19 of the best iOS apps from June

June was a busy month for new and updated iOS apps, from pure productivity and money-saving to new photo tools to make the most of your camera.

Oh, there's an almost irritatingly addictive new game in here too.

We've pulled it altogether into one handy list, so all you need to do is click your way through.

Pushbullet

Pushbullet rolled out an update this month that brought a streamlined workflow and tweaked interface to its Android, iOS, Windows and browser apps.

With an increased focus on messaging and simplified management of pushes, Pushbullet is now more useful than ever.

It's still free, too.

For Android users, there's also an all new app from Pushbullet called Portal, which allows you to send batches of large files to different devices across a Wi-Fi connection.

➤ Pushbullet

IFTTT Do

IFTTT's Do apps got pretty notable updates across iOS and Android this month, which include a floating button for direct access from the home screen and a whole host of new channels and recipes specifically for controlling Android functionality.

On iOS, Do apps no longer have a three recipe limit, so you can add as many shortcuts as you want to the Do Button, Do Camera and Do Note apps. There's also a new Snapchat-like feature for the Do camera app that allows you to preview your photo and add text to the image or apply filters before sending it.

There's extended Apple Watch support for Do apps too, so you can now use the glance feature to quickly view and trigger recipes.

➤ IFTTT

PennyOwl

If you want to instill a good understanding of money and financial nous in your children, arguably one way to do that is through an app like PennyOwl.

The app, which launched this month for Android and iOS devices, uses age-appropriate content in a newsfeed-style layout to teach children about saving.

While parents retain control of how much money kids can spend and how much should be put aside, PennyOwl provides a level of autonomy by giving them a store from which to buy apps, toys and games. It also provides monetization for the otherwise free service.

➤ PennyOwl

BBC Newsbeat

Sticking with the theme of 'responsible young adults', the Beeb launched its Newsbeat apps this month on Android and iOS.

The app uses a card-based interface to show news from around the world, as well as updates on social trends, entertainment, gaming, student life and more.

It even caches each day's content for offline use, including the videos and other embedded media.

➤ Newsbeat

Timepage

Calendar apps aren't exactly rare for iOS devices, but Moleskin's Timepage app is a beautifully minimalist example that's worth checking out.

The main agenda view takes a timeline approach, and while it doesn't sync directly with your native iOS calendar app, all you need to do is connect up your iCloud, Exchange or Gmail accounts to pull in all your information.

It's not perfect, but as our review concluded, it's among the best available right now if you like an uncomplicated feel to your calendar.

The app costs $4.99/€4.99/£3.99 as a one-off fee to download, and there's no free trial.

➤ Timepage

Straw

Straw, a polling app for Windows Phone, Android and iOS devices got a significant new feature this month in the form of StrawCast, which allows you to broadcast your polls.

Anyone who has the app installed will be able to see StrawCasts, as well as it being posted on the company's Twitter feed, and there's a discovery feed to allow you to find random polls to vote on.

Along with StrawCast, the update also brought new features like the ability to embed polls on websites, make results private and edit polls in real-time.

➤ Straw

Instagram

Instagram saw a few notable updates in June on both Android and iOS, including the option to find images by location, as well as a few tweaks to image discovery.

Users in the US get an 'Explore' page that showcases trending tags and places across the network – these include local and global trends, it's just a shame it's not a globally available feature right now.

The new section also features a curated selection of accounts, places and topics, organized into collections.

➤ Instagram

Periscope

If you're a fan of the live-streaming app Periscope, there's a good chance that you felt it was missing some stream discovery options – and it was.

Now, however, iOS users can view a map of all the live Periscope streams, so you can choose your viewing by location.

The update also made replays of streams instantly playable, rather than having to wait for it to upload once the stream ends.

➤ Periscope

WantList

Tinder has a lot to answer for, and not just in terms of dodgy dates with loosely-matched couplings – it also brought the swiping gesture to a whole new world of apps.

WantList, a fashion app that lets you quickly and easily add desirable items to your list for later with a quick swipe to the right.

If it's no good, you can just keep on swiping until you see something you prefer.

➤  WantList

Sway

Microsoft's app for writing full-page stories on the Web, Sway, launched on iOS towards the end of last year, but it was only this month that an iPad version arrived to make use of the additional screen space.

In addition to being optimized for larger screens, the iPad app (and now iPhone too) has a simplfied workflow for adding video and text, and there are new views to let you preview a post before it goes live.

It supports a bunch of new languages now, too.

➤ Sway

Polarr

Polarr has been known for its no-nonsense Web-based image editing app, but now it has its first native iOS app.

Just like its browser-bsaed offering, Polarr's iOS app is a gimmick-free experience that's focused on helping you to create the best possible shots.

With a whole host of features, filters and settings to play around with, Polarr's new free app is worth checking out if you're serious about smartphone photography.

➤ Polarr

Skype Qik

If you're a fan of Skype Qik's ephemeral messaging apps, then you'll probably be pleased to hear that the disappearing messages now come with the option of being accompanied by captions, music and photos.

While the app is available for Windows Phone and Android devices too, these new options aren't yet available.

➤ Skype Qik

TripPix

If you're the sort of traveler who prefers to have a hard copy of the photos you take in far-flung lands, then TripPix is a simple way to achieve that goal.

The iPhone app takes between 15 and 30 photos from your Camera Roll (only geo-tagged images can be included) and makes them into a travel book that arrives at your door.

Books are a standard 6 x 6 inches and cost a flat fee of $19.99, which can include up to 51 pages in total, including maps if you choose to include them.

➤ TripPix

Hue Ball

We don't write about a lot of games on TNW, but when we do you can be sure there's a good reason.

Hue Ball was a new addition for iOS in June, which stood out due to its addictive mix of bocce and Bubble Bobble. Tapping the screen shoots a ball upwards from the cannon at the bottom of the screen – these balls pop any others that they come into contact with, but ultimately end up stationary.

The idea is to get rid of the balls before they become too large to destroy (they turn into skulls if that happens) and between each wave of difficulty, balls left of the field get reinforced and change color, which is why it's called Hue.

➤ Hue Ball

Slidebox

If you want yet another way of managing your photos on your iPhone, Slidebox lets you tap and swipe away to your heart's content.

The premise is pretty simple: swipe up to delete photos you no longer want, or tap the screen to keep them. It also lets you quickly sort photos into (user created) albums.

While auto-tagging and sorting of photos is all the rage, there's still something to be said for human curation of photos and swiping your way through is a quick way to achieve the same goal.

