Reduce your phone's blue light emissions. Create yourself a twin brother
Roman Zagrebin climbed into the cemetery.
Force/3D-Touch
For the first time, a screen with pressure recognition appeared in Apple Watch first generation. On small screen an additional level of interaction with the interface was really needed.
Then the technology flowed into the iPhone, but it didn’t go much further. Chinese manufacturers Out of habit, we tried to copy it, but it turned out extremely ridiculous.
Huawei even showed off its Mate S a month before iPhone release 6s. At the presentation, the Chinese proposed using a force-sensitive screen to weigh various objects, and big changes was not included in the interface.
Then we tried Xiaomi. The Mi 5S screen was able to recognize strong pressure, but the function was forgotten in the next updates. In newer models from these manufacturers, Force Touch was not mentioned.
Apple itself still hasn't built 3D-Touch into tablets, although it does on the iPad. Pro second a click would definitely not hurt.
There are two reasons for failure.
Firstly, only solutions are possible on Android third party manufacturers, which do not receive support from application developers. As a marketing feature, 3D Touch doesn't work very well.
Secondly, pressure recognition has very little practical meaning. Shortcuts for application icons can be easily opened by long pressing, as is the case in all normal launchers for Android. The only really good things are cursor control and link previews. But most iPhone users doesn't even know these functions exist.
Xenon flash
Almost every smartphone released in 2017 has an LED flash. Someone installs several diodes with different color temperature, but xenon flares are a thing of the past.
They were very loved in old Nokia. Significantly brighter and more uniform than LED, xenon flash was constantly installed in camera phones of the Finnish company. Nokia N8, 808 PureView, Lumia 1020 and many other smartphones came with super-bright flash.
The rejection of xenon modules is associated with their hellish dimensions and terrible cost. LEDs cost pennies and easily fit next to modern camera modules on even the thinnest phones.
In addition, the flash is more often used as a flashlight than for its intended purpose. Photography with flash is extremely rare these days. Even in poor lighting conditions, modern smartphones cope with shooting normally, but with flash the pictures turn out unnatural.
But it’s still a shame about the xenon.
Additional screen
Every second manufacturer tried to push a second display into a smartphone. Which side hasn't it been inserted yet?
Tried from behind (YotaPhone, Meizu Pro 7):
Side ( Samsung Note Edge):
Top (HTC U Ultra, LG V10):
In the second half (Samsung W2018, ZTE Axon M)
Obsession with an idea is completely incomprehensible. IN different cases the manufacturers had different motives, but the result is always the same. The second screen (be it e-ink or Amoled) turns out to be a useless feature, and phones turn into commercial failures.
It's high time to leave this idea behind.
Rounded edges
Samsung first introduced rounded edges with the Galaxy S6 Edge. It was then that the Koreans stopped using the curved part of the display as a separate area from the rest of the screen and added a curve (albeit much smaller than in Note Edge) on both sides of the screen.
Nobody except Samsung used rounded edges. The only exception is Blackberry: they rounded out the display of their Priv to show the battery level.
The reason is simple - it looks good on marketing materials, but in life it does not provide any advantages. Moreover, many users are faced with the problem of accidental clicks, which was more or less dealt with only with the Galaxy S8 (and even then not completely).
Sensors for AR
Google showed its platform for augmented reality back in 2014, already 3 years before ARKit. The system required depth sensors built into the phone to function. First affordable smartphone, supporting Tango, was Lenovo Phab 2 Pro.
The sensor system allowed the smartphone to not only display 3D models on top of the camera image with high accuracy, but also carry out three-dimensional scanning.
Unfortunately, there weren’t very many people willing to integrate a sensor system into a smartphone. In addition to the device from Lenovo, only Asus Zenfone AR. In total, no more than three thousand devices were sold.
Now Google already he himself gave up on Tango and is developing ARCore - a system similar to ARKit from Apple, which works on all smartphones. In terms of accuracy and capabilities, this is not even close to Tango, but the platform is already officially a thing of the past. It's a pity.
Android smartphones They have long proven that they are no worse than Apple gadgets. These devices not only delight excellent quality, but also cool “smart” gadgets. That's what we'll talk about today.
1. Fingerprint scanner
Today, a smartphone is an integral part of life; a lot of information is stored there. important information. Locking a gadget with a password is becoming a thing of the past. There is no longer any need to remember a combination of numbers and letters. It is better to purchase a smartphone with a fingerprint sensor.Sony Xperia X
This gadget pleasantly surprises with its speed. Conveniently, you don't have to use your thumb to unlock. This model is strong in its other characteristics. The 5-inch diagonal screen demonstrates excellent brightness. The device operates at a powerful Qualcomm processor Snapdragon 650. Has high quality communication, operating time without recharging is a day.
