Miitomo first look review – is Nintendo's mobile app any good?

Miitomo is billed as Nintendo's first mobile game but it's more of a social app.

The first thing to know about Nintendo's Miitomo is that it isn't a game. Not really.

The way the company is describing its long-awaited mobile release is "an app from Nintendo that brings out a side of you your friends have never seen before". So Miitomo isn't competing directly against Clash Royale, Game of War and Candy Crush Saga.

It's hard to say what it is competing against though: it sits somewhere between Snapchat, Bitstrips (which Snapchat has just bought) and any social app using emoji and digital stickers.

Miitomo was released in Japan earlier in March, notching up more than 1m downloads in its first three days. Now it has launched in a host of other countries – including the UK, Ireland US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and various European countries – as a free download for iOS and Android devices.

Your Miitomo avatar can look like you, thanks to the camera.

At its centre are the Mii avatars that will be familiar to anyone who's owned a device from Nintendo's Wii and DS families in recent years.

The app gets you to create a Mii character – including using your smartphone's camera if you want it to look like you – and tweaking how it moves and speaks, before sending it off as a "social go-between" for you and your friends.

They're nosy little so-and-sos: asking questions about what you've been doing recently to kick conversations off. You can also set standard responses for them when they encounter Miis of friends, although Nintendo may have to be nimble on its feet when policing how this feature is used:

It's like a chatbot within a traditional messaging app and is impressively on-trend, given that Microsoft has just announced that "bots are the new apps". Although thankfully the Miis appear to be steering well clear of racism, sexism and drug-smoking. For now.

Kitting your Mii out with virtual clobber is a big part of Miitomo: there's an in-app shop selling virtual clothes, which you pay for with virtual coins – either earning them from your use of the app, or by spending real money on them.

Coins are sold in quantities of between 1,000 for £0.79 and 105,000 for £54.99. From 250-coin shoes to 6,400-coin robot outfits, there seem to be plenty of items to choose from.

You'll also need coins to play the gaming bit of Miitomo: a built-in mini-game called Miitomo Drop, which involves dropping your character into a Peggle-y pinball-y environment to win prizes, including virtual clothes that aren't available in the shop.

The Miitomo shop and mini-game.

It's less a game and more a daily draw with bells on: a mildly diverting means to an end – more items. You'll get much more amusement from the other major feature of the app, which is called Miifoto.

This is a photo-editing tool where you can insert Miis (your own and those of your friends) into photographs, adding in other stickers, text and backgrounds. It's a lot of fun, and you can expect to see plenty of Miifotos appearing on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram in the coming weeks if you move in Nintendophile circles.

That's the main appeal or drawback of Miitomo: ultimately it will only be as fun as the number of friends you have using it too.

I'd say it's aimed at two groups of people (who may crossover) – teenagers and people who love Nintendo. The former may be hard to attract away from the holy SoMo trinity of Snapchat, Instagram and WhatsApp, so that leaves the latter group.

Nintendo's last public figures show it has sold 12.6m Wii U consoles and 57.9m 3DS handhelds, not to mention the 101.6m Wiis that introduce the Mii avatars in the first place, so there's definitely an audience for Miitomo – many of which will own smartphones.

The Miifotos feature in action.

The younger members of that audience may be ruled out: my six and eight year-old sons would love Miitomo but its social and data-collecting aspects mean Nintendo has placed a minimum age limit of 13 on the app. That said, ask all the 11- and 12-year-olds on Snapchat, Instagram etc what they think of age limits...

If you're old enough, if you love Nintendo enough and if you have enough friends who fall into both categories, Miitomo is an inventive and fun, first mobile app for the company. Everyone else? The wait will continue for Nintendo to make some more ambitious mobile games based on its most-loved brands.

The location-based Pokémon Go is due this year, with the hope that Nintendo and its mobile partners are already dreaming up amazing games that take full advantage of smartphones and tablets – while avoiding the most over-aggressive approaches to the "freemium" models that dominate on these devices.

Source: Miitomo first look review – is Nintendo's mobile app any good?

Microsoft Windows 10 Mobile

By Michael Muchmore

To say Microsoft's mobile operating system has struggled in recent years is an understatement. Android and iOS basically own the market. But the leading desktop OS vendor isn't giving in on the quest to disrupt the duopoly that currently dominates the smartphone landscape. A big part of its strategy ties in with its still-dominant position on the desktop. Though Windows 10 Mobile is not identical to Windows 10 on the desktop, it shares a great many features and capabilities with its big brother, and ties in tightly with other Microsoft services such as Office 365, Skype, OneDrive, and Xbox One. The OS also boasts standout capabilities like the Cortana intelligent voice assistant, Continuum, which lets you use your phone as a full-size PC, and Windows Hello, which lets you log in with your face. Can all this cool tech spur wider use of the third phone OS? Only time will tell.

How to Upgrade to Windows 10 Its recent release of Windows 10 Mobile for earlier-generation Windows Phone devices is further evidence that Microsoft isn't giving up on the mobile operating system market. At this writing, only a handful of the most recent Lumia models ran Windows 10 Mobile. Unfortunately, notable phones such as the Lumia Icon and the 41-megapixel-camera-toting Lumia 1020 aren't yet on the list.

Before upgrading, you should first head to Microsoft's How to Upgrade to Windows 10 Mobile page to see whether your phone is supported. To start the upgrade process, you first install the Windows 10 Upgrade Advisor app from the app store. This prepares the device for the upgrade, which is then installed as a standard phone OS update. If your phone isn't among those for which Windows 10 has been released, with some other models you can still enjoy the benefits of the new OS via the Windows Insider Program, though doing so installs the OS as prerelease software, meaning it may not be as stable and speedy as released software. I've been running it on a Lumia 1020 without issues, however.

There's one important caveat is for businesses that have deployed Windows Phones: Certain enterprise features such as Data Protection Under Lock and MDM capability to prevent saving and sharing Office documents won't work after the upgrade, so consult your IT staff before upgrading an eligible phone. And definitely don't use the Preview program for beta Insider builds, since beta isn't for mission-critical work.

Interface Like Android, Windows 10 Mobile lets third-party apps (such as weather apps) take over the lock screen image. You can also choose quick-status icons to appear on the lock screen, such as your numbers of emails and messages. You can also select one app to show detailed status—the Calendar is a typical choice. You can swipe down from the top to see your notifications and quick-access tiles, such as airplane mode, Wi-Fi, rotation lock, and more. Notifications on the lock screen can set to private, per app, so that, for example, a Facebook message's text doesn't appear on it.

Passing the lock screen, you get to the tile-based interface, which is more finger-friendly than the smaller icons in other mobile OSes. You can adjust the opacity of the tiles so that your beautiful background image shines through. The upgrade also brings new tile layouts and background options. You can now group tiles by dragging one on top of another, just as on iOS and most Android phones.

Swipe left from the home screen, and you reveal all app tiles, which is mighty convenient if you're using the phone with one hand. You can also tap on an alphabet letter to display the whole alphabet, letting you easily get to all apps that start with a certain letter. If that's not enough, there's now a one-handed mode that slides the interface down, especially useful on big phones such as the 5.7-inch Lumia 950 XL or the earlier Lumia 1520. Another welcome update is that the full app list shows your most recently installed apps on top.

Windows Hello A clever party trick on Windows 10 Mobile is its ability to log you in with your face, using Windows Hello. It's also handy if you're wearing gloves or have your hands full. The Lumia phones that support it actually scan your iris, so they can't be tricked by someone holding a picture of your face up to the phone, since it uses infrared illumination and detection. As with Apple's Touch ID fingerprint scanning, the biometric data never leaves the phone and ties in with Passport, Microsoft's public-key authentication system, which enables logins to third-party services. On the desktop, Hello can work with fingerprint scanners or specific 3D camera setups such as Intel's Real Sense.