Slidebox is free and currently only generally available on iOS devices; there is an Android app being privately tested though, so a public launch probably isn't far away.

➤ Slidebox

Design Shop

Design Shop is an iPhone app aimed at making your online sales on sites like eBay a bit more stlyish.

The app offers a simple way to overlay photos of your items for sale with a variety of professionally produced graphics and templates, for example.

A free version of the app has a watermark. If you want to remove it on an individual photo, it costs 99 cents. However, if you want to unlock the designs behind the paywall, there's a $2 per month subscription fee.

If you are selling in volume, you may want to consider an annual subscription at $24 per year.

➤ Design Shop

Line

Emoji might be all the rage right now, but do you really need a keyboard dedicated to the non-verbal cues?

Oh you do. In that case, Line's emoji and sticker keyboard for iOS devices is probably just what you're looking for.

With 2,000 emoji and stickers to explore, do you really need more words to explain this to you?

➤ Emoji Line

Dot

You might not use it every day, but Dot is an interesting take on location apps that lets you place a virtual marker just about anywhere for your friends (and other Dot users, if you choose) to see.

Want to leave a message on that trash can you know your friend walks past every morning? Now you can.

Dots you leave for others can be categorized by adding hashtags, and dots from people you follow appear in different colors.

For now, the app is iOS-only, but the team says it's working on an Android version too.

➤ Dot

MikMak

Billed as specifically aimed at 'the iPhone generation', MikMak is a shopping app that relies on video 'minimercials' to sell products.

Each night at 9PM EST, MikMak showcases a new video with a range of products – it could be gadgets to beauty products or other accessories, but all the items cost less than $100.

It might not be how everyone chooses to discover new items, but for the Vine generation, 30-second video clips could be the future.

Kids are notoriously fickle though, so MikMak could also turn out to be a flash in the pan.

➤ MikMak

Want more?

If 19 new and updated apps aren't enough to satisfy your needs, check out our roundup of the best apps from May or our post with 65 of the best iOS apps from 2014 too.  Or if you're an Android user, you can check out our monthly Android roundup.

Source: 19 of the best iOS apps from June

Facebook plays catch up with launch of new image uploader

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg has said the company will continue to develop its standalone apps. James Martin/CNET

Facebook's new -- though likely not very new for you -- image uploading tools will let you spice up pictures on the fly.

The improved photo uploader for Facebook's iPhone app, which is now available to most iOS users, features overlaid text in any color, instantly previewable filters that you swipe across photos and stickers that can be slapped on top images.

The photo-editing tools will live in a new enhancements tray that opens by tapping a wand button in the lower left corner of the screen. Facebook's iOS app previously offered some standard photo filters and had tested stickers. With the new image uploader, users can also now tap through a more Instagram-style list of the filters, tag friends in the photos, add resizable emojis and crop images.

This upgrade is the latest in a string of efforts to bolster Facebook's mobile app game. Facebook, the world's largest social network, has spent much of the last two years -- since it offered to buy ephemeral messaging app Snapchat for $3 billion in 2013 but was rebuffed -- playing catch-up with other messaging and photo apps. The photo-editing tools touted in this latest update are similar to features already found in apps like Snapchat and Japanese messaging app Line. Facebook may be a flagship social media platform, but its growth on mobile depends on its ability to compete with newer photo-sharing and messaging apps that connect people all over the world.

"People want to be creative when they share experiences with their friends and family on Facebook," a Facebook spokesperson said in an emailed statement. "We are rolling out a new place to house all of Facebook's photo-editing tools, making it even easier to add filters, stickers, or text to your photos."

In its first quarter 2015 earnings report, Facebook said that of its 1.44 billion monthly active users, 1.25 billion people accessed Facebook on a mobile device, where apps are king. Like many tech giants -- see Google's Docs and Spreadsheets apps -- Facebook has rolled out, with varying success, myriad specific-purposed-based apps that move away from the centralized "Facebook Home" model and toward fragmented, user-experience additions that can stand alone.

Available for fleeting stints in Apple's App Store, Facebook Poke and Facebook Camera apps -- both quietly killed at the same time last year -- provided similar services to Snapchat and Instagram, respectively. Camera allowed users to rapidly snap and upload pictures to Facebook, and Poke sent messages, photos and videos to friends that would last up to 10 seconds before vanishing forever -- not unlike Snapchat.

Earlier this month, Facebook introduced Moments, a s tandalone app designed to let users privately share photos from a party, wedding or other big gathering. Likewise, Facebook Paper puts a more photo-centric facelift on Facebook's service. The company also has chatting apps like Slingshot, another ephemeral messaging service, and Rooms, which is designed to help people chat in groups anonymously. Most of the arsenal has been created by Facebook's Creative Labs group within the last few years.

Source: Facebook plays catch up with launch of new image uploader

Micromax Canvas Doodle 4 Express Review: Big screen is the only USP of this phone

In May, Micromax launched the Canvas Doodle 4, the six-inch screen version of its highly successful Doodle series. Micromax claims it has sold over 1 million Doodle devices. So does the new six-inch Canvas Doodle 4 priced at Rs 9,499 live up to the mark? We used the device for some time and here's our take on the Canvas Doodle 4.

Specs: 6-inch qHD with Corning Gorilla Glass 3 | Mediatek 1.3GHz Quad-core processor| 1GB DDR3 RAM with 8 GB storage space with microSD slot support| 3000 mAh battery |Android 5.0 (Lollipop) 8 megapixel AF primary camera, 2 megapixel front camera|

Read more: Not a phone, not a tablet: Do you really need a 6-inch phablet?

Price: Rs 9,499.

Design, Screen: Micromax's Canvas Doodle 4 is a pretty bulky device in every sense. With a 6-inch screen, this is no tiny phone. Personally, I do not like devices with 5-inch and bigger screens, since I have small hands and find it impossible to handle such phones.

But then India loves phablets and the 6-inch screen will be the USP of this phone. The silver metal frame and the plastic cover is nothing really revolutionary, but the overall look of the phone is decent. I must underline that the plastic rear cover gets covered in smudges very quickly.

Canvas Doodle 4 is a decent performer, but the low-quality screen is a let-down. (Source: Shruti Dhapola)

The 6-inch qHD screen is nothing to boast about, except for the size. Given that full HD and HD screen devices are available in this price range, I am not convinced users need to downgrade their viewing experience just for a bigger screen.