Google Nexus 6P
The fingerprint scanner is located on the back of the gadget, which is not entirely convenient. But the speed and accuracy of the response compensates for this small drawback. The gadget body is made of anodized aluminum. Wireless modules function smoothly, crystal clear clear sound will impress even the most demanding user.
Huawei P9
Before us is another stylish device with metal body. The gadget is equipped with an instant unlock function, perhaps again the location of the sensor is not very convenient - on the back of the smartphone. But you can place your finger at any angle, and the device will not fail to authenticate.
2. Selfie models
Lenovo Vibe S1
The elegant smartphone in a metal body became the first owner of a dual selfie camera. The second two-megapixel module analyzes human binocular vision. Thanks to the secondary camera, you can change focus even after pressing the shutter.
Samsung Galaxy S7/S7 Edge
The five-megapixel front camera has a number of advantages. This smartphone is famous for the same flash as the iPhone 6S. The “Beauty” option allows you to adjust the direction of the light and even disguise skin imperfections, practically a built-in Photoshop. Plus, the selfie camera is ideal for group photos, thanks to its 120-degree viewing angle.
Asus ZenFone Selfie
The phablet is equipped with a 13-megapixel front camera with a 140-degree shooting angle. Dual flash allows you to take pictures in the dark.
3. Slot for second SIM card
Chinese smartphones with two SIM cards have already become a tradition. One slot carries an independent function that the other does not have. Android system functions allow you to not only configure data transfer and voice call for a specific card, but also make it possible to record names on a specific number.Doogee X5 Max
This gadget can safely be called the best budget smartphone for 2 SIM cards. In addition, it also has a slot for a memory card. The device is equipped with a 5-inch display. The operating system has been updated to Android 6.
Samsung Galaxy J7 2016
The model is equipped with decent hardware. AMOLED display with a diagonal of 5.5 gives a high-quality bright image. There is also a slot for a memory card, which can be expanded up to 256 GB.
Asus ZenFone 2 ZE551ML
The gadget received the title of “the most best smartphone with two SIM cards." The device is equipped with a dual radio module. What does it mean? The second SIM card remains active while talking on the first number. This is especially convenient if one SIM card is intended for calls, and the other is for connecting to the Internet.
4. Waterproof
Sometimes it is difficult to protect our smartphones from the harmful effects of various liquids. Manufacturers decided to help users and created several devices that are not afraid of water.Sony Xperia Z3
IN in this case we're talking about not about specific model, but about the whole series. Certification according to the IP68 standard suggests that nothing will happen to the gadget if it is immersed in water no more than one and a half meters for a full half hour.
Samsung Galaxy S5
The flagship is IP67 certified. You shouldn't dive with this gadget, but you can get caught in the rain without worrying about your smartphone. Galaxy screen S5 has a diagonal of 5.1 inches. The device is equipped powerful iron, other characteristics are also quite tolerable.
Sony Xperia M4 Aqua
The body of the gadget is made of plastic, but the degree of protection is the same as that of the more expensive Z3. The manufacturer focused on the stability of the tube from dust and, of course, moisture getting inside. In terms of other characteristics, this is a middle-class device.
5. NFC technology
This is a really cool feature. Let me explain a little about the opportunities available to the owner of a smartphone with NFC (wireless data transmission technology at a distance of up to 10 cm).- You can instantly transfer files from one device to another (naturally, equipped with this technology).
- NFC tags simplify all work with your smartphone. Manipulating buttons will no longer take time, everything is done as if by a click. You just need to bring the phone to the programmed zone.
- This technology only works at a short distance, which will protect your personal space from unwanted intrusion by intruders.
- Using the built-in NFC module, you can make payments without cards by simply bringing the gadget to the terminal.
Huawei ASCEND D QUAD
Quad-core gadget with chip Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Pro APQ8064 can compete with the most advanced handsets. The 4.7-inch display with an extension of 1280x768 has the same pixel density as the iPhone 5, but the RAM capacity of this device is twice that of the Apple device. And most importantly, the smartphone supports NFC technology.
Huawei Honor 6
The gadget is not cheap, but the characteristics it has, for which you usually have to pay more a large sum. It is equipped with a 5-inch Full HD screen, cameras highest quality, supports 4G and such wireless functions, like NFC and IR blaster.
Elephone Vowney
This manufacturer is not a large manufacturer and has not previously produced devices worthy of top positions. But this model can be called a flagship. The gadget has decent hardware: an eight-core 64-bit Media Tek Helio X10 chipset. Equipped with a fingerprint scanner and NFC technology.
