The Galaxy S4: A Crash-Course Review

via Samsung.com

via Samsung.com

Late this April, Samsung released its much-anticipated Galaxy S4 smart phone.  Considering the success that the phones predecessor, the Galaxy S3, enjoyed as a direct competitor to the iPhone 5, many Android geeks and tech bloggers have been hopeful that this newest iteration of the Galaxy line will finally be enough to push Samsung and Android into the forefront of the mobile market. So far, it looks like they’ve been right. Sales of the new Galaxy topped 10 million in less than a month and are expected to remain strong in the future. But will all of the S4’s new features and enhanced capabilities really be enough to unseat the iPhone as king of the mobile market?

Well, we recently got our hands on one. So let’s break it down and find out.

Build and Design

Visually, the Galaxy S4 looks nearly identical to the S3. It’s still large – 5.4” x 2.75” x .31” to be precise. It’s still made of black or white plastic (until the new colors hit the market this summer) and it still has a chrome trim. What’s noticeably different is that the screen bezels have been thinned out to make room for a larger screen and the corners have been squared off, which creates a chunkier silhouette that’s actually easier to grip.  The USB port has been cleaned up and the rear of the phone seems tighter and better-built as well. All in all, it’s an appealing evolution that addresses many of the complaints about the GS3’s design without changing the look in any significant way.

Display

As far as screens go, the new AMOLED screen on the GS4 is a beauty. It measures 5” across and boasts an astounding 441 pixels per-inch, up from the 306 on the GS3 and much more than the 326 on the iPhone 5.

Though the Full HD display is less refined than an equivalent LCD screen, it still provides stunning contrast and a crisp, clean picture. Colors are brighter than they appear on the iPhone and HTC one and a permanent brightness slider on the notifications screen makes it easy to adjust this monster of a monitor down to appropriate levels wherever you happen to go. In short, it’s bigger, it’s better, and it’s awesome.

Performance

Is the GS4 Fast? Yes, yes it is. The 1.9 GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon processor handled everything we threw at it with ease, including 3D-heavy games like House of the Dead Overkill. Other reviewers report that the processor torched all of the benchmark tests that they ran, which doesn’t surprise us in the least. Suffice to say, the GS4 is the fastest phone we’ve ever tested.

Networking is equally impressive. With full service, the 4G LTE phone can hit up to 14MBS on a download and 2 MBS on an upload, a solid mark by anyone’s perspective. Connecting to networks is fast, browsing them is faster.

As far as the battery goes – it’s good but not great. According to GSMArena, phone has about 18 hours 3 minutes of talk time and 7 hours 24 minutes of web browsing. The talk time is good, but the browsing life pales in comparison to the nearly 10 hours you’ll get on an iPhone 5 and HTC One.

Features

Ah, yes – the features. The Galaxy S4 has loads of them, and they’re all pretty great. Our favorite feature on the phone is it’s NFC capability, which allows you to use the GS4 as a mobile wallet to pay for transactions at stores that support them.

Samsung has upgraded the GS4’s camera as well. The new phone has a 13 megapixel backside-illuminated camera that captures stunning images in fine detail. It shoots well in sunlight as in darkenss, and features plenty of photo modes, including a neat 20-shot burst mode for those moments when you want to feel like a professional photographer.

In addition to all of Android 4.2.2’s OS features, Samsung has added a few touches of its own to the operating system. Most notably there’s the S Health app, which is a nice spin on the classic health and fitness app – it tracks your food intake, vitals and exercise routines to help you stay fit. There’s also the S Translator, which can translate speech or text into nine different languages.

Following that, there’s a Group Play feature that allows you to share media with other S4 owners and even lets you network multiple handsets to create stereo and surround sound. The suite also includes a built-in IR transmitter which allows you to control your home theater devices from the phone.

Other aspects found in the S3 have been improved. Eye and motion-tracking has been enhanced to function over a wider range and the former will now pause videos when it knows you aren’t watching. You can also scroll up or down on webpages just by looking.

Conclusion

It’s hard to find something not to love on the Galaxy S 4. The iPhone 5 might still have the “hip” factor and the superior battery life, but the GS4 dominates in every other significant category. It’s faster, it’s smarter and it has a ton of cool features that any tech geek or weekend mobile warrior will love.