Performance, Apps: Micromax has loaded this with apps once again. They have a trending app store, which I don't really see as being useful. Why add bloatware, especially when it results in annoying notifications. I got notifications from apps like Airtel, Wynk, which are not even installed in the phone. There is a limit to how many times one can go to the settings and turn off notifications for an app.

In terms of benchmarks, the Micromax Canvas Doodle 4 does not score very high on Antutu (well below Asus Zenfone 5) and in GeekBench 3, it is just above the first-gen Moto G. Benchmarks of course are not the complete story in a phone's performance.

The audio quality on Doodle 4 is nothing to boast about either. (Source: Shruti Dhapola)

Since the phone is called Doodle, and it comes with Skitch app for Doodling, I tried doing some doodling. Perhaps I'm a terrible doodler, but getting the screen to accurately respond to what I was trying to draw was a struggle. Frankly the doodling purpose is a bit lost on me.

Read more: Micromax Canvas Doodle 3 gives you 6 inch-screen for Rs 8,500

As far as apps go, I did not really face any issues getting the phone to respond to basic games like your Fruit Ninja or even apps like Myntra, although I am pretty sure that the Doodle 4 is not ideal for graphics heavy games.

In terms of call quality, which is a crucial feature in a phone, I would say the Doodle 4 fails. While I could barely hear what my caller was saying, the other person on the line had trouble listening too. In contrast to this, listening to music on the Doodle 4 is a decent experience.

Camera: The 8 megapixel rear camera and 2 megapixel camera are nothing spectacular and while the camera responds fairly fast, it's best not to expect stunning shots. Colour reproduction is not the best but acceptable. Below are some shots from the camera.

Shots taken from Doodle 4. (Source: Shruti Dhapola) Another shot taken from the Doodle 4. (Source: Shruti Dhapola )

Battery: The Canvas Doodle 4 has a 3000 mAh battery and it will easily last you a day with the regular use. Even with the Internet being constantly on, and a bunch of notifications coming in, the battery lasted for me quite easily.

The battery of the Canvas Doodle 4 is not removable. (Source: Shruti Dhapola)

Verdict: The Canvas Doodle 4 is a decent performer. I really don't have too many complaints other than the audio quality and the lacklustre camera. But this phone is aimed at those who want a big screen device (6-inch or more) and have a budget of Rs 10,000. If you are one of those, then the Doodle 4 makes sense.

If you don't care for 6-inch screens, the number of options in the market is unlimited and here in my opinion, the Doodle 4 does not make the cut.

Source: Micromax Canvas Doodle 4 Express Review: Big screen is the only USP of this phone

Printing stickers with Polaroid's Zip Instant Photoprinter is too much fun

I love being able to hold pictures in my hands, but I love being able to stick my pictures on things even more.

Sticker pictures are back, and they're more fun to print out than they were before thanks to Polaroid's $130 pocket-sized Zip Instant Photoprinter.

Before digital cameras, before cellphone cameras and before Facebook and Instagram, there was the photo booth. And then for a short period of time in the mid to late 1990s, photo booths from Asia that printed "sticker pics" became really popular worldwide.

It was a much simpler time. Sticker pics let you express yourself and show off your goofy side. They were a precursor to selfies, if you will.

You and a few friends would cram into a tiny photo booth and select frames and borders and make faces into the camera. Afterwards, you'd divvy the stickers up and slap them onto your notebook, CD player, pager (if you were so lucky to own one) or other personal items.

In recent years, instant film cameras have seen somewhat of a resurgence in popularity. Despite the unlimited number of digital photos we can now snap and share immediately with our phones, people are falling in love with pictures that they can hold in their hands again.

I'm as guilty as everyone else. Since I bought my Fujifilm Instax Mini 90 last year, I've taken hundreds of instant pictures. I bring it with me whenever there's a party, wedding or social event. There's still something delightful about watching instant pics develop and then giving them out to people as gifts. Look in my wallet and you'll find around six instant pics tucked inside that are rotated with new ones every couple of months.

But as great as instant film cameras are, they're still analog gadgets. Polaroid's Zip Instant Photoprinter takes your most used camera — your phone — and lets you print your pics out on the fly.

Ink-less prints

The digital printer is no larger than a small portable hard drive or battery pack and weighs only 0.41 pounds. I tested the white model (it also comes in black, magenta and cyan), and it's sleek with rounded corners and edges. Polaroid's iconic rainbow stripe runs down the front and back. There's a single power button and Micro USB port for charging and that's it. If not for the rainbow stripe, it could pass for an Apple product.

Slide the top cover off and you'll gain access to the paper tray. The Photoprinter prints pics using Polaroid's ZINK Zero Ink paper (2- x 3-inch stickers). ZINK paper comes in packs of 50 for $25, which works out to 50 cents per shot. It sounds like a lot, but compare that to Fujifilm Instax mini film, which is anywhere from $1 to $1.50 a shot, and it's peanuts.

What's ZINK paper, you ask? It's special paper with colored crystals embedded inside. When heat from the printer is applied onto it, the crystals activate and the photos develop. ZINK paper is the digital equivalent of instant film, without the downsides of having to keep it stored in the dark for fear of accidental exposure. And since the technology is not like an inkjet printer that applies ink on top of paper, you'll never have to buy ink cartridges or deal with smudges.

The Photoprinter isn't Polaroid's first stab at digital printing. A few years ago, I tried Polaroid's Z2300 instant digital camera, which has a built-in ZINK printer, but I thought the quality of the prints was crummy.

This time around, instead of a camera with a built-in printer, the company's simply selling a printer that connects to your smartphone or tablet and prints out pictures from there.

So easy to use

Image: Mashable, Miles Goscha

The Photoprinter connects to iOS devices with Bluetooth and to Android devices with either Bluetooth or NFC. I tested the Photoprinter with an iPhone 6, HTC One M9 and Galaxy S6, and I had no real troubles pairing them to the printer.

Printing pictures is very easy to do. Everything is handled through the free Polaroid Zip app. The app itself isn't the best-designed one, though. It looks a little dated with its brushed metal aesthetic, kind of like something circa 1999 when the brushed metal look was all the rage.

The Polaroid Zip app works, but it's not the easiest to use.

Image: Mashable, Screenshot by Raymond Wong

With the app, you can make a quick print either by taking a pic or selecting one from your photo gallery; make collages; create a quick business card; and edit pictures by adding filters, text, fun frames/borders and other icons and emoji.