Other New PerksWindows Phone 8.1 users already have Cortana, but the update brings a few desirable new features, some of which are merely catch up with Android and iOS. One such is that the microphone icon, which lets you enter text using your voice, appears in every text box you see on the phone. Previously, it only worked in a few apps like email and text messaging.

Speaking of the keyboard, the Windows 10 Mobile keyboard is unmatched in my experience: Not only is the shape writing, in which you trace a finger around the keyboard to spell a word, much better than that of any iPhone add-in keyboard (and equal to the also excellent stock Android keyboard's), but it's the only default keyboard with a cursor-direction button (reminiscent of the ThinkPad's pointing stick).

Settings are much clearer, as the long list in Windows Phone 8.1 has been replaced by grouped, streamlined, and searchable choices. The All Apps page also gets a search box, and your most recently installed apps appear at the top of the list. When you search for an app in this view, you get a Search Store option if the search doesn't turn up anything in your collection.

Universal Apps Nowhere is Microsoft's strategy of one OS to rule them all more apparent than in its Universal Windows App platform. The idea is that developers can build apps that run on Microsoft's far more successful desktop/laptop OS that also run on tablets, smartphones, the Xbox, and even the HoloLens. Of course, it's not the exact same code running on each device—just as iOS on an iPad differs from iOS on an iPhone. But about 80 percent of the coding in a Universal is common to all platforms.

Universal Apps may blaze a path towards more app availability, and we've already seen big titles like Dropbox, Facebook, Instagram, Netflix, Pandora, Twitter, and Uber. The biggest holdout seems to be Snapchat, so teens wanting to hide their messaging from parents may prefer another phone OS. Another, possibly more concerning issue is that many Windows Phone apps suffer from less functionality than their iOS and Android counterparts. For example, the Words With Friends app doesn't include a dictionary or word strength features.

Included Apps You do, however, get powerful new included apps with Windows 10 Mobile. The Photos app can automatically create albums, and offers a Living Photos feature that's awfully similar to iOS's Live Photos. The Windows Phone camera app also lets photo buffs choose manual settings like shutter speed and f-stop, something not available to iPhone users.

The new Edge Web browser is fast and (mostly) standards-compatible, and its interface is an improvement: I prefer its tab handling to that of other mobile operating systems. A really helpful tool in Edge (and one shared by iOS's Safari, but not by Android's Chrome) is reading mode. This strips out distracting ads and auto-play video, which may be even more helpful on mobile than on the desktop.

Edge also has a Reading List feature for saving articles for later perusal, and managers for favorites, history, and downloads. You can find other browsers in the Windows Store, including Opera Mini, Maxthon, and UC Browser, though unfortunately there's no Firefox for Windows Mobile.

The new Outlook Mobile mail app is a big improvement over that in Windows Phone 8.1: You can swipe left and right to archive and flag messages (or change what these actions do to taste), and the app now supports multiple mail accounts from any mail provider, including Gmail and Yahoo as well as Outlook.com or your Exchange or private mail server. Switching among accounts is simple whether you're reading or sending. Unfortunately, you don't get the iPhone's version of Outlook Mobile's Focused inbox, which I like.

Maps in Windows 10 Mobile include turn-by-turn spoken directions for driving, public transport, or walking (alas, no bike routing). As with Siri or Google Now, you can ask Cortana to get you directions to a destination, and Maps will get you going. You can download maps for offline navigation, and (thankfully) turn off the warning beeps should you exceed the speed limit. An upcoming update now in the prerelease version of Windows 10 Mobile will move the controls to the bottom for easier one-handed use. The maps also have a super-cool 3D cities view, letting you fly around major metropolises like an action hero.

Music and video are also provided by Microsoft apps—Groove and Movies & TV. Both offer fully stocked repositories of both top hits and old favorites. With Groove, you get unlimited access to any music you want to play, not only on the phone, but on Windows 10 PCs, iOS and Android devices, and Xbox. Movies & TV works similar to iTunes, through which you rent or buy titles individually.

Mobile versions of Microsoft Office apps—Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and OneNote—come free with Windows 10 Mobile, and your documents for all these sync with OneDrive. The interfaces are surprisingly functional, given the small screen size. They even include Office 2016's real-time collaboration and its Smart Lookup feature, which accesses Web knowledge on selected text without taking you out of the app.

Store Windows 10 Mobile's app store has been spruced up since the last version, and more closely resembles the store on Windows 10 for desktops. Featured and top apps are clearly accessible, and a left-side hamburger menu now shunts you to Apps, Games, Music, Movies & TV, My Library, Updates, or Payment methods. That's right, you can now purchase music and video in the store as well as apps, just as you can in Google Play, iTunes, and on Windows 10 on the desktop. Though Windows 10 gets dissed for a dearth of apps, it offers a ton of games, including both casual and mobile versions of major Xbox titles.

Cortana Cortana combines the personality of Siri with the predictive functionality of Google Now. You invoke her in one of three ways: Tapping her tile, holding down the search magnifying glass button that's always preset at the bottom right of the screen, or (new for Windows 10) you can turn on listening for you to say "Hey Cortana!" Each evening when I'm about to leave for work, Cortana lets me know how long my commute home will take. In the morning, she shows me sports scores, news, and weather for the day. I can ask her to tell me a joke, and she comes up with something from a deep repository, some funnier that others.

Unlike Apple Siri and Google Now, however, you tell Cortana exactly how much personal information you want to share with her, using the Notebook. This includes 15 sections for your interest info, such as food you like, sports, health, travel, special days, and places. Filling in the last with your work and home addresses is what enables her to predict your commute.

In addition to fielding spoken questions, Cortana shows your Daily Glance. This includes news, sports results, weather, and any meetings on your schedule.

Cortana does other things you'd expect of an assistant, too. Say, "Remind me to buy aspirin when I'm at a pharmacy," and the notification pops up when you walk into a Rite Aid or other similar store. As with Siri, you can dictate and send text messages and emails with Cortana. Tell Cortana to take a note, and she'll open OneNote and enter whatever you say. You can then read that note on your PC in OneNote 2016, on your iPad in OneNote Mobile, on the Web, and anywhere else you have the app installed.

Reminders in Cortana can be based on Time, Place, or Person. The first is self-explanatory, the second is like the aspirin reminder noted above, and the third pops up a notification if a specified contact calls or texts you. In this release, Cortana loses the ability to search local things like apps and emails, but app searching in the all apps page is simple. I expect Microsoft will add those capabilities back, since they're available on Windows 10 on the desktop.

Continuum For me, Continuum is Windows 10 Mobile's most remarkable feature. It brings to life the dream of using a smartphone to power a desktop scenario. Sure, other phone OSes can mirror their screen to a big TV via Apple TV or MiraCast (which Windows Mobile also supports), but this OS actually reformats the interface elements to work on the larger screen with mouse and keyboard. This goes much farther towards using smartphones for all computing than Android N, which merely offers dual windowing (and which makes little sense on a phone, in my opinion). Hardware vendors such as HP, Sony, and others have even started offering Windows 10 Mobile devices designed specifically to power laptops and desktops.

Continuum can work wirelessly using MiraCast (for the full experience, a device should support Windows MiraCast extensions) or with a wired hub, such as the $99 Microsoft Display Dock. I tested Continuum with both the latter and also wirelessly to a Roku 2 box connected to an HDTV. So if you're at a hotel with a smart TV, Windows 10 Mobile lets you treat yourself to a big screen for viewing that spreadsheet.