As we see, modern smartphone has mass useful features that make our lives easier. I am glad that every year manufacturers not only improve the quality of existing functions, but also equip their gadgets with new technological gadgets. You can choose any of the Android smartphones
Currently operating room Android system is the most popular. It is installed on more than 1.2 billion devices worldwide. But few people know what this OS contains hidden possibilities. Internet project “Be Mobile” studied “ secret functions"and prepared a list of the most interesting of them.
1. Hidden mini-game
id="sub0">Since Android 2.3 Gingerbread, Google company stirs it up for everyone Android smartphones, so called, " Easter eggs"- hidden secrets that can be seen by performing a series of non-obvious actions. Like the names of the versions of the operating system, Easter eggs in it are also usually associated with sweets: in Android versions 4.1 Jelly Bean these were flying jelly beans, in Android 4.4 KitKat - the OS logo in the style of the Nestle sweet of the same name, and in Android 5.0 Lollipop - hidden game in Flappy Bird style. Android 6.0 Marshmallow has not been left out either.
To access the mini-game, open Settings. Go to “About phone” or “About tablet”. Quickly click on “Android Version” several times.
A marshmallow stylized as an android's head will appear on the screen. If you quickly click on it a few more times, a mini-game will open.
Like Android 5.0, the mini-game in Android 6.0 is in the style of Flappy Bird, but the lollipops are replaced with marshmallows in the shape of a robot head. The game has funny graphics and, although it looks simple, it is quite difficult to score at least 10 points in it. I got a maximum of 4 points. I couldn't do it anymore.
2. Remote control of a smartphoneid="sub1"> Lost Android mobile devices can be found and blocked, but Google hid this option quite deeply. It is activated in the menu“Settings -> Security -> Device Administrators” In chapter " Remote control
Android". Check the box next to " Remote search
devices" and "Remote blocking". Activate extended rights for the device manager upon request. Now you can manage your device from google.com/android/devicemanager in your Google account
or through the Android Remote Control application People who are familiar with Android will easily restore deleted files , unless you encrypt your mobile device. To activate this option, open“Settings -> Security -> Device encryption”
. Set up encryption.
3. Safe Modeid="sub2"> Another protective Android function is "safe mode". It deactivates all third party applications. Moreover, in " safe mode » they can be deleted if for some reason they are incompatible with your mobile device
, ended up in the boot loop by accident, are Trojans or viruses.
To start “safe mode”, hold down the power button. When the menu for turning off the smartphone and activating airplane mode opens, hold your finger on the “Power off” item for a long time. Then confirm to boot into safe mode. The smartphone will boot into “safe mode”. All icons third party applications will have grey colour
. If something happens, you can safely remove them.
4. Synchronization and push notification settingsid="sub3"> When installing certain applications, you don’t think about permissions for sending push notifications or any others. Over time these apps start to spam. Games especially suffer from this, but it can also be quite regular applications. Luckily, notifications can be turned off.
To do this, open “Settings -> Applications -> All”, find the culprit and select “Notifications”. Here you can either disable all notifications at once (“Block All”), or allow only “swipe” notifications (“Short Notifications”), etc.
5. Advanced WLAN settings
id="sub4">On Android there is a settings section that is completely invisible to most users with additional options Wi-Fi. To get to it, you need to go to “Settings -> Wi-Fi”, then press the menu key and select “ Additional functions" Here you can turn off notifications about detected networks, turn off Wi-Fi in sleep mode, prohibit the use Wi-Fi networks With bad signal and configure Wi-Fi Direct(direct pairing of devices without using an access point).
6. Setting up mobile Internet traffic control
id="sub5">In Android without third party programs Internet traffic can be monitored. For example, now many operators mobile communications provide a limited package free traffic for a month. To control this traffic and not exceed the quota, or to understand how much traffic is left, you can set limits.
For this purpose, there is a separate “Data transfer” item in the settings. There you can set a traffic limit, upon reaching which a notification will appear, as well as a limit, after which data transfer will be automatically turned off. For each application, separate statistics are kept on data in the background and active modes, a graph is being built. Starting from Android 5.0, this interface is also available in quick settings by touching the mobile network icon.
7. Block calls from specific numbers
id="sub6">It happens that you need to block calls from specific number. There are no special blacklists in Android, but those available in Google Play applications implement blocking of numbers using dirty hacks and not always correctly.
However, individual numbers can be blocked in basic version Android, for this you just need to send unwanted subscribers to voicemail. To do this, click on to the right contact, then click the edit icon, then the menu and select “Voice only.” mail". By the way, there you can install separate ringtone for the unfortunate subscriber.