The editing process can be tricky; it's not fully thought out. For instance, you can't use a pinch gesture to shrink and enlarge text or emoji, and you can't turn them to rotate. Several Mashable editors kept trying to use gestures until I explained to them the correct way to make edits. You have to press and hold on these tool icons that pop in the corner like so:

Imperfect prints full of charm

ZINK paper prints aren't going to blow you away with crispness or clarity — actually, the color is pretty off and is darker than what you see in the app before printing — but it's really good for a pocket printer.

It's tough to notice, but there are some subtle differences in print quality depending on what smartphone/tablet you use. Here's a case where having more megapixels and a better camera that takes pictures with less image noise is desirable.

Print quality is especially noticeable when you print out selfies; prints from the iPhone 6's 2-megapixel front-facing camera look worse than selfies from the 5-megapixel front camera on the GS6.

It's not a deal-breaker at all, to tell you the truth. In fact, I quite like the somewhat lower resolution for some prints; it feels like you're getting something as imperfect as a picture developed from film. The grain in some pics actually gives them more charm and character.

It takes a little over a minute for pictures to print out — 30 seconds or so to send the data to the printer and another 30 seconds or so for the printer to warm up and print. Yes, I know, a whole minute, but it's not like instant film doesn't take a minute or two to develop; there's that same sort of excitement in waiting for the unknown.

More fun than Instagram

If my headline didn't clue you in from the start, the Photoprinter is just so much fun to use. It's a little pricey at $130, the battery lasts only about an hour for around 25 prints, and the app can make me grind my teeth a few times, but the overall product is delightful.

We all take hundreds (or like me, thousands) of pictures with our smartphones, but how many of those do we actually look at again? The value of a smartphone pic posted to Instagram is quickly lost to the sands of time. That selfie you posted 15 minutes ago is only memorable until you post your next one.

ZINK paper includes sticker adhesives on the back — perfect for personalizing your stuff like how I did to this MacBook.

Image: Mashable, Raymond Wong

Not only does the Photoprinter give your smartphone pics tangibility, but it also increases the value of each pic printed. Stick them on the back of your phone or on your laptop lid or on your fridge and you'll remember those moments and cherish them more. They're daily reminders of the good times.

In today's ephemeral digital lifestyle, a physical photo is worth more than a million digital ones.

Polaroid Zip Instant Photoprinter The Good

Sleek, lightweight design • Cheap ZINK sticker paper • Works with iOS and Android • Lots of funky frames, emoji and images to overlay on pics

The Bad

Occasional connectivity issues • Weak battery

The Bottom Line

The Polaroid Zip Instant Photoprinter is a little pricey at $130, but damn it if it's not a whole lot of fun to print your smartphone pics.

Have something to add to this story? Share it in the comments.

Source: Printing stickers with Polaroid's Zip Instant Photoprinter is too much fun

Take photos like a pro: Everything to know about your iPhone camera

Lights, camera, action

As the old dictum goes, "The best camera is the one you have with you." In all likelihood, the camera that you always have with you is your iPhone. But the question is, are you making the best out of "the best camera"? You may not know it, but there's more to the iPhone's camera than simply shooting stills and selfies. It's also packed with cool features that can have you snapping incredible images like a pro — features that we highlight in this here comprehensive guide.

Note that many of the features discussed in this post are supported only on Apple's latest handsets, including the iPhone 6, the iPhone 6 Plus, and the iPhone 5s, and mobile operating system versions, including iOS 7 and iOS 8. If you don't see a feature on your device, it's likely because you're using an older iPhone model or running an older iOS version. It's also worth noting that many of the features are also available on certain models of the iPod touch and the iPad.

Two cameras are better than one

The iPhone has not just one, but two cameras. There is, of course, the more frequently used rear camera, which Apple refers to as the iSight camera. There's also the selfie-friendly front camera, also known as the FaceTime camera since it's used for making FaceTime video calls. Most of the iPhone's camera capabilities are commonly accessible between the rear and front cameras. But some, such as flash and slo-mo, are exclusive to the rear camera.

Unless you're taking a selfie or huddling together with friends for a group photo, the rear camera is almost always the way to go. To switch between the rear and front cameras, tap the top right icon in the iPhone's Camera app. Either way, you just have to tap the center button to record images or else to press either of the volume buttons of your iPhone or EarPods for added accessibility.

Switch between rear and front cameras

Camera app

To access the iPhone's camera functions, you, of course, have to open the Camera app. Normally, the Camera app is accessed from the iPhone's home screen. But if you're anything like me, you may have developed a habit of opening the app from the Control Center: Just swipe up from the bottom of the screen and tap the camera icon. I find this to be way more convenient since it allows me to open the Camera app from anywhere on iOS. Also, you can quickly open the Camera app from the lock screen by swiping up the camera icon at the bottom right. These alternative methods of opening the Camera app can be invaluable at times when quick access to the app is important, when it's crucial that the moment be captured before it's gone.

Alternative access to the Camera app from the lock screen or through the Control Center

Capturing modes

The iPhone's camera is capable of not only taking still images but also recording moving visual images. In other words, it can shoot both photos and videos. This is reflected in the six different capturing modes in the Camera app, half of which are for still imagery with the other half for video. You can switch between modes by swiping the screen or by tapping the name of the mode you'd like to shoot in.

Photo

Photo is, of course, the primary shooting mode. It lets you capture still images in landscape or portrait orientation in the full aspect ratio supported by your iPhone.

Photo

Square

Square is just like Photo, except, as its name suggests, it shoots photos in square 1:1 aspect ratio. I often use this mode when I'm taking photos that I intend to upload to Instagram, which is widely credited for popularizing square images in social media.

Square

Pano

Pano lets you create a panorama, or a photo containing a wide view of your surroundings. To create a panoramic image, move your iPhone continuously from one side of the view to the other while making sure that the guide arrow is kept on the center line. The default direction is from left to right. If you're more comfortable shooting the other way around, just tap the image inset to reverse the direction.

Pano

Video

Video is the mode for you if you wish to record a, well, video, either in landscape or (gasp) portrait orientation. Just tap the red center button to start recording and tap again to stop. In the interim, you can see the duration of your video in progress at the top of the screen and even snap stills while recording by tapping the bottom left button.

Video mode in portrait orientation

Slo-Mo

If you want to prove your potential as the next Spider-Man or record your wet dog shaking off water, or capture anything else in slow motion, Slo-Mo is the mode you should go to. Prior to recording, you can choose between 120 or 240 fps for the frame rate. While recording, as in Video mode, the duration of your video is indicated, and there's a button for capturing individual frames. (See "Photos app" section below for post-recording capabilities.)

If you can't see the video embedded above, please click here.

