and  a quad core processor that will stand the test of time.  Great software support from Samsung. A 5 mega pixel rear facing camera.  The newest Android software.  This tablet coups fully replace a laptop. 

Oh and the best part it has a stylus you can use like a pen on the screen turning the whole thing into an interactive note pad. (Hence the name)

Cons – $499.99 prove tag.  Make sure you get a screen protector and a case to protect this investment. 

Full review here – http://m.techradar.com/reviews/pc-mac/tablets/samsung-galaxy-note-10-1-1092661/review

2. Google Nexus7

Pros-its only $200 its fully supported by Google which means it will get the latest software updates for at least 3 years. Has a beautiful screen.  7 inch tablets travel nice.

Cons- its only got a tegra3 processor so it might start to feel slow in the next year or two. It’s got no fear facing camera.  Only a front facing one for video chat,  so if you plan on taking pictures with it this is not the tablet for you. 

Full review here – http://m.techradar.com/reviews/pc-mac/tablets/google-nexus-7-1087040/review

3. Google Nexus 10

Pros – This is a bigger version of the nexus7 listed above.  It’s also had a rear facing 5 mega pixel camera which the smaller version is missing. 

Cons- almost as expensive at the Samsung Note 10.1 but lacks the good processor and the stylus. 

Full review here – http://m.techradar.com/reviews/pc-mac/tablets/google-nexus-10-1109003/review

I would look to buy the Samsung tablet listed below on Amazon it comes in either wifi only or one you can buy a cell days service for.  Personally I would go with the wifi only version because you can always use your phone as a mobile hot spot to get it Internet on the go if you need it.  The nexus tablets I would buy directly from Google to avoid any distributor markup.  (Www.google.com/play)

The iPhone5 Launches And Its Already A Waste Of Money. [IPHONE5]

Look at all the awesome “NEW” features Apple is offering. #iPhone5

LTE
4 INCH SCREEN
BIGGER BATTERY
NEW MAPS
CLOUD MUSIC
NOTIFICATION BAR UPDATES
FACEBOOK INTEGRATION
VOICE SEARCH BASED ON LOCATION

…..Whoa hold on a second….Who is COPYING who here…. Seems like EVERY SINGLE THING Apple announced today is a direct rip off of an Android feature. #boycottApple

I am having deja vu…. didnt Apple do this last year as well and declare it all as NEW technology. Lol.

Btw if you want all of these features PLUS a better camera and a bigger screen check out the Samsung Galaxy SIII or the HTC ONE X. Both will only cost you $100.00. … which is half of what the iPhone5 costs.

Oh ya and you don’t have to use iTunes or plug you phone into your computer EVER with android.

Can’t wait to see the millions of idiots that buy this phone just because it has the cool laser burn of the Apple on the back lol.

I miss the old days when these announcements actually had revolutionary technology. BY THE WAY THE PICTURE AT THE TOP IS THE iPHONE 4S,  I bet know one could even tell. Just for comparison below is the iPhone5.

Please before you buy this phone read the posts below from over a year ago showing you cheaper alternatives to the iPhone that have all the same functionallity.

IPHONE 4S IS CRAP

Best phones for your $

My New (FAD) Social Network…

Who here remembers the good ole GIF?

If you don’t know what I am talking about please reference [Just Some GIFs For Fun]

These fun low quality animations were all the rage back in the days of GeoCites, and again for a while during the MySpace era. Well its looks like they are coming back again, and this time gaining steam with the youngsters and their smart phone.

If you haven’t noticed them replacing peoples profile pictures on twitter yet you soon will. How to make your twitter avatar a GIF.

Twitter GIF

That is where this new social network comes in. GIFBOOM, makes creating, sharing and networking with GIF loving fools everywhere simple and easy and completely functional on any decent smart phone.

Link to PlayStore GIFBOOM

Google GLASSES [AUGMENTED REALITY]

So as you know back like 10 months ago I said this would be coming. 

It looks like I was right! GOOGLE GLASSES are on there way. And it just give us one more thing we can say “LETS SEE YOUR iPHONE DO THIS…” to.

Wow GOOGLE AR GLASSES ARE COOL

Check out the demo video below.

Google Glasses Demo on YouTube.

The True Faces Of Apple

Next time you are playing temple run, or listening to a new cd from itunes, or showing off the latests fad feature iOS has provided you think about these faces.

These are the true faces of Apple. These are the faces of the workers who were painfully burned do to dangerous procedures they were forced to do, while making your phone/tablet.