8. Disable pre-installed applications
id="sub7">It happens that the manufacturer preinstalls many incomprehensible programs and applications that you do not use. They occupy certain memory, and you dream of getting rid of them.
In Android you can disable many pre-installed applications. To do this, go to “Settings -> Applications” and open the “All” tab. Now you can view the list of available utilities. Choose required application, and then click “Disable”. Now you can click on “Erase data”. For “frozen applications” that cannot be simply deleted, there is a separate “Disabled” tab. Unfortunately, not all applications can be frozen. Which ones depend on the manufacturer.
9. Expanding internal memory
id="sub8">Android has always had a problem with extensions internal memory smartphone. The connected SD card did not allow this, remaining external storage. The function of transferring applications to a memory card, which appeared in Android 2.2, also did not really save the situation. Finally, with Android 6.0, Google finally decided to correct the situation. Now, after connecting a flash drive or SD card, the system offers two options. The first is to use it as removable storage. The second is to make it an internal drive.
In the second case, the smartphone will format the flash drive in file system ext4 using 128-bit AES encryption and mounts it as system partition. Next, a test for reading and writing speed will be carried out. Now, unfortunately, all memory cards are significantly inferior in speed to built-in memory, which in theory can lead to slow operation of the device. Fortunately, only the opening time depends on the performance of the disk subsystem specific application or downloading part of it. And all calculations are carried out outside the disk.
10. Quickly change letter case
id="sub9">It happens that the text has already been written and you need to change the case of individual letters or entire words. Android has its own secret about this. To change the case of letters or to make words or sentences in an already entered message begin with capital letters, just highlight the message and press Shift button one or more times until the desired result is obtained.
11. Quick access to settings
id="sub10">In Android 5 and Android 6, access to quick settings can be achieved by pulling the curtain out with two fingers. Of course, you can access Quick Settings the old fashioned way: by swiping down from the top of the screen twice. But this is not a secret at all.
12. Quickly switch to silent mode
id="sub11">You can quickly turn on vibration mode in Android 5 and Android 6 by pressing the volume key and then clicking on the icon on the left side of the slider that appears. In practice, this option turns out to be much faster than repeatedly pressing the volume down key on the end of the smartphone.
13. Calling Magnifier
id="sub12">Android has magnifier. To enable it, you need to sequentially go to “Settings -> Special”. options -> Gestures to zoom in.” Now you can enlarge any part of the screen by clicking on it three times. This feature may be especially useful among people with low vision and the elderly.
14. Disable adding shortcuts to the desktop
id="sub13">To disable automatic creation icons on the desktop, run Play Store. Then go to settings and uncheck the “Add icons” option. Now, by default, program icons will appear only in the general list.
15. Hidden game in the Chrome browser
id="sub14">To conclude our selection, there’s another hidden game, this time on mobile. Chrome browser. Try turning off Wi-Fi and Mobile Internet on your smartphone (tablet). Next, open Chrome.
When you try to exit to any address, the browser will display an error with its code. A dinosaur will appear above the text. If you click on the dinosaur at this moment, the character will come to life and begin to move across the screen. It's like an old PlayStation: you can tap the screen to control a dinosaur as it jumps over cacti, and like any game like this, your goal is to hold out and score maximum amount points. Of course, the game is quite primitive, but it hooks you for a long time. Tested for yourself!
By the way, this game is now available for download on Google Play Store and it's called Dino Run - Dinosty.
Competition between manufacturers of smartphones, tablets and other gadgets in last years has turned into a real arms race - each new model flaunts capabilities and features that competitors cannot boast of. Sometimes in an effort to create unique product developers go so far that many of the functions designed to provide the gadget with the closest attention from consumers are in fact completely useless or work solely for the image of the manufacturer.
1. Dual Capture Mode
This interesting feature present in some models of Samsung and LG smartphones and allows you to simultaneously take pictures from both cameras of the gadget. When photographing something, you can capture your facial expression at that moment, with a small self-portrait appearing in the corner of the main photo. Of course, it can be interesting to remember what kind of grimace you had during this or that event, but overall it is a pleasant trinket, nothing more.
2. Parallax wallpaper, Apple
Seventh operating room version iOS systems from Apple allows you to install on your desktop iPhone table or iPad, so-called wallpapers with a parallax effect, the main innovation of which is that their position changes depending on the movement of the gadget in space. The “floating” interface effect was achieved using a gyroscope and accelerometer that track the position of the tablet or smartphone in space. All this looks funny, but has no practical value - the feature only demonstrates power the latest line"Apple" devices.