Time-Lapse

While it's meant for creating a certain type of video, Time-Lapse mode works by taking discrete photos at various intervals rather than recording a continuous video. It splices the snapped photos to produce a time-lapse video, which, if you're a good enough iPhoneographer, can rival even the best presentations of the passage of time in "Breaking Bad."

If you can't see the video embedded above, please click here.

Cool cam capabilities

The iPhone's camera is capable of a lot of things. These can be tapped into through the various interface elements of the Camera app, which allows access to some special tools and auxiliary functions. Note, though, that certain capabilities are available only in certain shooting modes.

Burst

In Photo or Square mode, you can enter Burst "submode" by pressing and holding the center button. This enables your iPhone to continuously capture 10 photos per second, from which you can select the best ones. This is particularly useful when taking group selfies, as with the Pope, or when anticipating a photo finish, unless of course the great American Pharoah is in the lead.

Burst

Flash

You can set your iPhone's camera function by tapping the lightning bolt icon in the Camera app. You can disable it if you think you don't need a brief burst of bright light for your photography. But if you're shooting in poor light, you may want to turn on the flash function for your photo or video captures. You can also set flash to automatic to let the iPhone decide when to use it.

Flash

HDR

High-dynamic-range (HDR) imaging is ideal in conditions where a greater range of luminance levels is preferred. Tap HDR in the Camera app to set it to automatic, turn it on, or disable it. If enabled, HDR works with three separate exposures and blends their best parts into a single photo that has a greater dynamic range of luminosity. You can choose to save the normally exposed photo in addition to the HDR version by flipping the appropriate switch in the Settings app (see "Settings app" section below). Note that when HDR or flash is turned on, the other is automatically disabled.

HDR

Timer

The Camera app comes with a timer function that you can enable or disable by tapping the timer icon. You can set the timer for three or 10 seconds to, for example, give you and your friends enough time to get in frame when taking group shots with your iPhone set on a tripod. When shooting with the rear camera, the flash signals the counting down of the timer. The countdown timer is displayed on the screen whether you're shooting with the rear or the front camera.

Timer

Zoom

If, for some reason, you have to shoot someone or something from afar, you can zoom into your subject by pinching the screen. You can continue pinching in or out, or use the slider that appears at the bottom, to adjust the zoom level. Note that the iPhone camera employs digital zoom only, as opposed to the more preferable optical zoom. This means that when zooming in, the camera is essentially cropping the image down toward its center while maintaining its aspect ratio, with no resultant increase in optical resolution. So getting closer is still better.

Zoom

Focus and Exposure controls

The iPhone camera also offers manual controls for adjusting the focus and exposure of your photo and video captures so that you can achieve or get as close as possible to your desired effects as far as depth of field and luminance are concerned. Just tap on a specific spot to focus the camera on it, whereupon it will be enclosed in a square. Beside the square is a vertical line with a sun icon, which indicates the level of exposure. Swipe up or down anywhere on the screen to adjust the exposure and lighten or darken your shots.

Focus and Exposure

Filters

You need not go to Instagram, Aviary, or some other photo-editing app to apply filters to your pictures. You can do just that right within the Camera app and while you're shooting photos. Just tap the icon showing three intertwined circles at the bottom right corner of the screen to pick from the app's eight (yup, just eight) filters and apply your chosen filter in real time. You can also apply the filters after the fact in the Photos app.

Filters

Photos app

The Camera app is rightly linked up to the Photos app. By tapping the image inset at the bottom left corner of the screen, you can quickly open the Photos app and access the photos and videos you've taken. Then you can view your most recent capture or browse your photos and videos. Note that the Photos app stores all photos and videos taken with the camera in the Camera Roll. It also organizes all videos, slo-mo videos, time-lapse videos, and burst photos into separate albums.

In the Photos app, you can of course pan and zoom photos by swiping and pinching. In addition, you can jump to specific frames of videos using the handy slider at the top.

Aside from letting you view your photos and videos, the Photos app lets you edit them using a number of editing features. On a photo, tap the Edit button to access composition tools (rotate, straighten, crop with preset aspect ratios), filters, automatic and manual light and color adjustments, and third-party app extensions. On a slo-mo video, you can adjust the slider to set the specific segment of the video you'd like to play in slow motion.

Edit your photos in the Photos app

The Photos app also includes options for sharing your creations in various ways.

Settings app

In the Settings app of your iPhone, you can toggle several features related to the camera. To access these toggles, go to Settings > Photos & Camera and scroll down to the Camera section. As mentioned above, here you can set whether to keep the normally exposed photo in addition to the HDR version. Here you can also enable or disable a couple of other camera features.

Camera settings in the Setting app

Grid

If you're a staunch follower of the rule of thirds, you probably want to see a three-by-three grid overlay while shooting photos. To do so and frame your shots in accordance with the popular photography rule of thumb, just turn on Grid in the Settings app.

Grid

60 fps video

On the iPhone 6 and the iPhone 6 Plus, you have the option to record 1080p HD at 60 fps, which makes for smoother and more realistic videos. This option can be turned on in the Settings app as well.

More than meets the eye

In addition to the tools and functions that are visible and accessible to the user, the iPhone camera has other features that "automagically" work behind the scenes to help you create great photos and videos. These include autofocus, face detection, and automatic image stabilization.

Face detection

That's a wrap

The iPhone has become the most popular camera in the world, as more photos taken from Apple's handset are uploaded to social networks (primarily Flickr) than from any other camera. It has also become one of the most acclaimed cameras, with Apple recently taking the top prize in the Cannes Lions Outdoor competition for its "Shot on iPhone 6" ad campaign.

It just goes to show that you don't need to have advanced technical know-how and own complex and expensive cameras like DSLRs to be able to capture great images. As often as not, all you need is an iPhone, with its small but terribly powerful camera.

Source: Take photos like a pro: Everything to know about your iPhone camera

Polaroid Cube+ adds Wi-Fi and smartphone app for more photographic fun

Polaroid's first Cube camera was a novel idea that lacked polish. To make its new Cube+ stand out, Polaroid is adding Wi-Fi and a smartphone app to the mix.

Outside of Wi-Fi and a new app, the Cube+ is a lot like the original Cube. Same 1080p video capture (the original can toggle between 720p and 1080p) and 35mm frame.

The announcement doesn't note whether or not the Cube+ has the same 6 megapixel lens as its predecessor, but it keeps the same magnetic base for attaching the Cube+ to just about any metal surface.