One of the coolest things about Continuum is that while you're using it to power a monitor-and-keyboard system, you can still use the phone as a phone. Also cool is that the phone's screen can turn into your trackpad for the bigger system. You can also connect Bluetooth mice and keyboards to the phone. The Universal apps are part of what enables Continuum: When on a phone, a universal app looks and behaves like a phone, on a bigger screen like a PC app.

Notifications still appear on the phone, rather than the big screen, since it's likely others can view the big screen. But you can open the Action Center on the big screen, where you'll see them. One disappointment: The apps run full-screen only, though you can switch among them via the taskbar, or even via multiple desktops! Think about that! The phone itself doesn't (and shouldn't) have multiple desktops, but when projecting to a Continuum screen, multiple desktops are available.

Ecosystem Tie-ins Though Microsoft has been aggressively making its mobile apps available on Android and iOS, there are still some advantages only Windows Phones get. OneDrive functions like a combination of iCloud and Google Drive. Like the former, it can back up your phone, apps, data, and settings. Like the latter, it serves as cloud storage for documents and enables real-time collaboration. You can open your OneDrive content on any platform, including iOS, Android, and the Web. OneDrive's photo prowess seems underappreciated, offering object recognition, maps for geotagged photos, and EXIF camera data.

The Xbox app is a Windows 10 exclusive (though Xbox SmartGlass is on the other OSes). Here you can keep up with your gamer buddies through an activity feed, achievements, friends list, alerts, and messages, as well as watch Game DVR clips and connect to an Xbox One. Later, the app will include live TV streaming, according to Microsoft.

Skype is also baked into Windows 10 Mobile, and it's integrated into the same messaging app you use for SMS—just like Apple's iMessage has long lived in the same place as text messages. Skype Video is now a separate app (that's right, just like the iPhone's FaceTime)

Perhaps of less universal importance, Windows phones get preferential treatment with the Microsoft Band 2. Though iPhones and Androids can connect to them to show notifications and sync health-monitoring data, if you use a Windows Phone with your Microsoft Band 2, you can talk to Cortana on your wrist, just like Maxwell Smart, James Bond, or Dick Tracy! (Or like an Apple Watch, which costs twice what a Band 2 does.) Even if you don't have a Band 2, you can use the Microsoft Health app to track steps (just like you can with iPhone and most Androids.)

Platform AdvantagesWindows Phone shares a platform advantage with iOS over Android: Like Apple, Microsoft has more control over delivering updates to phones. At this writing, according to Google, only 2.3 percent of Android phones run the current version, Marshmallow. With a U.S. share of 52 percent (comScore), that means that there are actually more Windows Phones in use than phones running the current Android version (5.4 million vs. 2.4 million)! If you use an iPhone or Windows phone, you're much more likely to be running the current OS version than with Android.

Another platform advantage is security. Noted security expert Eugene Kaspersky (of Editors' Choice Kaspersky Internet Security fame) has said that Windows Phone is "much better operating system than the rest (iOS, OS X and Android)" in terms of security, with far fewer vulnerabilities.

A Third Smartphone Option If you don't need to have the same kind of smartphone as everyone else, and can live without some of the hottest new apps, Windows 10 Mobile has a lot of appeal. It delivers some unique features, including Cortana, Continuum, Windows Hello, and tight integration with other Microsoft services such as Office 365 and Skype. Apple's iOS 9 wins PCMag's mobile operating system Editors' Choice, however, because it offers the most and latest apps, as well as the most polished interface.

Source: Microsoft Windows 10 Mobile

Google Calculator arrives on Play Store with support for Android Wear

After apps like Calendar, Camera, and Keyboard. another core Google app has hit the company's Play Store: Google Calculator. Yes, the Calculator app is now available for download from Google's marketplace, meaning now it can be installed on any Android phone.

The app listed on Google Play carries a version number of 6.0, compared to Calculator 5.2 that shipped with latest Android. So, what's new? While the design remains more or less the same, the updated app includes support for Android Wear.

To download the latest version of the Google Play app, head to the Source link below.

Source (Google Play) | Via

Source: Google Calculator arrives on Play Store with support for Android Wear

Best free Android camera apps (2016)

We review the best free camera apps for Android phones and tablets, available to download from the Google Play store right now. From easy-to-use point n' shoot camera apps to pro camera software packed with manual controls, filters and other features, these are the best Android camera apps in 2016.

Google Camera

Before we begin, we have to give a shout out to Google's stock Android camera, which comes pre-installed on its Nexus phones (most recently the Nexus 6P and Nexus 5X). It's a super-streamlined and easy-to-use camera app, which shuns pointless bonus features in favour of simplicity. See also, the LG camera interface found on the LG G4 and Motorola's camera app from the Moto G.

Camera360

Love adding stickers to your snaps? Then Camera360 is going to be your new favourite toy. This colourful camera app allows you to download a selection of animated effects which are added in real-time to your photos (using either the front-facing or rear camera). Set your mates' hair on fire, turn them into Easter bunnies and make them cry beautiful waterfall tears. Terrifying.

A Better Camera

A Better Camera may be quite a braggy name, but this camera app really is a solid all-rounder. The funky artistic interface boasts unique monochrome visuals, while impressive features like the Dynamic Range Optimisation and SuperSensor tools produce well-balanced shots in tricky lighting.

Sadly you do have to pay for a handful of A Better Camera's features, including high-res panorama capture. Thankfully you can use the bulk of the app's tools for free.

Camera MX

If you want to get Apple's Live Photos on your Android device, then check out Camera MX. The Live Shot mode captures tiny videos when you snap away, so you can flick through the frames and pick the best shot, or share as an animated photo.

You can also add funky effects to your photos using Live FX Effects, which shows you in real time what your final shot will look like. This includes all the usual zany filters you'd expect, to turn your besties into Warhol-style paintings or pencil sketches.

We're seriously impressed with Camera MX's editing suite for touching up your photos, which has a wide range of tools for tweaking the white balance, colour saturation, skew and pretty much every other aspect of your shots.

Retrica

If filters are your bag, Retrica's vast selection should appease. The interface itself is clean and simple, with strong appeal for camera app noobs, while the ability to add stamps is a nice addition.

Open Camera

This open-source camera app is rammed with helpful features, including a stabilisation meter that marks an end for slightly slanty photos. If your shots are usually blighted with dodgy lighting or oversaturated colours, then you'll love the vast selection of pre-set environment modes (daylight, fluorescent, snow, etc) and the exposure lock, which helps you get an attractive result.

YouCam Perfect

If you're an obsessive selfie snapper, then check out YouCam Perfect. "Become a beautiful cover girl in seconds!" the app promises when you first boot it up, and frankly, the results speak for themselves. I'd do me.

You get a seriously impressive range of beautification tools to work with, which can remove those bags under your eyes after a big night out and even reshape your entire face. Don't bother with all that guffins though; you're gorgeous just the way you are.

Read next: Best camera phones from 2015/2016

Did we miss your favourite Android camera app? Let us know in the comments below.

Source: Best free Android camera apps (2016)

Microsoft updates Windows 10 Camera app, Rich Capture becomes Rich HDR

As Microsoft continues to massage the rough edges of Windows 10 Mobile, the camera app until recently seemed to be immune to the update blessings from the Windows team. Perhaps due to Nokia's utmost attention to detail with the camera module, the Windows team may have felt no real updates needed to be built into their update schedule.

Aside from the addition of slow-motion video and turning high-dynamic-range imaging into the default capture mode for mobile devices, the camera on the Windows 10 Mobile has been left relatively untouched as far as a user interface or additional features are concerned.

However, it looks like the Windows team has managed to sneak in a minor update to the Windows 10 Mobile camera that brings two new additions. Today, Windows 10 Mobile camera users can now use a forced HDR option to capture images as well as pause video capture mid-recording.