Why Every Small Business Needs Accounting Software

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If you run a small business, properly handling your bookkeeping is an absolute must. That said, we need to explore all avenues for ways to simplify our processes. Embracing technology and all it offers us , including accounting software for small businesses, can make our lives simpler and less stressful. With a multitude of quality options at our disposal, the trickiest part of using accounting software can be choosing the right software for your small business. Here are a few tips to help you narrow down your search and choose the perfect small business accounting software for your company.

Tax Preparation

Do you really want to be doing your company taxes by hand, agonizing over ever last detail up until the last minute before you can file your return? I didn’t think so, and honestly, this practice is by far one of the least-efficient you can implement in your small business. Preparing your taxes becomes significantly easier and less stressful if you choose accounting software that fits your needs. Explore your options; some software options are designed to work across multiple platforms and some offer easy e-filing options for your tax returns.

Whatever your intricate needs may be, there is accounting software out there that will tackle all of those needs head on. If you have a CPA who handles your small business taxes, most software options will allow you to send your CPA all of your tax reports with the click of a button. If you have an in-house accountant, they will love how easy your taxes will be by implementing a new accounting software. Able to create and edit reports while syncing your updates, you simply cannot afford to bypass small business accounting software.

Expansion Features

An aspect that often times goes overlooked is whether the software has modules that will allow you to add information later when your small business experiences new growth. When a business does experience growth, a payroll accounting module is one of the first added to a company’s bookkeeping. If specific software doesn’t allow you to add modules, make sure you have the newest version. If you do have the latest version, spend some time going through all of its features to determine if you need to upgrade to new accounting software. While some software options will disappoint you, there are plenty of options to explore, and you will come across accounting software that fits every need of yours.

Must Haves

In order to narrow your accounting software options down to a select few that can get the job done, small business owners must make a list of all the features their businesses require in order to run efficiently. Most small business accounting software options feature the following:

  • Tax Reporting
  • Budgeting
  • Payroll
  • Tracking Sales
  • Managing Inventory

While some software options are industry-specific, others offer an array of tools that will work for the majority of small businesses. If your company is in a niche market that requires specific accounting features, research applications that suit those unique needs. Talking to your friends who also run small businesses will help you find software options that will truly benefit your company. Discuss what they like about the software they use, and perhaps more importantly, what they wish they had the ability to do with their software. You’ll most likely walk away with a short list of accounting software options, with a list of their pros and cons that will allow you to make the best decision for your small business’ accounting needs.

The Benefits of Ergonomic Office Equipment

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If you work a traditional nine-to-five in an office setting, you’re probably familiar with the body pains one can endure from sitting for long periods of time at a computer. While ergonomics may seem like a dicey solution to increase productivity in the office, the benefits can be great. Introducing ergonomic office equipment to your office can make your company more profitable while providing your co-workers with an unparalleled level of comfort. Here are just a few of the benefits of purchasing ergonomic office equipment for your business.

Increased Productivity

Whether you’re aware of it or not, ergonomics has become a science of providing the individual with the comfort to tackle long stretches of work that non-ergonomic equipment can’t offer. Any increase in efficiency or productivity is obviously a positive for your company. If you have the ability to improve your company’s overall efficiency, why wouldn’t you?

Something as simple as an ergonomic keyboard can make a huge impact in individual productivity. The human body isn’t designed to have your hands close together directly in front of you for long periods of time. Stop what you’re doing and place your hands on your keyboard. If you aren’t using an ergonomic keyboard, notice how awkwardly your hands and arms are situated. Coupled with the strain this positioning puts on your shoulders, it’s easy to see this is not a natural positioning of the human body. An ergonomic, split keyboard may require a slight learning curve, but will provide your co-workers with comfort and ease, allowing them to remain active at their computers for longer periods of time.

Decreased Injuries

Hundreds of thousands of work days are lost every year due to work-related injuries. While you may not think of an office setting as a threatening environment, work-related injuries happen everywhere. The cost of all those lost work days can cost billions of dollars to business owners. While you may think of a construction site when you hear of on-the-job injuries, a less-common injury is prevalent in offices across the country. Carpal tunnel syndrome is an easily avoidable issue in the workplace, and if your company is proactive to prevent these injuries, it stands to reap the benefits of decreased workers’ compensation and fewer days your employees will need to take off due to injury.