The addition of Wi-Fi will make photo transfer much simpler, and allow for your phone to use the accompanying app as a viewfinder. Polaroid also says we'll be able to edit, share, save or print photos and video from within the app.

Polaroid is unveiling its new camera June 24 at CE Week. The Cube+ will sell for $149.99 starting in August.

➤ The Polaroid Cube Steps Up to the Next Level with the Debut of the Wi-Fi Enabled Polaroid Cube+ at CE Week 2015 [Polaroid]

Read next: Polaroid teams up with Blipfoto to relaunch the one-image-a-day photo journal

Source: Polaroid Cube+ adds Wi-Fi and smartphone app for more photographic fun

Nest Cam Review: High-Res Spying on Your House—or Puppy

June 23, 2015 1:50 p.m. ET

I run a covert spy operation. I really shouldn't even be talking about it.

You see, a few months ago, when I decided my new puppy wasn't to be trusted, I installed a Dropcam Pro webcam in my living room.

Now through the app, I have eyes on the little guy 24/7. While at work, I can check in to make sure he hasn't pooped on the carpet or, you know, invited his comrades over to play poker.

Then last week I found out my surveillance (or shall I say, furveillance?) system is totally obsolete. Nest, the Google-owned company that acquired Dropcam last year, released the brand new $200 Nest Cam. It's ostensibly a Dropcam Pro replacement with crisper 1080p video recording, better night vision and a new design—because everything in this world needs to be slimmer, even our webcams.

The new Nest Cam—or any of the dozens of competing do-it-yourself security webcams—isn't just for us pet snoops. Despite the apparent creepiness of having a running Web recording of our private living spaces, the connected cams have become popular for monitoring everything from the front door to the baby's crib. If you haven't bought one yet or even considered it, the promise is being in two places at the same time. These little cameras can be your eyes and ears.

So does the Nest Cam now make my old Dropcam look like dog poop? And, with competing cameras such as the $200 Simplicam bringing talents like family-member face recognition, is Nest even the best? After testing it against its closest competitors, the Nest Cam is at the top of my recommendation list. However, the monthly recording cost is a lot to swallow and the camera's motion detection still cries wolf far too often.

A Webcam You Can Admire

Next to each other, the Dropcam Pro and the Nest Cam look like a weight-loss ad's Before and After. The Nest Cam shares the Dropcam's shiny black-plastic finish, but it does look like it underwent liposuction treatment in the mid-region.

Cosmetics aside, there is some practical benefit to the slim design with rotatable neck. It's much easier to position and the magnetic base can be easily stuck to a fridge. It still needs its 10-foot power cord, but at least the cord is long enough for the camera to sit a good distance from an electrical socket.

Figuring out where to place the Nest (and how to get that perfect angle) is the hardest part of the setup. The rest—getting the camera on Wi-Fi and then getting started with a live feed—is a cinch with Nest's new app. Overall, I prefer the app to others. It's faster and easier to navigate (and now, even people with earlier Dropcam models can use it).

One thing Nest didn't fix? How hot the camera gets when it's on for more than a few hours. The company assures me this is normal and that there haven't been any customer issues reported.

Capturing Higher Quality

But see all your belongings in crystal clear 1080p! Right? Truth is the higher resolution isn't everything it's cracked up to be.

There's little difference between a 1080p camera and a 720p camera if you are just monitoring your pet. That's especially true when the camera is 5 to 10 feet away and you tend to view the footage streamed over the Internet on your phone's little screen.

When streaming to mobile devices over cellular connections, the Dropcam and Nest Cam transmit lower-resolution video to save on bandwidth and battery. Still, even with my iPhone 6 on Wi-Fi, I couldn't spot any significant quality difference between the 720p Dropcam and the 1080p Nest. In the instances where I thought there was a slight difference, it didn't matter much. Both 130-degree lenses clearly captured my puppy eating a toilet-paper roll. Quick, call National Geographic!

You would see the benefits of the higher resolution if you used it as a security camera, especially streamed to a computer monitor.

In the name of science, I dressed up as a burglar and stood exactly 15 feet away from each of the cameras during the day. When I downloaded the full-resolution clips and zoomed in on them on a high-resolution laptop screen, the Nest Cam's footage was slightly more detailed than with my old Dropcam and the 720p Simplicam. I could better make out my facial features and even some details on my shoes.

The Nest Cam defaults to 720p recording, mostly to save your home broadband bandwidth, but I didn't notice any network degradation when I used 1080p. If you stick with 720p, you'll still get the Nest Cam's superior night vision. When the fake burglar appeared at midnight, it was again easier to see facial details with the Nest.

Like many others, the Nest has a microphone and speaker for two-way, walkie-talkie-like communication using the Nest phone or Web app. The Nest's speaker was the loudest of my test subjects. Warning: Yelling into the microphone when your spouse is home alone will land you in the doghouse.

Motion Detected… Again

The original Dropcam's motion detection has evolved. Today, it's reasonably good about motion and sound alerts, as is the Nest that inherited it. I have noticed fewer pop-ups when my dog is at his water bowl or when the sun rises. But it still has far too many slip-ups. In the past week, I still got alerts triggered by shifts in the room's sunlight and movement on the TV. I end up ignoring these notifications—and the important ones, too.

Obviously, I really only want these notifications when I'm away. Dropcam could tell when you were gone, but Nest killed this geofencing feature. Now, I have to manually tell the app that I'm headed out the door—or buy the motion-sensing, pattern-recognizing Nest thermostat for that.

This is where I think this entire category of devices needs to keep evolving. The Simplicam, made by Arcsoft, has the right idea. The app gives you more control over notifications, and once I tweaked the sensitivity, its software was better at puppy detection. It has rudimentary facial detection that is supposed to identify family members so you aren't alerted every time the camera spots them. Yet after I registered my face, the app continued to say that an "unrecognized person" was in my apartment.

Simplicam is solid and ambitious, but I preferred Nest for the fundamentals: video quality and app design. I just wish Nest had Simplicam's more competitive pricing. For $200, you get the camera and a year of one-day recording. That means footage is kept for review in the app for a day; after that it is deleted.

Nest offers a 30-day service trial. But, like Dropcam before it, Nest Cam costs you $10 a month to review and rewind footage. That plan includes 10 days of recorded footage and there's no cheaper option.

I am cognizant of the security and privacy implications of having a camera aimed at my family, especially one that's constantly uploading footage to servers in the cloud. Nest requires a strong password and encrypts all video. The company also assured me that there have been no known instances of Nest products being hacked remotely.