New Forced HRD mode

While the video pause feature was something that came to Windows 10 PC devices earlier this year, the Force Rich HDR option is a new option for Windows 10 Mobile devices only, for now. Microsoft is also clearing up the arguably confusing naming convention for new users to Windows 10 Mobile. Long time users of Lumia's have grown to know HDR settings as "Rich Capture" on devices, and now Microsoft is labeling the feature as "Rich HDR" as it is more commonly known on other mobile operating systems.

The update is rolling out now, and should be hitting devices throughout the day. Let us know if there are any other items, fixes, or features we missed in our reporting of the update, in the comments below.

AppsCameraLumiaMicrosoftRich CaptureRich HDRupdatesWindows 10 Mobile

Source: Microsoft updates Windows 10 Camera app, Rich Capture becomes Rich HDR

Google Goggles Capabilities Could Come to Google Camera App

Google Goggles, a virtual search app that searches images, could get closer tie-ins to the Google Camera app.

The Google Camera app could get tighter integration with the company's Google Goggles visual search app in the future, according to a rumor circulating about coming improvements for the Camera app.By adding Goggles capabilities to the Camera app, users could gain new functions and features when conducting searches using images, according to a March 26 story by Android Authority.Combining features from the apps could give the improved features to users of the more popular and well-known Google Camera app, which has many more users and downloads than the Google Goggles app (pictured), the story reported. The Google Camera app is part of Android in the Google Nexus phone product line.These details about the rumored Camera/Goggles integration originated from an anonymous source who also said that the improved app will allow "users to outline specific areas of the image in order to directly target their searches," rather than scanning the entire image as is the practice using Goggles toda y, the story reported. With the existing Goggles app, "Images often display plenty of distractions, background items and other objects that may throw off a search result. According to the sketch provided, the system will also be able to recommend retailers for purchasing products, as well as other details." The source also said that such an app "has also been tested in 'wearable computing devices,'" the story reported. "This could suggest this technology may come to products like Google Glass and possibly even VR (or AR) headsets." Google Goggles debuted in 2009 and has undergone regular development to eye new uses and capabilities for the visual search technology behind it, according to an earlier eWEEK story.Goggles is a visual search application that uses smartphone cameras to send image information to Google's computing clouds, then back to the users' phones to complete an action. By taking a photo with the app, users can then obtain search results based on the photo.The latest Google Goggles app for Android, Version 1.9.4, was released in May of 2014.The app is used by pointing a mobile phone camera at a painting, a famous landmark, a barcode or QR code, a product, a popular image or at just about anything, according to Google. "If Goggles finds it in its database, it will provide you with useful information."The Goggles app can read text in English, French, Italian, German, Spanish, Portuguese, Russian, and Turkish and translate it into other languages. Goggles can also be used as a scanner for barcodes o r QR codes to get product information. Users can also use it to add contacts by scanning business cards, to scan text using Optical Character Recognition (OCR) or solve Sudoku puzzles, according to Google.
Source: Google Goggles Capabilities Could Come to Google Camera App

Is Alphabet Inc (NASDAQ:GOOG) Merging Goggles with Android Camera Apps?

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It has emerged that Alphabet Inc (NASDAQ:GOOG) is working on a project that could see the little-known Goggles app combined with the more widely-used Android camera app. It is not clear why the company would want to merge the two apps, but it is possible the merged app could find application in Google's rumored virtual reality headset. The integrated photo app could also find a role to play in the future Google Glass.

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The Goggles app enables users to identify information seen through the lenses of their smartphone camera. The app can be used to get details about text or objects in the real world. Goggles also helps with analysis of digital objects. For example, you can search Google for similar images to what you can have captured through your phone's camera. It is also a great tool for those who might want to check the integrity of a text.

What's new?

The integrated app is said to simplify usage of the app. For example, if you only need to analyze a portion of a large object, the Goggles app enables you to draw with your finger to highlight the part of the image you want to analyze. That is simpler than having to crop all the four corners of an object.

Although the Goggles app has long been available on the Google Play Store, it is not widely used as other camera/photo apps and that could be because many people don't know about its existence or they feel using it is a bit complicated.

What's the place for an integrated app?

An integrated app that combines the Android camera app and the Goggles app could be added to the next generation of Google Glass. Alphabet is struggling to make the Glass a mass market product and a photo analytics app could boost its mass market appeal.

The other area where Alphabet could use  the integrated app is in the virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) headsets it is said to be developing. There are speculations Alphabet could launch its own version of Oculus Rift later this year.

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Andy has been a technical analyst at various financial institutions for coming up twelve years. He holds a Masters Degree in Financial Accounting. Hobbies include investigative financial journalism and cycling. He calls New York home, for now. I can be reached via email at Andy.Parker@contact.marketexclusive.com

Source: Is Alphabet Inc (NASDAQ:GOOG) Merging Goggles with Android Camera Apps?

Google may reportedly add augmented reality support to its camera app

Google is rumored to be looking at bringing augmented reality to its camera app. If true, the company would leverage technology from Google Goggles thereby allowing you to see relevant search results like nearby restaurants, transit information, and recommended retailers to purchase items.

Details given to Android Authority through an anonymous source state that the integration would include a new feature "allowing users to outline specific areas of the image in order to directly target their searches. This would be an improvement on Google Goggles since the previous iteration only allowed you to search the whole image.

Reports also indicate that "this technology has also been tested in "wearable computing devices". This could suggest this technology may come to products like Google Glass and possibly even VR (or AR) headsets."

Google Goggles launched in 2009 as a visual search technology app, but after a few years the company stopped updating it and it fell by the wayside. But if today's rumor is true, instead of making it a standalone app, Google will merge it directly with the camera so it comes incorporated in all phones, likely to build up mobile search usage. In fact, it's likely that with the reported Google keyboard, the company is looking for more seamless ways to get people to search without having to open up another app — it'll be built into the tools that we're accustomed to using.

We've reached out to Google for comment and will update if we hear back.

Google's innovative search technologies connect millions of people around the world with information every day. Founded in 1998 by Stanford Ph.D. students Larry Page and Sergey Brin, Google today is a top web property in all major glob... read more »

Source: Google may reportedly add augmented reality support to its camera app

Why the new iPad Pro has such a good camera

You might have noticed that the new iPad Pro has a high-performance 12-megapixel camera that can record 4K video.

Sure, you can use it to take photos and videos of your family vacation, but that's not what it's for.

It's for capturing super-sharp, high-res photos and videos and working with them on the spot.

This is a professional-grade camera and an editing station in a single device. It's perfect for projects where carrying around a camera and laptop is impractical or too much of a hassle.

Here are a few of the things it can do:

Take photos of products, projects, properties, or people; touch them up on the spot with pro-grade editing apps; and upload them to the Internet.

Take high-res videos, edit them on the spot, and upload them to the Internet.

Scan pictures or art, which benefit from a higher quality camera, then annotate or sign with the Apple Pencil.

You can do some of that with non-Pro models of the iPad, like the iPad Air 2, but you wouldn't really want to. The cameras on previous iPad models are notoriously poor, and, while the chips are fine for running Netflix, Facebook, and even some art apps, they're not powerful enough to run pro-grade apps with smooth and fast performance.

And you technically could do all of that with the original 12.9-inch iPad Pro, as it has a decent 8-megapixel camera and runs on the same super-powerful A9X chips as the new iPad Pro. But it's not as good as the 12-megapixel camera, and it's far too large to take photo and videos with while you're out and about.

Above: The new iPad Pro.

Image Credit: Apple

So, why not use the iPhone 6s Plus, which also has a great 12-megapixel camera, can record 4K, and is even more portable than either iPad? The 6s Plus even has a stabilizer to reduce vibrations from your hand when you're taking a shot.