3. Air Call Accept application, Android platform
Owners of the most advanced smartphones from Samsung and other devices using the Android platform can enjoy the opportunity to control the gadget without even touching it: the user performs the necessary manipulations by moving his hand over infrared sensor, built into the device.
The paid version of the application has significantly expanded functionality: you can not only receive and make calls, but also enable speakerphone, send messages by e-mail about a rejected call and mute the sound if you want to ignore the caller.
The developers are confident that their invention will help people be less distracted by conversations when they are driving, but often mysterious body movements require more time and attention than simply pressing the “Answer” button.
4. "LG" with an unusual orientation
The vast majority of smartphones and tablets have hardware keys, such as volume buttons or on/off the device, located on the top or side edges, but LG decided to go its own way. At the presentation of the flagship model “G2”, the attention of journalists and consumers was immediately attracted by the unusual arrangement of the main buttons - on back cover apparatus.
According to representatives Korean corporation, original solution dictated by concern for consumers who have repeatedly complained that, for example, when shooting video and photos, it is difficult to hold a device with a large screen diagonal in your hands if you have to feel the tiny buttons on its sides. According to company representatives, the innovation makes it easier to use the gadget with one hand, but how practical such a solution is is still unclear - among the reviews about this characteristic feature There are both positive and negative aspects of a smartphone.
5. Samsung Smart Scroll feature
It seems that the producers electronic devices and app developers hope to eventually stop people from using their hands to operate gadgets altogether. Among others, the Korean giant Samsung continues experiments in this direction - the Galaxy S4 and Galaxy Note 3" offer the user to scroll through Internet pages with one movement of the eyes, using the "Smart Scroll" function (can be translated as "smart scrolling").
The technology was implemented by DigitalOptics Corporation (DOC) and is still more decorative in nature - many are more accustomed to scrolling the old fashioned way using their fingers. However, according to experts, “Smart Scroll” is only one of the first “DOC” developments that will be used in gadgets. The company is also developing a facial recognition system and some other projects.
6. Quick launch of the camera (“Quick Capture Camera”), “Motorola X”
On most gadgets, entering photo or video camera mode is not difficult - you just need to press one or two buttons. However, Motorola assures that the feature of its flagship “X” is much more convenient: to turn on the camera, you need to “shake” the device twice, and to take a photo, you just need to touch the screen.
Of course, in some cases this allows you to save a fraction of a second, but more often than not, in order to take a successful photo, quick reaction time alone is not enough, and not everyone will like to constantly shake the gadget. Fortunately, the developers have provided the ability to disable fast launch.
7. Smart Stay function
Like many other gadget functions, Samsung's Smart Stay uses a trendy feature to track the user's eye position. If a person is looking at the screen, the built-in application will not turn off the backlight, and if, for example, while watching a video, you look away, the playback will stop. Perhaps this is really convenient, but apparently the company admits that the gadget’s overly sensitive reactions to eye movements can get boring - the function can be turned off.
8. Photography “HTC Zoe”
Modern smartphones and tablets allow anyone to feel like a professional photographer or film director: specialists from the Cupertino company and developers of Android-based devices are coming up with more and more new possibilities for processing images and videos.
The Taiwanese manufacturer HTC, trying to keep up with the market leaders, came up with the HTC Zoe system, which allows you to record 3-second videos, from which you can then get high-quality photographs. The problem is that the function is available only to HTC owners, and to view images and videos you will have to use special service from the manufacturer - “HTC Zoe” does not allow you to upload videos and pictures to social media like Facebook or Twitter.
9. Photo with sound
Samsung introduced this feature specifically for those who, when viewing photos, lack a suitable soundtrack. When you take a photo using the patented Sound & Shot technology, you can record a short comment (eight seconds maximum) that will be played while you look at the photo. Unfortunately, this function is practically useless - it is impossible to transfer the image to a computer along with the audio track.
10. “Group Play” function for Samsung gadgets
Wireless headsets and headphones using the Bluetooth data transfer protocol are much more convenient than outdated wired ones peripheral devices. This saves people from having to get tangled up in wires between the gadget and the headset, which are also constantly torn and pinched.
The Samsung Corporation has gone even further - it proposes to use wireless transmission data for playing music on devices within the capabilities of the gadget’s Wi-Fi transmitter. In other words, you can play your favorite song not only on your smartphone, but also on all those that are in close proximity, of course, provided that these are also Samsung products and they have this function.
“Group Play” can stream music and images, but to get at least some pleasure from the “toy”, you need to bring together at least several owners of the Korean manufacturer’s flagship models.