That said, I do find the camera provides peace of mind and that's why I keep paying the monthly fee. I'd consider upgrading to Nest Cam if my Dropcam Pro died. For now, though, I don't need the extra specs to keep up with my pup.

Source: Nest Cam Review: High-Res Spying on Your House—or Puppy

Monday App And Game Sales: Surgeon Simulator, Fast Burst Camera, A Bunch Of JRPGs, And More

... Ryan Whitwam

Ryan is a tech/science writer, skeptic, lover of all things electronic, and Android fan. In his spare time he reads golden-age sci-fi and sleeps, but rarely at the same time. His wife tolerates him as few would. He's the author of a sci-fi novel called The Crooked City, which is available on Amazon and Google Play.

2015/06/22 1:41pm PDTJun 22, 2015

Source: Monday App And Game Sales: Surgeon Simulator, Fast Burst Camera, A Bunch Of JRPGs, And More

Don't ditch that old tablet - use it as a home security camera

Always-on broadband internet connections make it much easier to keep an eye on your home while you're away — all you need is a suitable wi-fi web cam such as the BT Smart Home Cam 100 and the know-how to set up remote access to it. Alternatively you can use the built-in camera on your PC, tablet or smartphone with a simple app called AtHome Video Streamer instead.

AtHome Video Streamer and its companion AtHome Camera app works with Windows, Android and iOS and allows you, for example, to use your iPad as a home security camera and watch live footage using your iPhone — though that's just one possible combination.

This guide shows how to set up and use the app using an iPad and iPhone, but the steps are the much the same for other devices. The apps are free to install and use, but are ad-supported and you'll need to pay to unlock certain features  — ones we're not covering here.

Step 1: Install AtHome Video Streamer

Start with the device you want to use as the camera — an iPad, in this case. Open www.ichano.com/download in its web browser and install the appropriate AtHome Video Streamer app using the links on the page.

Step 2: Note the login details

Launch the app when it's installed and allow it to use the iPad's camera. You'll then see a screen with a preview image from the camera, along with a CID (camera ID) number, and a default username and password — we'll change both of these later.

Step 3: Install AtHome Camera

Switch off the iPad for now and move to the device you're going to use to view the video — an iPhone, in this case. Open the same www.ichano.com/download page in its web browser, but this time use the links to install the AtHome Camera app (further down the page).

[Related story: Webcam hacking - why does it occur and how you can protect yourself]

Step 4: Get ready to connect

Launch the app and tap the Start to Use Now button — you can register for a free account later. Tap the Streamer on Smart Phone button at the bottom of the screen to connect the camera app to the streamer app and then tap Next Step — but don't go any further just yet.

Step 5: Generate a QR code to connect

Back on the iPad, tap the Generate QR Code button to display a QR code (a bit like a barcode) on-screen.

Step 6: Connect the two devices

Back on the iPhone, tap the Tap here button to scan the QR code button and point the iPhone's camera at the QR code on the iPad's screen — the camera app should detect the QR code almost instantly. The two apps are now connected.

[Related story: The cheap way to keep an eye on your home at all times]

Step 7: Preview the camera image

Tap the QR code on the iPad screen to close it and position the tablet in a way that points its front or rear camera at something you want to monitor. On the iPhone, tap the streamer device in the list on its screen (there should be only one at this stage) and, once the connection is established, you should see what the iPad camera sees.

Step 8: Use the other options

If the two devices are close together, you may get audio feedback, so tap the Mute button at the bottom of the iPhone screen to prevent this.

Other options along the bottom of the screen include Record for recording the streamed video, Hold to Talk so you can speak into the iPhone mic and play it through the iPad speakers and, if you scroll along the list of buttons, you can switch between the iPad's front and rear cameras with the Switch button.

Step 9: Change the default username and password

Once everything is working, it's worth changing the default username and password to something more memorable and more secure. On the iPad, tap the menu button at the top-left of the app, then tap Change.

You can now give the streamer device a more meaningful name, and change the username and password. Tap Save at the top-right when you're done and tap Menu - Home to return to the camera view.

Step 10: Reconnect the camera

The iPhone camera app will stay connected until you exit it or tap its Quit option, but you'll then need to enter the new username and password to connect again. Tap the Edit icon next to the iPad in the device list and type the new username and password — don't change the CID. Tap Save and the connection will be re-established.

Step 11: Remote camera tips

You can connect to the iPad over any data connection, but streaming video will use lots of mobile data, so be warned if you pay by the megabyte. Using your iPad to stream video will also drain its battery, but you can switch off its screen by tapping Dim on the Home page (the camera preview) and leave it plugged into the mains, of course. 

Do you monitor your home with a security camera or app-based camera? Let us know in the Comments section below.

Source: Don't ditch that old tablet - use it as a home security camera

Official Android Clock App On Google Play Store Gives Users Taste Of Nexus Experience

Google has released its official stock Android app to the Google Play store, allowing users who don't have a device with stock Android to enjoy the simplistic and Google Now-friendly version of Clock.(Photo : Google)

While it may not seem like that big of a deal, Google's stock Android clock app is cared about by a surprising number of people - all of whom can now download the app from the Google Play store.

The app is version 4.0.1, which is the same version of the Clock that can be found in the Android M Developer Preview, and is available to anyone running Android 4.4 and higher. Not only that, but it will only take up 6MB of memory on the user's device.

Apart from simply being able to tell the time, users can set a stopwatch, alarm, and check the time for cities around the world. It also includes a "night mode" which essentially displays a low-light clock during the night. Perhaps most importantly when comparing this clock others is the fact that it works well with Google Now voice commands, enabling users to tell Google to set an alarm, among other things.

Many love the app simply because of how minimalistic it is. The design of it very much reflects Google's recent "material design" philosophy, with flat, vibrant colors being used within the app.

Google has recently been releasing many of its stock apps to the Google Play store for those with different versions of Android to use, highlighting the company's embrace of customization. The company previously released its Camera app to the Google Play store, along with the Google Now launcher, which essentially gives users the ability to swipe right for Google's card-based virtual assistant, and to use "OK Google" voice commands.

Of course, in order to enjoy total stock Android, users will need to look into purchasing a Google Nexus device or one of the few third-party devices, like the Motorola Moto X, which also offer stock Android. Stock Android itself is essentially Android as Google intended it to be, without overlay from companies, which more often than not are simply there to push the company's own software offerings and services. Samsung's TouchWiz, for example, is famously riddled with Samsung's media services such as Milk Music. Thankfully, the company has made moves towards allowing users to better control these features, however Samsung's Android is still far from Google's.