For one thing, the new iPad Pro has "Cinematic video stabilization." We haven't fully tested how well this "stabilization" works, but since it's "cinematic," it might be better suited to shooting video.

Above: The new iPad Pro.

Image Credit: Apple screenshot

Secondly, it's not practical to work on the photos/videos you took with your iPhone with editing apps because the screen is simply too small.

So, for anyone who wants to take big, beautiful photos and videos and fix them up on the spot, whether for real estate, construction or any other purpose, the new iPad Pro offers a complete package.

This story originally appeared on Business Insider.

Source: Why the new iPad Pro has such a good camera

Google Camera app rumored to get Google Goggles functionality

Google has plenty of apps, devices and services, but their main business is Search. Really, everything revolves around Google Search, and if they can somehow tie in their other products, they will.

The latest rumor suggests even the official Google Camera app is to get a bit of extra functionality, but it's really nothing new; it would simply be the implementation of a technology the Search Giant already uses.

The rumor is that the Android camera app would get Google Goggles capabilities. If you are out of the loop on this one, Google Goggles is an augmented reality app which allows you to make a search by taking a picture of anything.

It's actually an awesome app, but not everyone goes through the effort of downloading it. This is why bringing its functionality to the official camera app (which is part of the stock Android experience in devices like the Nexus line) would be a significant move.

See also: 15 best camera apps for Android90

These details come from an anonymous source who also gave us a bit more details on the project. The report states there will be a new feature integrated, allowing users to outline specific areas of the image in order to directly target their searches.

In Google Goggles, one can only search the whole image, which has proven to bring plenty of discrepancies. Images often display plenty of distractions, background items and other objects that may throw off a search result. According to the sketch provided, the system will also be able to recommend retailers for purchasing products, as well as other details.

Furthermore, it i said this technology has also been tested in "wearable computing devices". This could suggest this technology may come to products like Google Glass and possibly even VR (or AR) headsets.

That's about all we know for now, but if this rumor is to pan out you can be sure more details will emerge soon enough. Until then, you can continue using Google Goggles on its own. What do you guys think, though? Would you enjoy Google Goggles integration on the official Android camera app?

Source: Google Camera app rumored to get Google Goggles functionality

Samsung Galaxy S7/Galaxy S7 Edge tips and tricks

One of the biggest complaints with Samsung's TouchWiz UI a few years ago was the fact that the software package was very bloated, and packed with a slew of features and extras that, ultimately, didn't prove to be all that useful. Samsung has toned down their software experience drastically over the last couple of versions of the UI, and with the latest iteration, the software experience is by far the best yet.

That certainly doesn't mean that these smartphones are particularly lacking when it comes to software and hardware features however. The Samsung Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 Edge are making its way to consumers all over the world, and we're here to help you out, with this roundup of our top tips and tricks to help you get the most out of your new smartphone. Let's take a look!

#1 – Disabling the Flipboard Briefing screen

One of the big issues with the Samsung software experience has been the Flipboard Briefing screen, with a lot of stutter and lag seen when swiping to it. The lag isn't as prevalent a problem with the powerful Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 Edge, and quite a few users do find this secondary screen useful, but if you are someone who, like me, don't find it helpful, the good news is that it can be disabled easily.

All you have to do is long press on the homescreen and then swipe over to the Briefing homescreen, where you will see a toggle to turn it off. If you are looking to turn it back on again, just follow the same steps to do so.

#2 – Changing the screen grid size

By default, the screen grid size is set to 4×4, which is a little bit cramped, and doesn't allow you to take full advantage of the available display real estate. Once again, changing this setting is very easy. Just long press on the homescreen, and among the four options at the bottom, tap on Screen Grid. You can choose between 4×4, 4×5, and 5×5, and once you're happy with your selection, tap on Apply. With the larger grid sizes, you will now be able to fit a lot more apps and widgets on the homescreen.

Get more on your Galaxy S7, S6 or Note 5 screen with hidden DPI scaling settings24 #3 – Camera quick launch

The camera quick launch shortcut was first introduced with the 2015 Galaxy S flagships, and is one of the best features Samsung has come up with. Anytime you are looking to launch the camera quickly, all you need to do is a double tap of the physical home button. This feature works regardless of which app or screen you are on, and even when the device is locked.

This is an extremely useful feature and actually removes the need for a Camera app icon on the homescreen as well. The camera quick launch shortcut should be enabled by default, but if it isn't, go to Settings – Advanced Features, and make sure that the Camera quick launch option is toggled on.

#4 – One-handed operation

This feature allows you to shrink the interface down for easier one handed use, and while it may not be required with the relatively compact Galaxy S7, it may prove useful for owners of the larger Galaxy S7 Edge. To enable this feature, go to Settings – Advanced Features – One-handed operation, and you will see a toggle to reduce the screen size.

There is also a toggle for one-handed input as well, which will shift only certain apps, like the Dialer or Calculator, to one side of the phone, for easy one handed use. Once enabled, a triple press of the home button will launch this feature, and you will have the option to move it to left or right side, depending on which you prefer, as well as to go back to the full screen size.

#5 – Re-ordering the Edge panels

This tip is of course, specifically for owners of the Galaxy S7 Edge. With the new Edge UX, Samsung now allows for up to 9 panels to be used at one time, and that can be a lot of panels to swipe through when your searching for a particular piece of information. If there are some panels you use more often than others, such as looking up weather information, you can put those panels at at the forefront to make them easier to get to.

To re-order the panels, swipe open the Edge interface, tap the Setting icon, and select the Re-order button at the upper right. From here, re-ordering the panels is as simple as dragging and dropping. Now, your Edge panels will be exactly the way you want them to be.

#6 – Moving multiple applications to another homescreen

One of the most annoying things about Android when it comes to moving and organizing apps around the homescreens is that you can only move one item at a time. Luckily, Samsung has come up with a pretty elegant solution to help in this regard.

Just long press and hold an application, as you normally would when moving an app, and up top, you will see a Move Apps option appear. Once you've dragged an app to it, you will then be given the option to select 5 more applications to move. Once selected, swipe to any of the other homescreens, and simply drag them back down from the top.

#7 – Make the UI look like stock Android

The latest version of the TouchWiz UI doesn't look that bad, with a few aesthetically-pleasing changes made throughout, but if you're still not a fan and are looking for a more stock-like interface, you can easily do so via the in-built Theme store.

Confessions from a stock Android fan: TouchWiz isn't the monster I thought it was354

My favorite theme lately is the Android 6.0 Marshmallow theme, but there are plenty of really good ones to choose from. The easiest way to find them is to use the search term "Material," and you will find a lot of themes that offer a stock Android look, with a majority of them also available for free.

#8 – Customizing the Always On display

One of the new features introduced with the Samsung Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 Edge is the Always On display, and while its functionality is quite limited at the moment, Samsung does offer a few ways to customize it. You'll find these options by going to Settings – Display – Always On display, where you have the option to choose between a clock, calendar, or image, to display.

If you want to customize the clock, for example, you can pick between several analog and digital clock styles, and you can also add a background image to the clock. Granted, there are only a few images to choose from here, but those are available do look nice, and hopefully, more options will be added in the future.

#9 – Turning off Pop-up view

A feature that I've always found to be quite annoying is Pop-up view. This feature lets you shrink an app into a floating window that you can manipulate and move around by swiping inwards from the top left or right corners. However, you will often find this feature being triggered when you're simply trying to pull down the notification shade.

The good news is that with the Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 Edge, you now have the option to disable this feature. Go to Settings – Advanced features, tap on Pop-up view gesture, and turn it off.

#10 – Keeping the screen turned off

The last and final tip is with regards to how to keep the screen from turning itself on when you don't want it to. With both smartphones coming with physical home buttons, they can be prone to accidental presses from getting tossed around in a bag, or even while in your pocket, which can ultimately waste a lot of battery life, with the screen turning on constantly.