Picture originally from link below.
http://m.gizmodo.com/5892669/ipad-workers-faces-still-ruined-after-last-years-explosion

Apple’s newest device iKill. [iPhone 5]

Check out this new advertise mentioned for Apples next phone. The iPhone iKill!

Ok okay… so its actually not a new Apple product but Tony Shin, of NBC shared it with me as a new info graph showing the statistic from Apple manufacturers.

My questions to you are:

IF APPLE IS SUCH A GREAT COMPANY, WHY HAVE THEY NOT USED SOME OF THEIR $108 BILLION IN PROFITS TO FIX THESE PROBLEMS?

DOES GREED MAKE A GOOD COMPANY?

DO YOU FEEL LESS HAPPY WITH YOUR APPLE PURCHASE KNOWING IT CONTRIBUTED TO THESE MORALLY QUESTIONABLE ACTIONS?

Down with SOPA. [PROTEST]!!!

Keep the internet free don’t allow SOPA to pass. PROTEST!!!

Take pride in your citizenship and fight for your freedom.

If you live in a closet or don’t know how to turn on a computer you probably haven’t heard a of this evil little law that is designed to destroy the last REAL bit of freedom the world has…

…THE INTERNET.

check the link below for more info.

http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/technology/2012/01/wikipedia-blackout-sopa-and-pipa-explained/

Facebook is Illegally Tracking You, And Don’t Let Anyone Tell You It Doesn’t Matter! [CORRUPTION]

That thumbs down goes to you Gizmodo.

So the article below is from Gizmodo [Is Facebook Tacking You?], but i am starting to questions the legitimacy of their website.  This article is a paid for piece of advertisement, written as a PR cover up for Facebook.  The people at Facebook, have been breaking privacy laws and tracking your web activity without your knowledge for years.  Then they state that if you are paranoid about it clear your cookies, but this does not actually work to remove the facebook tracking bug.  I actually had to find a hidden .dll files using CCleaner in order to get rid of the tracking software.  In my opinion that mean this is a malicious cookie and is definitely tracking you illegally.  So this next comment go to Gizmodo.

WHEN DID YOU GUYS SELL OUT AND START WRITING PUFF PIECES FOR MAJOR CORPORATIONS. THE INTEGRITY OF YOUR ENTIRE NEWS WEBSITE IS AT STAKE. SO CLEAN UP YOUR ACT, START DOING REAL INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALISM, AND STOP WRITING ARTICLES THAT HIDE THE TRUTH JUST FOR MONEY.  OTHERWISE YOU ARE NO BETTER THAN FOX NEWS OR ABC. For more on this check HERE

For the rest of you seriously consider deleting your Facebook account and cleaning your registry.  Facebook is quickly becoming an evil corporation and don’t support them with your business.

Is Facebook Tracking You After You Cancel Your Account? Does It Even Really Matter?

Citing employees at Hamburg Data Protection, Bloomberg claims that Facebook’s cookies will still actively track your online activity even if you’ve cancelled your account. But it mostly just seems like tin hat paranoia.

According to the report, there’s “suspicion” and over the way Facebook is using cookies. What that means exactly is unclear, as they don’t elaborate any further aside from saying that the cookies can identify specific people. Facebook says they delete any user specific cookies, but leave some for security purposes, such as phishing.

Remaining cookies are used in “identifying spammers and phishers, detecting when somebody unauthorized is trying to access your account, helping you get back into your account if you get hacked,” and blocking underage users from re-registering with a different birth date, Facebook said.

Should Facebook be doing this without people knowing? Probably not. But even if they are collecting data on you after you cancel your account, is it different from what any other website is doing? If these are supercookies, which are considerably harder to get rid of, then yeah, it’s problematic. But sites will drop a cookie on your computer and track your data even if you’re just visiting—regardless of whether or not you have an account.

This instance doesn’t seem to be much different. Sure, Facebook has data about us that is much more focused and specific, but if you’re that paranoid about it, clear out your cookies. [Bloomberg]

Here Are My Favorite AR Apps [AUGMENTED REALITY]

So AR is the future of marketing and the future of taking full advantage of your smart phone.  Here are a few of my favorites who have broken into the AR tech. early.

1.) Google Sky Map 

You probably have heard of Google Sky Map and quite rightly too. Whether you are an amateur astronomer or simply a Carl Sagan look-a-like, being able to gaze up at the stars and identify constellations, stars and planets drip in geeky-cool.