It's important to mention that shortly after the release of this app, some users were reporting experiencing issues, so if you download the app but have problems installing it you're not alone. It is likely that Google might update the app in the near future in order to remedy this issue - after all the app was built to be experienced on a stock Android device.

The Clock app can be downloaded here.

© 2015 Tech Times, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.

Source: Official Android Clock App On Google Play Store Gives Users Taste Of Nexus Experience

LG G4 first impressions: Elegant design, Snapdragon 808 SoC, 16MP camera makes for a good package

LG launched its latest flagship phone – the LG G4 – at the NSCI Sports Complex in Mumbai which was relatively packed by media persons and guests, despite the heavy Mumbai rains. LG G4, which was first announced towards the end of April in the Korean market, will be the successor to the LG G3. LG managing director Soon Kwon, present at the event stressed on the fact that he expected LG G4 to do as well as the previous two generation flagships such as the G3 as well as the G2. The phone's innovative features were presented by Indian superstar Amitabh Bachchan, who also showcased some of the pictures he had clicked with the LG G4.

Post the event, we got to play around with the LG G4. Considering the demo zone was placed in an area which had harsh lighting and with promo music playing in the background, we didn't really get a chance to check out the image quality of the camera or the audio performance of the speakers. But nonetheless, here are our first impressions of the LG G4.

Build and Design

LG G3 had a beautiful design and the LG G4 just builds upon it. The slim arc aesthetic around the edges, paired with the hand-crafted leather back, gives the phone a good grip, something we felt was missing in the LG G3 with its slippery grip. According to LG, it uses vegetable tanning on the leather which helps keep the quality immune from future damage by either moisture or hot weather. The stitched centre with the G4 embossing on the bottom right hand corner adds a bit of class to the already good looking phone. Apart from a leather back, you also get a plastic back cover. There are three colour variants with the plastic as well as leather backs and they are removable.

The button placement, which has become a standard with LG phones since the G2, is on the rear side. The power/standby button in the centre is surrounded by the volume rocker buttons. Just above this is the camera which we will come to later. On the front, you have a 5.5-inch IPS Quantum display and just like we have seen with the G3, the bezels are thin at the top and bottom thereby giving a higher body to screen ratio.

Display

LG G4 has a 5.5-inch Quad HD display which gives you a high 535 pixels per inch. The colours appear vibrant and there was no pixelation whatsoever even on close observation. The text also appears crisp, without any dithering on the fonts. According to LG, this is an IPS Quantum display which tends to improve on the contrast ratio and vibrancy of the display over competition. We will have to check that for ourselves when we test the phone. But overall, the display looked quite good.

Chipset, RAM

Powering the LG G4 is a Qualcomm Snapdragon 808 chipset which has a dual-core ARM Cortex A57 and quad-core A53 with processor with 64-bit support and also houses Adreno 418 GPU. This chipset is one-tier below the Snapdragon 810, but during the brief time that we used the phone, the response was buttery smooth despite the custom skin, application launches were quick, camera launched quickly and so on. So hopefully there should be little to no issues with lag, but we will have to use it in real world cases, run the relevant benchmarks and put the phone through the rigmarole of tests to arrive at a final conclusion.

The processor is paired with 3GB of RAM which will be more than enough for all your tasks as well as heavy apps. The LG G4 comes with 32GB storage and out of this around 20.4GB is available to the user, but LG has added in a microSD card slot in case you feel the capacity isn't much.

OS, connectivity

LG G4 comes with Android 5.1 OS and naturally you will get LG's custom UX 4.0 skin atop the Android OS. The iconography and the flat design theme is the same as was seen on the LG G3 and its variants. But swiping to the left most home screen will get you to the Smart Bulletin screen. This basically has a lot of LG specific app data such as pocket calendar, Music settings, LG health, Quick remote and so on. Once set up, you can access data relevant to these apps in the Smart bulletin run down or else you can also get it as part of Smart Notice which will send you birthday reminders, appointment data, weather alert, LG health notifications and so on. If this sounds familiar, then it is. Hint: Google Now.

The phone comes with Qualcomm X10 LTE chipset for 4G LTE SIM cards. It has a dual SIM configuration. Apart from this, you get Wi-fi 802.11ac, Bluetooth 4.1, A-GPS and the regular set of sensors in addition to the colour spectrometer sensor.

Camera

If there is one thing that was talked about the most, then it has to be the camera. A 16MP camera with laser-detect auto focus feature graces the rear side of the G4, present just above the volume rocker buttons. On the left hand side of the camera you have a laser AF port and on the right hand side, you have the LED flash unit and a colour spectrum sensor. According to LG, this infrared-sensitive colour sensor ensures that the colours seen by the camera are accurate under most lighting situations. Considering the lighting around the demo zone was terrible we did not really get to experience this. We will need to hold our thoughts on this till we see it in action.

The laser auto-focus ensures that the AF acquisition time is minimal. As we had noticed with the LG G3, the AF speeds on the G4 are also quite fast. In the dim lighting, the LG G4 was still able to capture focus quickly. It will be interesting to put the camera through its paces. The rear camera also comes with optical image stabilisation chops along three axes. On the front face you have an 8MP camera for selfies and it supports gesture based shooting. Making a fist closing and opening gesture for instance clicks four selfies in a second.

The camera user interface is the same as we had seen with the LG G3. You get the manual mode as well in case you want to tweak the settings yourself. You can also save the manual mode pictures in the RAW format. Apart from this, the video camera is capable of shooting 4K videos.

Battery

LG G4 offers a 3000 mAh Lithium ion battery which is removable, something that we don't generally see with flagship devices these days. We did not see any dedicated power saving mode apart from the battery saver feature which is present on most Android 5.0 handsets.

Conclusion

The LG G4 looks and feels every bit the flagship device that one expects. Although the design playbook hasn't changed much from its previous flagship iterations, the hand-crafted leather back will surely attract a lot of prospective buyers. LG G4 comes at a steep Rs 51,000 price point, which was somewhat expected considering the LG G3 had also launched around Rs 48,000. Will the G4 justify the price point, and does its camera have the armour to knock the socks of that of its competition? We will have to reserve that opinion till we get our hands on a review unit and spend a considerable time with this flagship device.

Tags: Laser AF camera, laser autofocus, lg g4, LG G4 battery, LG G4 camera, LG G4 features, LG G4 first look, LG G4 price India

Source: LG G4 first impressions: Elegant design, Snapdragon 808 SoC, 16MP camera makes for a good package