Regardless of your industry, injuries in the workplace are bound to occur. If you house heavy items in your office, place them where your employees can obtain them without exerting a lot of energy. Placing these heavier items where the individual can use good posture while picking them up will help prevent these injuries. While heavy-lifting injuries are not the only injuries that result in time lost in the office, they do make for a large number of overall office injuries. On average, back and shoulder injuries account for approximately one-third of all job-related injuries each year.

Work in Comfort

Nobody enjoys feeling uncomfortable at work, and this is especially true when it comes to someone’s workspace. Outside of ergonomic keyboards, a well-designed ergonomic chair can make the difference between working a full shift in ease and comfort or grinding through the day in productivity-reducing discomfort. Properly-designed ergonomic office chairs are meant to conform to your body, rather than have you conform to your chair. By supporting your lumbar, back and arms, these chairs are designed to make it easier for you to work, and the additional comfort will increase your productivity.

While ergonomic office chairs have been around for quite some time, their features have been adapting as research on common back issues people experience when sitting for long periods of time progresses. Despite the fact that no two employees or co-workers are the same, even if you bought the exact same ergonomic chair for each person in your company, most ergonomic chairs have adjustable features that can make every chair’s support unique.

Comfort in the workplace is a necessity which cannot be overstated. When your employees are happy and comfortable, they tend to work more efficiently since they don’t have the distraction of back pain to keep them from tackling their work with enthusiasm. Ergonomic office equipment provides your co-workers with the most comfortable work setting imaginable, and your company will reap the benefits. Do yourself and your co-workers a favor and create an ergonomic office. Your co-workers will love their new-found comfort, and you will love the productivity spike your company will experience.

Things to Keep in Mind When You are Buying a Laptop.

buying a laptop

We are living in a world where everything is done with some key-strokes or just a finger touch. The tablet market is growing exponentially with all the giants launching their own tablets. This growing market has posed a threat to the computers but still laptops are going strong. There are many people who give first preference to a laptop when they want to buy a computing device.

So every person must know that which laptop will suit you the best. I have to tell you this one thing. If you are buying a laptop or any other gadget, don’t think about money and try to buy the best gadget which fits best in all the criteria. You must keep certain things in mind before buying a laptop to make sure you have the best machine with you.

So here are some basic things you need to look when you buy a laptop.

Things to Keep in Mind Before Buying a Laptop.

Processors:

The first thing is to look at the best processors. The whole laptop performance depends on the processor. The better the processor, the better performance you will get. Nowadays the best processors available are Intel Core processors (i3, i5, i7), Atom, AMD etc. Also just don’t go with the processor with the best performance. Some processors shorten the battery life so choose wisely but don’t compromise.

The Memory:

Here we are talking about RAM memory. Today no one likes to use 512 MB or 1 GB RAM as there are programs that work slow on these RAM memory. So it is advisable to go for a higher RAM memory, maybe 2GB or higher. I would suggest you buy a laptop with a 4GB RAM, because people today love to play hardcore games.

Graphics:

To get the best graphics, you must have a good graphics card installed in your laptop. Personal suggestion, don’t go for 512 MB graphics card, go for 1 GB or 2 GB graphics card as you will get much better performance with that. And these days all the games that are released works only if you have a proper graphics card and also softwares like Adobe Photoshop also works great with graphics card.

Display:

LCD display with more pixels add to the advantage. IF you prefer then you can also go with touch screen display, dual scan display. Nowadays LED display is getting quite some momentum so it is too worth considering.

Battery:

Battery life is one of the most crucial thing to consider when buying a gadget. It is advisable that you buy a laptop whose battery runs for at least 4 hours at a stretch, this would be quite essential. Lithium ion batteries and Lithium polymer batteries suit best for the laptops and are worth considering.

Weight:

Would you like if you feel stressed and tired while carrying a laptop because of its weight ? Nowadays you can buy laptops that are ultra-light and ultra thin. When buying a laptop do consider the weight factor too.

OK That’s it.

