Real Life Emoticons

There has been a consistent problem with sending texts messages to your friends and loved one this day in age. It is not always easy to understand how a text should be understood, or what type of emotion it is trying to convey. Now the help of "emoji's" in text messages, or smiley faces, it is easy to convey emotion. Sometimes it is just not enough though. Well that is where a research team at the University of Cambridge that is hard at work trying to make sure that this because a worry of the past.

The University is actually working to make spoken text evoke emotions through a visual 3D avatar of yourself speaking it with the desired emotion attached to the speech. Sounds crazy right? In a video demonstrating the use of the program though, it seemed to work out very well, considering the stage of development it is still in. The University issued a statement further explaining how the use of the emotion sliders could be used in conjunction with one another to add an almost infinite realm of emotions to the speech. The actress who performed all of the some 7,000 sentences in the dialogue capture, is named Zoe, and her avatar is hoping to be the face of the new AI assistants that are coming too nearly every mobile gadget nowadays.

With Siri still holding the hierarchy position of 

everyone's favorite digital helper, it will be hard to spearhead through the competition. The research this team is conducting has the ability to change the way we text and evoke emotion electronically forever. It is really shaping up to be something that could work with Apple and Siri as well, should the circumstances permit. Plus having a digitized version of your face as a personal assistant or as a means to just have the person you are texting see your facial features while the assistant is saying them with the implied emotion could be very cool!... Or very creepy. Either way, keep an eye out for this software in the future as it will definitely be game changing!

5 hardest tech gadgets to repair

Recently, the repair commandos at iFixit.com shared with us their list of the 10 easiest-to-repair electronics. It's a useful list if you want to know which gadgets you can service on your own. But if it's controversy and indignation you want, this is the week you've been waiting for! Here are iFixit's top five hardest-to-repair laptops and tablets.

We have to wonder what the late Steve Jobs (who was so obsessive about making his gadgets user-friendly) would think to see a whopping four Apple products filling out iFixit's list of the least repairable laptops and tablets. Not surprisingly, a few of the top slots are taken up by the line of environmentally unfriendly Macbook Pros with Retina Display, which iFixit boss Kyle Wiens once slammed as "designed to fail."
It’s a no-brainer for someone looking to repair their own gear who isn’t a certified and extremely patient electronics genius what NOT to buy. That is, unless one intends to keep it only as long as the warranty stays in effect.

1. Apple MacBook Pro Ivy Bridge Core i7 2.3GHz 15" Laptop with Retina Display Microsoft Surface
iFixit Verdict: "Proprietary pentalobe screws, soldered and non-upgradeable RAM, a proprietary SSD, and a glued-in battery make the 15" Retina Pro the least repairable laptop we've ever seen."
Fixability Score: 1

2. Pro Ivy Core i5 1.7GHz 10.6" Windows 8 Tablet
iFixit Verdict: "The Surface Pro's display assembly is incredibly hard to remove, sealed in place with tons of adhesive. Once you have the cover removed, there are more than 90 screws inside to keep you from the rest of the components."
Fixability Score: 1

3. Apple MacBook Pro Intel Ivy Bridge Core i7 3GHz 13.3" Retina Display Laptop
Category: Laptop
iFixit Verdict: "Slightly better than its 15" predecessor, the MacBook Pro Retina 13" still features a glued-in battery, proprietary screws and SSD, and soldered-in RAM."
Fixability Score: 2

4. Apple iPad mini WiFi Tablet
iFixit Verdict: "Components are held in place with either copious amounts of adhesive or tape, or incredibly tiny and easy-to-lose screws. Especially annoying, the Lightning connector is soldered to the logic board, so broken connector pins will mean replacing the entire assembly."
Fixability Score: 2

5. Apple iPad with Retina Display WiFi Tablet 
iFixit Verdict: "Just like in second and third generation iPads, loads of adhesive secure the screen and battery to the case. This makes it difficult to open the device for repairs, and especially difficult to remove the battery to install a replacement."
Fixability Score: 2

So what are your gadget repair horror stories, and which items belong on this list (or don't) based on your experience? If nothing else, the presence of four Apple items here, we would hope, should serve as a wake-up call to Apple CEO Tim Cook: Make your products more repairable, and thus less likely to wind up in landfills. In the meantime, learn all about the gizmos you can overhaul all by yourself, complete with how-to guides and instructions, at iFixit.com.