Go to Settings – Display, and you will see an option for keeping the screen turned off. Once you've enabled this feature, your phone will never accidentally turn itself on in your pocket, bag, or any other dark environment.

So there you have it for this roundup of some useful tips and tricks to help you get the most out of your Samsung Galaxy S7 or Galaxy S7 Edge. If you feel like there is something we've missed out on, don't forget to mention it in the comments section below.

See also:

Source: Samsung Galaxy S7/Galaxy S7 Edge tips and tricks

Windows 10 Mobile New Update For Camera, Photos Apps

Washington: The Windows 10 Mobile users will be pleased to hear that Microsoft has updated the Camera and Photos (from 16.201.16372 to 16.317.14282) apps. Now, while viewing a photo, the users will be able to print the image by clicking on the ellipsis menu (?).

The new update for the Camera and Photos apps will allow users to print an image directly from their phone running on Windows 10 Mobile OS. Users will be able to choose the Orientation under the print heading, its size and the photo will be used as a Living Image picture if motion is noticed during its capture.

This feature bears resemblance to Apple's Live Photos, which records a 3-second video. Microsoft has imitated the idea and it will enable users to view a Living Image picture when it comes on the screen, but it can also be used as a still picture.

The changelog for the latest update for the Camera app contains only bug fixes and performance improvements, but nothing else. And the users are upset because the Rich Capture HDR option was added and they can't film in panorama view either.

Hopefully, these features will be included in the camera app in the near future.

Source: Windows 10 Mobile New Update For Camera, Photos Apps

Here's why the new iPad Pro has such a good camera

Apple screenshot

You might have noticed that the new iPad Pro has a high-performance 12-megapixel camera that can record 4K video. 

Sure, you can use it to take photos and videos of your family vacation, but that's not what it's for. 

It's for capturing super sharp, high-res photos and videos, and working with/on them on the same device.

This is a camera and an editing station for professionals in a single device. It's perfect for projects where carrying around a camera and laptop is impractical, or is at least more of a hassle than bringing a single device, like the iPad Pro.

Here are a few of the things it can do:

take photos of products, objects, projects, properties, people, or anything you want, and touch them up on the spot with pro-grade editing apps, and upload to the internet.

take high-res videos, edit on the spot, and upload to the internet.

scan pictures or art, which benefit from a higher quality camera for scanning, then annotate or sign with the Apple Pencil.

You can do some of that with non-Pro models of the iPad, like the iPad Air 2, but you wouldn't really want to. The cameras on previous iPad models are notoriously poor, and while the chips are fine for running Netflix, Facebook, and even some art apps, they're not powerful enough to run pro-grade apps with smooth and fast performance. 

And you technically could do all that with the original 12.9-inch iPad Pro, as it has a decent 8-megapixel camera and runs on the same super-powerful A9X chips as the new iPad Pro. But it's not as good as the 12-megapixel camera, and it's far too large to take photo and videos with while you're out and about. 

Apple

So, why not use the iPhone 6s Plus which also has a great 12-megapixel, can record 4K, and is even more portable than either iPads? The 6s Plus even has a stabilizer to reduce vibrations from your hand when your taking a shot.

For one, the new iPad Pro has "Cinematic video stabilization." We haven't fully tested how well this "stabilization" works, but since it's "cinematic," it might be better suited for shooting video. The verdict is still out on that, though. 

Apple

Also, it's not practical to work on the photos/videos you took with your iPhone with editing apps because the screen is too small. 

So, for anyone who wants to take big, beautiful photos and videos and fix them up on the spot for whatever reason, whether it be for real-estate or construction or whatever else, the new iPad Pro is a complete package for the professional on-the-go. 

Read the original article on Tech Insider. Follow Tech Insider on Facebook and Twitter. Copyright 2016.

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Source: Here's why the new iPad Pro has such a good camera

Microsoft Will Soon Release Universal Skype App For Windows 10

As Barbie Stafford, the director of product marketing for Skype, told a group of reporters during a small press event earlier this year, Microsoft learned that the original task-focused apps may have tested really well, but on larger screens, users really want all of the features in a single app – and that's what the new Skype UWP app aims to offer. "Over time we will streamline all Skype for Windows 10 experiences into the Skype Universal Windows Platform app", says the press release, which may imply that this is the plan long-term.

The changelog for the new update for the Camera app contains only bug fixes and performance improvements, but nothing else.

However, the Windows 10 Mobile OS has been the one which needs the most attention as of now, and that Microsoft has been doing of late.

The screen shot embedded in this post is of the new Skype UWP app which – unsurprisingly, given the list of Version 1 features – looks basically like the unified current Skype Win32 app.

I asked Microsoft officials whether the coming UWP Skype app would be available through the Store or be bundled with Windows 10.

The Skype story on Microsoft's reinvented Windows platform is anything but smooth. The initial app will support video calls, messaging, and most of the basics of Skype.

At this point Skype seemed to be retreating from the UWP. Future releases will add the ability to participate in group video calls, screen sharing, and video messages.

The company has worked to simplify the interface by removing duplicate menus and clutter, and of course, the interface is much more touch-friendly.

In November 2015, previews of those task-based UWP apps appeared, initially on desktop Windows 10, and then also on Windows 10 Mobile. You'll also be able to share your screen, as well as files and video messages. What Microsoft discovered is that the decoupled apps are preferred on the phone-phone usage tends to be more task-oriented, and the decoupled apps mimic the approach taken on, for example, iOS, where Phone, iMessage, and Facetime are all separate.

"[Our] team has been working in partnership with Microsoft and we are within 30 to 45 days of releasing a Windows Phone app", said COO of Starbucks, Kevin Johnson.

Source: Microsoft Will Soon Release Universal Skype App For Windows 10

How to Turn an Old Smartphone Into a Home Security Camera

Devices like Nest Cam and Canary can keep an eye on your home while you're away, but all you really need to set up your own home security system is an old phone or tablet you're not using, an internet connection, and the right app. Here's how to get started and what you should know.

As is often the case, there are a many apps to choose from, with varying prices, features and levels of quality to pick from. Manything is one of the best choices for iOS and Android: the app is free to download and use, and you then pay more if you need extra cloud storage space or additional devices.

Presence (iOS, Android) follows the same freemium pattern as Manything (and includes web access too) while iCam (iOS, Android) uses a webcam attached to your computer as the feed source rather than an old phone or tablet—again, you can use it for free, then pay up a few pennies if you want the extras.

Those are three decent options but here we're going to take a deep look at Perch, a new service that's Android only (and still in beta) right now. It offers a bunch of features and a slick interface, and it should be somewhere near the top of your list if you're looking to keep an eye on your home when you're out.

Perch in action

Get the app installed on the device you want to use as your monitor camera first of all—set up a user account that will let you log into all your devices simultaneously (the Perch app can be used to stream video or view video from other cameras). From the opening screen, pick Set up as a camera and follow the instructions.

Give your camera a name to identify it, choose whether you want to include audio recording or not, and you're good to go. Once created, you can use the menu button (three vertical dots) on the camera page to turn audio on and off and to switch between the front and back cameras on the device.

The app is ridiculously easy to use, which is why we like Perch. Get your phone or tablet in position, preferably hooked up to a power source, and hit the red play button to start streaming. You can then log in using your Perch account on a different device or the web—select the camera name you chose to see the feed.

From your viewing device of choice you can get motion detection alerts, scroll back through the feed or even start a video chat with the other device (if you want to tell the dog to stop messing around, perhaps). Action zones are supported too (click the small plus icon by the camera feed on the web interface), so you can look for motion in specific areas of the video feed, and during the app's beta stage every user gets seven days of cloud video storage completely free of charge.