So here are the most important things you need to look when you are buying a laptop. There are other factors too but you need to concentrate more on this factors to ensure better performance. There are many laptop brands worth checking. For a great range of cheap laptops online go to www.schtrade.co.uk.

So don’t get confused between the leading brands and buy laptops that you find the best fit for use. Once again, don’t consider the money factor because you are buying an electronic item so you must choose the best.

So I would be eager to here from you of what you think about the post ? Do you think there is anything important that I missed out ? Do share it with us.

Image Credit - Image courtesy of digitalart at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Electronic Cigarettes – Is It A Boon or Just Another Reason For Smokers?

Technology today is unmatched. We are having scientists working on almost every small thing and developing new technology for every smallest needs.

Some of the inventions are too good and they do the necessary tasks for what they were made. But some technology inventions are not at all needed and some inventions are like needed or not needed – can’t decide about that. Once such invention is that of electronic cigarettes.

electronic cigarettes

Why do I think electronic cigarettes are necessary and also not necessary? I am about to discuss the same topic in this post.

Electronic Cigarettes – A boon.

E-Cigarettes were first used in China and from there it now is used in almost every corner of the world. People who want to get out of their smoking habit but are not able to do it, e-cigarettes prove to be useful to them.

Most of the E-Cigarettes are reusable compared to the traditional cigarettes. E- Cigarettes don’t release smoke and release just water vapor in the atmosphere, as a result the harmful gases released in the atmosphere are controlled to some extent.

There are many types of E-Cigarettes available and people can choose them according to the nicotine content in it. Those who want to get over nicotine completely can chose the nicotine free cigarettes. The E-Cigarettes doesn’t release smoke and so people around you inhaling are not exposed to risk.

Electronic Cigarettes – Was it So Useful?

Though the E-Cigarettes are a lot better when compared to the traditional cigarettes, it doesn’t still help people get over their nicotine craving. People who truly want to get off their smoking habits will do it no matter what, even without the use of E-Cigarettes.

But for people who have no intention to stop smoking, won’t stop. They just need something that wil tell others that they are working on getting over their smoking habits. E-Cigarettes come of many types, with different nicotine levels. So that’s not a proper option when it still contains nicotine.

People will purchase the E-Cigarettes because they won’t have to spend on cigarettes more often and they will be able to fulfill their nicotine cravings. So that’s the reason I think that E-Cigarettes are not so significant.

What’s Your Take on It?

So do you think that electronic cigarettes are an important invention? If you still don’t know about e-cigarettes, you can search for reviews of electronic cigarettes and give your views about what you think about it. I am waiting for your honest feedback.

Why is Google the undisputed king of Internet World ??

All of us know what Google is ?? That’s the site we all go when we want to find something on the internet. Google is a search engine; the best search engine to find something on the internet. No other search engine has even reached close to the level of Google. Why is it so ?? Why Google is so popular ?? Well let’s see for the reasons that made Google the king of Internet world.

 

Brief intro about Google

Google's original homepage

Google was created by Larry Page and Sergey Brin in January 1996 as a research project when they were both PhD students at Stanford University. It was first incorporated as a private held company on September 4,1998. The company’s mission statement was ” to organize the world’s information and make it universally accessible and useful “.

 

Reasons of why it is so popular

Most of us know that Google was originally a search engine; and many of us know that it is only a search engine. No it’s not. It’s the biggest company in the internet world offering every service that is needed by an internet user. Google’s rapid growth triggered a chain of services, partnerships and acquisitions beyond the company’s core web search engine. Every service that Google is offering has been ruling its respective field ever since they were launched.

Some of the services of Google is known by us. The company offers online productivity tools such as Gmail email service, the Google Docs office suite, and the Google+ social networking service. Google not only offers online products but its services extends to the desktop as well with applications such as Google Chrome web browser, the Picasa photo editing and organizing software and Google Talk Instant Messaging application. Google also owns the super popular Android mobile operating system. Other popular services are Youtube, Orkut, Gmail and the social networking site Google+.

Some services not known by normal users like us but popular among internet professionals are like this. Those who own a blog or a website will surely have a Google Analytics Account to track the traffic, Webmasters Tools account for improvising the website. Other services are Google apps, Blogger, Google Adwords, Google News, Google Finance, Google Groups, Google Maps etc. and lot’s and lot’s more.