It seems wise to me that if my intention is to use my tablet or laptop exclusively for work, play, research, dating or any other use I prefer to get from it OTHER than to work on repairing it, that I would be deliberately making a strenuous effort to be looking in other directions than the venues liberating these devices from their shelves, storerooms or distribution centers.

Source: Dealnews top ten electronic devices almost impossible to repair by Lou Carlozo 

iOS7 Has Finally Arrived

Well ladies and gentlemen, it is finally here! The new iOS7 update has finally arrived, and with that being said, a lot of readers out there may be wondering what the capabilities and nuances of Apple's latest operating system are. So is it really THAT much of a step up from the last iOS? Lets find out.

Aside from a typical boost in performance rate and stability, as is the case with many an update, a few key features will include improvements to the photo album feature, multitasking features, and upgrades to our ol' pal Siri's search functions. The new operating system is also giving iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch users and complete aesthetic overhaul. While many users may be very family with the "black background" type look, the new presentation has a more clean "white" almost quirky look to it now that many Apple users, both old and new, should have no problem adjusting to.

With all the hype leading up to the release, there were some that were not as enthused with the new design as others were. The response from a few critics at the WWDC this year was mixed overall. But then again, now that it is finally here, we can begin to see some actual reviews from the higher ups and everyday users alike. Either way, this definitely looks to be a very defining new update for Apple, so fanboys should definitely rejoice.

Nokia Lumia 920 Windows Phone

Microsoft may have missed out when the smartphone craze began, but now it appears Windows Phone 8 might have a future after all. It turns out that 52 percent of consumers who picked up a Windows smartphone had previously owned a feature phone. In contrast, 55 percent of iPhone customers and 51 percent of Android customers are coming from another smartphone.

Blackberry Z10 Bursting Into the Samsung vs iPhone Debate

Time to consider a new mobile phone upgrade.  The fierce debate between Samsung Galaxy III and iPhone 4 (I went with the iPhone 4 because reviews haven't been too hot on the iPhone 5) caused me to really think about my next choice of phone.  So I decided to do a side by side comparison of the two phones.  All was going great until a couple of weeks ago when the new buzz was about Blackberry's Z10.  The Blackberry Z10 or RIM is set to be officially launched at the end of January 2013.  Information leaks are giving us a small glimpse into some of its features.  A few of the highlights are things like 70,000 apps and 20 million songs available for download at launch!  The screen has a 356 dpi resolution and a Qualcomm S4 processor.

Business Insider's Steve Kovach gives us a more in-depth peek at the new Blackberry Z10.  I think one of the coolest new features is the time-shifting camera that gives you the ability to change the faces of someone if they blink.  TechnoBuffalo demonstrates some of the features of the new Blackberry phone at CES 2013.

I thought I was pretty sure about my upgrade choice, but now the decision just got a little more complicated.  After January 30, the real comparison shopping can begin, but the cost will have to be factored in.  It would be nice if the Z10 was in the same general ballpark as the iPhone 4 and the Samsung Galaxy III.

Should you need additional communication technology for your next corporate or marketing event, you might consider Nextel or 2-way radio rentals.

HTC One X+, The "Other" Smartphone King

In today's world it is hard not to be continually inundated with advertising of the latest smartphones. Whether it is Samsung commercials bashing the iPhone, Apple commercials showcasing Siri, or Jessica Alba telling you to buy a Windows Phone, we get our fair share of exposure to the best of today's smartphones.