Source: How to Turn an Old Smartphone Into a Home Security Camera

A Step Ahead : Leading Parental Control App, FamilyTime Launches Cutting-Edge App Blocker for iOS

  March 23, 2016 --

SAN FRANCISCO, March 23, 2016 /PRNewswire-iReach/ -- Leading parental control app makers, FamilyTime, launch new feature, App Blocker today for iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch.

Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160323/347258

San Francisco: FamilyTime, makers of the best parental control software, releasestodayan innovative feature yet again, App Blocker, a feature that aims to empower parents to restrict built-in and 3rdparty apps on their children's iOS devices.

After a huge success of itsAccess Controls, FamilyTime is quick to launch App Blocker for iOS. It not only lets parents restrict the App Store and iTunes access, it also lets parents restrict in-app purchasing and also block iOS apps like Camera, Siri or Safari.

Recentstudyconfirms that screen time among teens has exceeded more than 9 hours a day while tweens spend around 6 hours on average. Furthermore, teen boys spend around 56 minutes playing games. All this can worry parents as it is almost impossible to get children off their mobile devices and focus on their homework or take ample sleep at night. With social media apps and teen's obsession with it, it is no. 1 concern among parents today to control and limit the device usage among children.

"Girls spend more than 1 hour and 32 minutes on social media in a day, which is alarming and dangerous. Our App Blocking feature puts parents in control so they can monitor and control."

And this is where FamilyTime comes in. With FamilyTime App Blocker, parents can easily block iOS apps that distract children during study or bed tine or the apps that parents think inappropriate for their kids. What sets FamilyTime apart from other app blocking applications is that it lets parents control all aspects of installed and iOS apps. When we asked about the feature in detail, the Chief Product Officer, Aziz Ahmed explained, "FamilyTime iOS App Blocker can let parents block iOS built-in apps like Safari, Camera, Siri, etc. It can also let them restrict in-app purchases on their children's iOS devices. Apart from that, parents can even restrict their children from downloading apps from the App Store. This way, parents have real-time control over what their kids can do on their iPhones, iPads and iPod Touch devices."

This is particularly significant for parents who are worried that their children may spend a considerable amount of money buying apps and games. Also, it is extremely useful when parents need to get their kids off their devices during exam season and meal times. One can say that FamilyTime is the most extensive and advanced app blocking software in the industry.

"We want to help parents guide their children with a balanced technology use. These days, teens are obsessed with social media apps with girls spending more than 1 hour and 32 minutes on social media in a day, which is alarming and dangerous. Our App Blocking feature puts parents in control so they can monitor and control what apps their kids use and which apps they shouldn't." explained Syed Waqas Javed, CEO at FamilyTime. "Our Android App Blocker has been very popular with parents and it's going to be a great hit among parents who want the same feature on iOS." Javed explained further.

FamilyTime's latest app blocking feature is sure to help parents in a variety of ways. The feature is not only well-thought out but is also well-developed. It works seamlessly on all iOS devices. FamilyTime is sure to help parents bring down their children's excessive screen time and to keep them away from age-inappropriate apps in an easy way. Parents can easily block apps from their online FamilyTime Dashboard or the designatedFamilyTime app. Children won't be able to access blocked built-in apps or the 3rdparty apps until parents unblock them again.

FamilyTime is a parental control app and can be installed on any iOS or Android device. If you would like to know more about this feature, you can visit theirwebsiteortalkto their customer support agent any time.

Media Contact: Syed Waqas Javed, FamilyTime, +92-343-4111-445, support@familytime.io

News distributed by PR Newswire iReach: https://ireach.prnewswire.com

SOURCE FamilyTime

Copyright 2014 PR Newswire. All Rights Reserved

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Source:PR Newswire. All Rights Reserved

Source: A Step Ahead : Leading Parental Control App, FamilyTime Launches Cutting-Edge App Blocker for iOS

Windows 10 Mobile Camera App Updated; Performance Improved, Bug Fixed

The camera contributes to making phones a good device. The better the camera, the better the phone! With the launch of Windows 10, Microsoft is aiming towards completely giving up the old and bringing in the new. To meet this purpose, Lumia cameras were replaced by Windows 10 camera app. And now to enhance the user experience, Microsoft has now updated this new app.

As we know, crashing is a common Windows 10 problem; whether it's high-end Surface Book and Surface Pro 4 or desktops and mobile phones. The latest update aims at "bug fixes and reliability improvements" and "user experience improvements," which should solve the camera crash issues. The Windows 10 mobile camera app has not worked on pausing video recording or manual controls to force Rich Capture HDR. This app is also available for PCs and tablet, but for now, the update has come only to phones.

About the Windows 10 camera app, Microsoft said, "The redesigned Camera app is faster and simpler than ever. Just point and shoot to take great pictures automatically. The same great camera experience is available across Windows 10 PCs, tablets, and phones."

Listed below are the some of the things you should know about the app (as given on Microsoft's camera app page on the Store):

Requires hardware camera button

Available on HTC One M8

Available on Lumia 63X Series

Available on Lumia 640, 640XL, 830

Available on Lumia Icon, 930, 1520

Available on Lumia 950 and 950XL

Here are some of the key features of Windows 10 mobile camera app:

Self-timer

Video stabilization for flawless videos

Rich capture

Add movement to still pictures

Slow motion video recording

Let you shoot like a professional by letting you adjust ISO, exposure, etc

Frames available

Burst mode available

Allows you to save images from video with the help of 4K video capture

Do you use windows 10 mobile camera app? Let us know in the comments below. How do you like it?

Also Read: Windows 10 Mobile Release: OS Rolling Out On Windows Phones Now!

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Tags:Microsoft LumiaMicrosoft Windows 10Windows 10 camera appWindows 10 camera app features

Source: Windows 10 Mobile Camera App Updated; Performance Improved, Bug Fixed

Navy funds autism-screening app, hoping for help with PTSD

The Navy is paying for research into an app to screen for autism in the hopes that it could eventually be tweaked to look for signs of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

While developmental and trauma disorders might at first appear strange bedfellows, the researchers and a PTSD expert for the VA say it could be an exciting new direction.

Facial expressions can indicate the presence of autism, PTSD and other disorders. The Autism & Beyond app uses a smartphone camera and an algorithm to read children's facial expressions and assess their emotional responses.

The app, which uses a general algorithm, could be expanded to PTSD to monitor people over time if speech and other signals are taken into account, according to Pedja Neskovic, who oversees the project in the Office of Naval Research.

"It can find patterns, not just in facial expressions but in different kinds of data sets, such as brain signals and speech, and it can be used on a continuous basis," he said. "It's a completely new world."

William Unger, a PTSD expert and clinical psychologist at the Providence VA Medical Center, sees potential for an app to be used to help screen for PTSD if it can prove reliable for a large population over time. It's always good to have additional tools, he said.

"This is a technology in its infancy. You don't know where it will go," he said. "So does this science and this study really then lead to additional questions, additional technological developments which help us to move forward? It very well may. So I'm very excited, even though I'm saying it's very far off from having utility."

M. David Rudd, an expert in suicide prevention and PTSD in military personnel, is skeptical. Rudd said he can't see the extrapolation to PTSD, calling it "a pretty big gap to leap." He worries about an app rendering erroneous results, a concern Unger also expressed.

"It's the introduction of technology where technology is not particularly needed and not particularly useful," said Rudd, president of the University of Memphis. "As a society, this is what we do. It's kind of the medicalization of a problem that's emotional and interpersonal in nature. I just don't get it."

The Navy has been working with the researcher who developed the algorithm for the app, Guillermo Sapiro, for about 20 years, supporting his research on image processing and data analysis. The Navy has invested hundreds of thousands of dollars in the app, Neskovic said.