 

Summary

Writing about Google is a very tough task and cannot be accommodated in one single post. A single post is just not enough to write about the services of Google and the reasons of its popularity. But it is a known fact that today no other site can be compared to Google because Google is the best. It is really the undisputed king of Internet.

Please do drop your comments below if you liked the article or have any objection with its content.

Author Bio: I am Rahul Garewal a content writer and a Professional Blogger.  I am certified with Symantec 250-316 which is very popular these days and have a great scope in the field of IT Certification. I always like to take certification exams and now I have planned to pass Symantec 250-315. These kinds of exams could secure your future as well as your job.

Best alternatives to Adobe Photoshop

     Adobe Photoshop is by far the best image editor out there that I know and many of you will even agree with me. It’s the best and most popular. But you have to pay a high amount to buy it. For all those who can’t afford the high pricing of Adobe Photoshop, we have come up with a list of some alternatives that will most of your photo editing needs.     A few days ago, we posted about some best sites where you can learn photo-editing and manipulations with the help of Adobe Photoshop. You might like to read the article.

Read : Top 4 Sites To Learn And Become A Photoshop Master

GIMP (GNU image manipulation program) :-

 Photoshop Alternative-GIMP

There is no doubt that GIMP is the closest alternative to Photoshop. GIMP is used by many professionals and contains most of the functions that are similar to Photoshop. Some people feels that the interface is hard to use, but there are still many others who love this open source software. GIMP is available for Linux, Windows and Mac OSX.

Download : GIMP

Paint.NET :-

Paint.NET



Paint.NET is more than the default Paint application in Windows. Originally it was designed as a free replacement for the Microsoft Paint, but it has grown incredibly and today it has become a simple, yet powerful image editor. Currently, Paint.net can only be used on computers that run Windows, however in future it might be able to support other operating systems.

Download : Paint.NET

Splashup :-

Splashup

Splashup is a internet browser based photo editing program. No downloads are required; just “Jump Right In”, as their slogan goes. It features a wealth of popular tools, features and applications available. However, it is rather advanced so for the less expierenced user there is Splashup Lite. Best of all, both versions allow you to share finished photos to websites, such as Flickr, Facebook, Picasa and more, without a hitch.

Go to Splashup

Active Pixels :-

Active Pixels



This photo editor resembles Photoshop in many aspects, from the way menus and windows are laid out on its interface to the keyboard shortcuts used for many actions. It also includes similar tools, like the magic wand, the gradient, the polygonal lasso and others. What’s more, it supports working with layers. Active Pixels is an excellent photo editor that can be very useful for those cases in which you don’t have Photoshop at hand or you just prefer to use a lighter app to perform the same tasks.

Download : Active Pixels

Corel PaintShop Pro :-

Corel Paintshop Pro

Corel PaintShop Pro is the latest release in Corel’s popular line of photo management and editing software. The interface is fairly simple to navigate, with all of the program’s functionality falling under three main tabs at the top of the screen: Manage, Adjust, and Edit.

Go to  Corel Paintshop Pro 

The above softwares listed are really good with their amazing tools resembling to Adobe Photoshop but above all of this Photoshop rocks. It’s the best when it comes to image editing.

Author Bio: I am Rahul Garewal a content writer and a Professional Blogger.  I am certified with Symantec ST0-141 which is very popular these days and have a great scope in the field of IT Certification. I always like to take certification exams and now I have planned to pass Symantec ST0-149. These kinds of exams could secure your future as well as your job.

Prepare for the latest in Angry Birds – Angry Birds Space

Angry Birds Space

          I bet there would be no one out there who might not be knowing about angry birds. From a child to a youngster to an old man, whoever might have played this wonderful game at least once would be unable to froget it. With its awesome gameplay and amazing new versions, it has created a great impact on the gaming world and has proven that such a simplest game can also create such a rage amongst the game lovers.

          Rovio, the company behind the massively successful Angry Birds franchise, has been able to maintain the popularity and have even managed to increase it with its more and more advanced and upgrades versions. Angry birds Rio was superbly amazing with its new refreshing stages and the latest being Angry Birds Seasons 2012 also been able to garner as much popularity as its predecessors. Now just wait a few days for the much awaited Angry Birds Space as it is been launched on March 22.