One phone, however, that is not as widely advertised, and not near as popular, that is definitely worth looking into is the HTC One X+. The One X+ is the newest iteration, or update to the flagship of HTC's smartphone family, of the One X. While this phone is only available on AT&T's network here in the U.S., it is certainly a phone to keep an eye on.

The One X+ is similar to its predecessors in that it is nearly identical in design, and it only comes in a matte black finish. The "upgrade" to the One X+ is found on the inside of the phone. The battery has been upgraded from a 1800 mAh battery to a 2100 mAh battery resulting in longer battery life, a 1.7 GHz processor upgraded from the 1.5 GHz in the previous phone, internal storage has been upgraded from 32 to 64 GB, Android 4.1 (Jellybean) in place of Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich), and the front camera has been upgraded from 1.3 to 1.6 Megapixels. While these may not be "significant" upgrades to someone that already has a One X, they are certainly specs worth considering if you're  looking to get a powerful android phone. The One X+ also has the same great specs that its predecessor had such as LTE connectivity, 1GB of RAM, 8 Megapixel rear camera, and a beautiful 4.7 inch display.

While the HTC One X+ is not the perfect phone, it is better than most. The interface, HTC's "Sense" software, at times experiences lag and could use some improvements. That being said, this phone offers a great android experience, and a great smartphone experience as a whole. At a competitive price of $199.99 from AT&T, the same price as the Samsung Galaxy S III and the iPhone 5 entry level models, it is right in line with the other smartphone kings.

The HTC One X+ is a great offer to shoppers looking for an android phone that is powerful, fast, and well designed. The build quality of this phone is great, and the specs are in line in key areas, such as connectivity and processing power, as other flagship phones. This holiday season, if looking to purchase a great smartphone, consider the HTC One X+. While it may not be as popular as the iPhone or Galaxy S III, it is certainly just as good.

Source: Spec Showdown

Google Nexus 4 Announced

Even though hurricane Sandy forced Google to cancel Monday's Android event in New York City, Google still released information on their newest phone, the Nexus 4. The new flagship phone, designed exclusively by Google and LG, marks the first time that Google has partnered with someone other than Samsung on their Nexus line of smartphones. While there are hundreds of different smartphones that run Google's Android operating system available, the Nexus line of smartphones are the pinnacle of Google's efforts.

The new iteration of the Nexus series brings with it many improvements over the previous generation, the Galaxy Nexus. Some of the new features include an upgraded 8 Megapixel Camera, a 4.7 in. display with 320 ppi, wireless charging capabilities, and Android 4.2, the newest Android OS. The device is expected to be available on November 13 on the Google Play online store. The unlocked version of the phone will be available in both 8 GB and 16 GB storage options starting at $299 for the 8 GB version. There is also an alternative purchasing option available as T-Mobile will offer the 16 GB version for $199, with two-year contract, starting November 14.

The Nexus 4 brings to the very crowded smartphone market a new android device that offers many great features. While many of the features available on the Nexus 4 already exist on other phones and some key features such as LTE connectivity are missing, there remains one key element that separates a Nexus phone from the rest of the smartphone field, the fact that it runs stock Android. The version of Android that will be available on the Nexus 4 is Android 4.2 Jellybean, a slight update from Android 4.1 Jellybean. Some of the updates include a feature called "Photo Sphere", along with gesture typing. Nexus 4 is unique because running stock android means that the OS is pure Google and is not filled with various manufacturer "skins" such as "Touchwiz" on Samsung and "Sense" on HTC smartphones. This means a better experience as a whole for the OS, and first-priority updates of any new Android operating systems.

While the device has yet to hit the market, and the impact is sure to be big, it remains to be seen if the LG-produced Nexus 4 can challenge the smartphone kings Apple and Samsung. Competing against the iPhone 5 and the Samsung Galaxy S III is sure to be an uphill battle, but if any new Android device has a shot to compete, it is sure to be the Nexus 4.

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Sources: CNET - Nexus 4, Google Play Store