PTSD often goes undiagnosed. Patients may not recognize the link between their symptoms and a traumatic event they experienced or may not be willing to talk about that event, while sometimes symptoms are obscured by other issues, according to research published by the American Academy of Family Physicians.

Some veterans don't want to feel like there's something wrong with them and try to cope on their own, Unger said.

The app, as it's designed for autism, shows funny videos designed to make children smile, laugh or express emotions. The way their head, lips, eyes and nose move is recorded, encoded and analyzed with the camera and app. If a child isn't responding, that's also classified.

Duke University is studying whether it's feasible for caregivers to screen kids for autism using a mobile phone at home. The app can be downloaded for free.

Unlike a tool like WebMD, where the user needs to identify their symptoms and know the right questions to ask, the app does the behavior analysis automatically. The user just has to watch the videos, said Sapiro, an electrical engineering professor at Duke. He stressed that the app isn't meant to replace specialists; it's a pre-screening tool.

The institutional review board at Duke approved the research. The initial results show that people are willing to use the app and they're sending high-quality, usable videos, Sapiro added.

Neskovic and Sapiro envision developing a PTSD app within five years. They're investigating whether it could also possibly reveal signs of mild traumatic brain injury and depression.

Source: Navy funds autism-screening app, hoping for help with PTSD

Camera app for Windows 10 Mobile snags performance improvements

The Camera app has updated for Windows 10 Mobile and while there doesn't appear to be any major changes to the app, the official version notes for version 141 do mention improvements to the user experience and "Bug fixes for reliability and performance".

The Windows 10 Mobile Camera app replaces the Lumia Camera app which was used on Windows phones running Windows Phone 8 and other previous operating systems. It's also functional on Windows 10 PCs however the app update doesn't seem to have rolled out to PCs just yet.

Here's the official Camera app description:

The redesigned Camera app is faster and simpler than ever. Just point and shoot to take great pictures automatically. The same great camera experience is available across Windows 10 PCs, tablets, and phones.

Recently, it was revealed that the Camera app would be getting a Force HDR option in a future update but users are still waiting for that to appear. Do you use the Camera app often on your Windows 10 device? Let us know about your experiences with it in the comments below.

Developer: Microsoft Corporation

AppsCamera AppMicrosoftWindows 10 Mobile

Source: Camera app for Windows 10 Mobile snags performance improvements

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Source: Ricoh Theta S 360 camera hands-on at SXSW 2016

Samsung Galaxy S7 Bugs Plague New Device: Camera, Wi-Fi, Overheating

The newest and hot Samsung Galaxy S7 and Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge are already out in the market and many consumers, Android loyalists or not, are eager to get their hands on the new Samsung offering. The Samsung Galaxy S7 is beautiful, powerful, and hard to resist with its incredible camera, new features and astounding water-resistance.

While the device comes with all these exciting new features, users are still encountering many problems tainting the overall Samsung Galaxy S7 experience. These bugs could be as rare or as common as any other bug in any other phone; but, fret not, since there are a couple of workarounds to these Samsung Galaxy S7 problems.

Wi-Fi Not Connecting Or Keeps On Disconnecting

The Wi-Fi issue is a very common problem among the Samsung Galaxy S7 units and some people have found that the problem could be related to the Galaxy S7's Bluetooth function. A quick restart of the phone and of the router could be a possible workaround for this Wi-Fi situation. Also try toggling the Bluetooth off, if it's turned on, from the notification shade.

You may also try Settings > Wi-Fi > More > Toggle Smart network switch off. Or, Settings > Backup and reset > Reset network settings > Reset Settings.

Digital Trends also found that you can try wiping the Galaxy S7's cache partition using the following directions.

Turn the S7 off by holding the Power button and selecting Power off. Hold the Power, Volume up, and Home buttons together. When you see the Samsung logo, you can let go of Power, but wait until you see the Android logo to release the other two. You should see the recovery menu. Use Volume down to highlight wipe cache partition and then Power to select it. Once it's done, press Power and select reboot system now.

If all else fails, you can always try a good factory reset, but proceed with caution to ensure important files are backed up.

Warning, Camera Failed

Error messages could be infuriating and Samsung Galaxy S7 users have seen this error message pop up quite a few times. Users will fire up the camera app but will be met with a black screen and a crash message saying, "Warning, Camera failed." How to work around this bug? Try a simple restart.

If a simple restart of your Samsung Galaxy S7 doesn't quite cut it, try toggling off Smart Stay because some users have found it has something to do with the Camera problem.

Clearing the cache and app data might help, too. To do so go to Settings > Applications > Application manager > Camera > Force stop. Then, proceed to Storage > Clear cache and Clear data.

If these don't work, try wiping the Samsung Galaxy S7's cache partition as mentioned above. Or watch Concise Reviews' video below.

Galaxy S7 Too Hot For Comfort

Overheating has been seen as an issue in quite a number of new Galaxy S7 devices. But do note that heating up could be normal for hot-off-the-shelves Samsung Galaxy S7 units. The device will overheat a bit for a while when you first buy it since it will download, install, or update a few apps upon the first boot. If, after a while, your S7 unit is still to hot for comfort, then that's a problem.

Try a simple reboot to solve the problem. Hold the power and volume down buttons at the same time for 10 seconds and your Galaxy S7 should restart.

Some apps could also be the culprit of your overheating woes. Trusted Reviews notes a simple workaround.

"Luckily, the Battery optimiser setting allows you to stop apps from sapping energy when the phone isn't in use. Go to Settings > Battery > Battery Usage > More > Optimise battery usage, and tap 'All Apps'. Doing this will stop apps from working in the background even when you're not using the phone."

The Samsung Galaxy S7 also uses Samsung's Adaptive Fast Charging technology. You can try toggling off the fast cable charging feature through Settings > Battery, but that would very much defeat the fast-charging purpose, wouldn't it?

Having problems with the Samsung S7? [Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images]Sound Distorted By Wet Speakers

If you're noticing that the sound coming from your Galaxy S7 is a bit distorted, it could be that your unit has recently been wet and the speakers are still quite damp. The Samsung Galaxy S7 has an impressive water-resistant technology and uses a rubber seal around the charging port and headphone jack to keep the water out. There is also a screen behind the speaker holes to keep water from entering the device.

The culprit behind your Galaxy S7's distorted sound could be that the screen behind the speaker holes isn't quite dry yet, or some water has pooled after a recent water encounter. If this is the case, you only have to wait a while to let the water completely evaporate from the Galaxy S7, or help it by gently dabbing with towel or tissue. Do not blow-dry at any cost since this may cause unnecessary heat damage to your Samsung Galaxy S7.

Or have you tried submerging your Samsung Galaxy S7 in boiling water?

Unresponsive Volume And Power Buttons, Too Sensitive Edge Display

We have found that there are a number of users having problems with the volume and power buttons of the Samsung Galaxy S7 and the Galaxy S7 Edge. With the Galaxy S7 Edge, the edge display becomes too sensitive and is unable to differentiate palm from finger. So if you hold the phone, Galaxy S7 Edge detects it as a finger input and it's quite irritating.

Updates for the Samsung S7 Edge coming soon hopefully (via Samsung.com)

These, Android Police reports, are software issues. And if a quick reboot or restart does not fix the problem, you will have to wait for a patch from Samsung. Tech Times notes that Canada variants of the Samsung S7 Edge are already receiving an update to fix the issues. Basically, consumers just have to wait for their carriers to roll out a patch.

Have you been experiencing more Samsung Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 Edge bugs? Let us know below.

[Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images]

Source: Samsung Galaxy S7 Bugs Plague New Device: Camera, Wi-Fi, Overheating