What’s new in Angry Birds Space :-

          You can expect two things from Angry Birds Space – first, it will be superb and second it will be superb. The stages in this latest edition are amazing with some new birds that will make you play this game more often. It will be available on all major platforms that includes Android, IOS, Mac OS and there is a even a version for Windows PC.

1) Ice Bird : 

Ice Bird Angry birdsIce Bird is basically a block of ice with a face and a beak. Launching it into objects will freeze them on contact, making even stone slabs break with ease. He recruited the Angry Birds to help recapture the “Eggsteroid”, about which we will come to know more about on the 22nd. The Ice Bird will freeze anything he touches, so pairing him with the Blue Birds is ideal.

2) Lazer Birds : 
Lazer Birds Angry Birds

The Lazer Bird may remind you a bit of the Yellow bird, but he’s got “Super Vision”. After launching, trigger his “Super Power Strike” by tapping anywhere on the screen to redirect him. You will see crosshairs on the screen where you tapped and the Lazer Bird will turn and immediately accelerate toward the target.

          So prepare yourself to get in the gameplay of this latest and very promising Angry Birds Space and wait for March 22, 2012. Stay tuned and we are going to bring the full version of Angry Birds Space on this blog exclusively for our members and subscribers. If you are not subscribed then get yourself subscribed by entering your e-mail address in the box below this post.

Video – Angry Birds Space Announcement :-


Top 4 sites to learn and become a Photoshop master

Top 4 sites to learn and become a Photoshop master

When it comes to image editing, logo creations, designing, image manipulations, the first thing that comes into most people’s mind is Adobe Photoshop. It is by far the most powerful software ever created. It rules the world of designing. You can create many beautiful designs using this awesome software. But learning  how to use Photoshop is a bit tricky. It is very easy yet very difficult to use it. Whenever I browse through any site giving Photoshop tutorials, I get surprised as I come across a completely new topic every-time. It’s like a never ending ocean of unlimited tools to create unlimited stuff. The title of this post is somewhat wrong as it says – “become a Photoshop master”. In my opinion, no one can really become a master in Photoshop. You can get expertise in working with Photoshop but you cannot become a master. Every-time you will learn something new that you haven’t yet discovered till now.

So if you want to gain expertise in Photoshop without joining any classes then the following sites would prove the best place to learn from.

1) Psd tuts+ :-

I would say that this is the best site for Photoshop lovers. The authors of this site are all very talented in this field. Your experience will be wonderful with this site. Apart from giving tutorials, it also writes aeticles and shows many illustrations that motivate budding designers to gain expertise. Their is a Sessions section and a video section to understand the tutorials better. With the tips offered their you can learn Photoshop and designing much easily.
Visit : Psd tuts+

2) Psdeluxe.com :- 

Psdeluxe is a Design blog dedicated to mainly Photoshop lovers and enthusiasts. This is the very first blog from where I started learning from.It gets regularly updated with free and easy to learn Adobe photoshop tutorials, useful freebies for design projects, powerful tools that will make your work easier. They give some very good step-by-step tutorials on Photoshop.
Visit : Psdeluxe.com

3) Noupe.com :-

This site is not just another site, it’s a wonderful site to learn designing stuff. One look at it and you will fall in love with its design. Just take a look at it and you will feel that the author of this site is having great knowledge in designing. It not only offers tutorials on Photoshop, but it also gives lessons on CSS, Jquery, AJAX, Photography and much more. This is a site which will enhance the creative side of your mind.
Visit : Noupe.com

4) Photoshopstar.com :-

Photoshopstar is another great tutorial site where you can learn from basics to advanced level photoshop. This site even offers freebies to help you in your work. Not only it is good with Photoshop tutorials but it even offers tutorials on web graphics and website design. If you want some serious work then you should not ignore this site.
Visit : Photoshopstar.com

Author Bio : I am Rahul Garewal a content writer and a Professional Blogger.  I am certified with Symantec ST0-174 which is very popular these days and have a great scope in the field of IT Certification. I always like to take certification exams and now I have planned to pass Symantec ST0-173. These kinds of exams could secure your future as well as your job.