All you need to do is point your phone upwards toward the night sky and everything is identified in front of you in real time. Move your camera around, and the details will change with the direction you’re pointing at. Brilliant for educational purposes too. And as you should expect from Google, the application is smooth and super-easy to use.

Price: Free
Requires: 1.5 and up
Market Link: Google Sky Map
Developer: Google Inc.
Full Review: Google Sky Map

2.) Layar 

Layar was the first Android AR app I ever tried and watching an early demo of it encouraged me to buy an Android in the first place. Layar adds a variety of ‘layers’ to your phones camera world-view. The app really is a bundle of different apps in one as you can search for houses for sale, local people on Twitter, play games or even identify places where crime has taken place!

There are loads of different layers available through the app so well worth exploring in depth to get the best out of it. The UI is incredibly polished and intuitive, blending useful function with a good-looking interface. While most AR apps usually work quite well, few have as good an interface as Layar.

Price: Free
Requires: 1.5 and up
Market Link: Layar
Developer: Layar
Full Review: Layar
3.) Color Blindness Simulator 

Color Blindness is a clever app that demonstrates vision from the perspective of someone who is color blind. Through the camera the view splits into a normal view and a color blind view, enabling you to compare and see how color blindness can affect people.

You could actually also use this if you think you might be color blind yourself. If you cannot tell the difference between the two images it might be worth getting it checked out!

Price: Free
Requires: 2.1 and up
Market Link: Color Blindness Simulator
Developer: Seewald Solutions
4.) Junaio 

Another AR browser, you can view different things through Junaio depending on your preferences. So, if you are out and looking for the nearest fast food restaurant the app can tell you through your camera viewer. It also features a comprehensive bar code scanner and the ability to save favourites.

While not quite as fully-featured as Layar, Junaio works very well and includes a number of different functions. I particularly enjoyed a virtual tour of Valencia in Spain, but there is lots to play with in the app.

Price: Free
Requires: 2.1 and up
Market Link: Junaio
Developer: metaio GmbH
5.) GeoGoggle 

GeoGoggle lets you view accurate geographical information around you. It lets you see your longtitude and latitude, altitude, direction (via a 3D compass), and speed, as well as the distance to a specified location. Using your GPS the app can integrate with Geocaching apps like c:geo. You can also take pictures using the app.

An additional feature of GeoGoggle enables you to view a map and see where you have taken particular photographs in a certain location. The app has a rich UI, is very polished and works incredibly well, providing a great information resource; it’s ideal for outdoorsy-types and adventurers.

Price: Free
Requires: 2.1 and up
Market Link: GeoGoggle
Developer: peko56
6.) Paintball 

Paintball allows you to play real-time AR paintball through your Android. Simply get a few Android-toting buddies to download the app, link up and away you go. The game lets you build up points for bonuses too, and you can earn new virtual paintballing weaponry. The game detects the color of shirt your opponent is wearing, allowing you to target them. You can set times for specific matches and actually save your best shots to view back.

While it might be a hassle to get enough friends with Androids over to try it out, it is great fun and works really well… and you avoid the massive bruises and hurt egos you get from normal paintballing!

Price: Free
Requires: 2.2 and up
Market Link: Paintball
Developer: Mambo Studios
7.) Wikitude World Browser

Wikitude World Browser is probably the king of augmented reality information apps. In your camera viewer it lets you see Wikipedia articles, ATM machine locations, local restaurants, Tweets, FourSquare locations, Flickr pictures, YouTube videos and lots more… all local to you. The UI in the app is superb and the AR is accurate and well displayed.

Price: FreeYou could also download ‘Wikitude Drive’ which presents a unique sat-nav experience. Instead of following the map, simply follow the lines placed right along your route. The app is great for exploring new places or making the most of those around you. Wikitude World Browser has won various awards and should be considered one of those ‘essential’ apps people talk incessantly about.

Requires: 1.6 and up
Market Link: Wikitude World Browser
Developer: Wikitude GmbH

 

 

8.)  SpecTrek  <– good halloween app

Go ghost-hunting with this fun and clever game! The app recognizes your location and places around you a number of ghosts and bonuses. You

must find these ghosts and trap them. In order to do so, simply get as close to them as possible and fire a special net at them. You can see the ghosts through your viewer, hovering scarily in front of you! You can time games and build up points and bonuses.

SpecTrek is great for getting out of the house and improving fitness, especially as the game gets gradually harder, with more area to cover the more you play it. Brilliant for children too.

Price: Free or $2.49
Requires: 1.5
Market Link: SpecTrek
Developer: Games4All

For a more complete list and written reviews of each app check out a full article HERE