globalnews

Tuesday, 17 December 2013

Instagram treks into well-worn territory with direct messages

Instagram founder Kevin Systrom at an event in New York today.
(Credit: Sarah Tew/CNET)

A little unsolicited advice to tech companies wanting to hold an event: Bring something at least moderately interesting or new to the table.

Otherwise, you end up like Instagram, which on Thursday unveiled Instagram Direct, its take on the direct and instant messaging feature that's available on virtually every other major service. The moment was, to say the least, disappointing.

Instagram, a unit of Facebook, is just the latest company to focus on upping its one-to-one messaging capabilities after building its business and customer base on its social turf. Founder Kevin Systrom spoke of Instagram as more than a photo service, but rather a core way of communications, with Direct a natural extension.

Systrom, in touting the new feature, envisions millions of conversations sparked by its trademark lens-filtered photos.

But the truth is, Instagram is just playing catch-up with the myriad of services already out in the market. Twitter on Tuesday updated its own iOS and Android apps to include photos with direct messaging, and previously opened up its direct messaging capabilities. The other obvious competitor is SnapChat, which has captivated users with its self-detonating messaging model.

With the ability to send messages (but not photos) back and forth in a threaded conversation, Instagram is essentially trying to take on the giants of the instant message world. Good luck.

There are a myriad of players in this area, including Apple's iMessage, WhatsApp, and even BlackBerry's BBM. These are established services that people are comfortable using when sending messages, photos, and video to specific people, and all come complete with their network of contacts.

It's a rough business, with entrenched players and few services and features that allow individual companies to stand out. That Instagram Direct feature that lets you know if a person has received a message or photo? Already found in multiple messaging apps. In fact, there's little in Thursday's announcement that would indicate Instagram Direct has an edge over the competition aside from camera filters.

Given Instagram's large base, there will inevitably be folks that give Direct a shot. And yes, "sexting" may see an uptick thanks to this service. But it could very well remain a niche part of the business, which is largely known for its social and broadcast capabilities.

To make matters worse, Instagram stoked the curiosity and hype levels with its cryptic invitation, which came with an image printed on a wood block. The West Coast-based business made the effort to come to New York, complete with a cozy event space in Manhattan.

Instagram certainly did its job keeping folks intrigued by the event. But if it wanted to blow us away with its announcement, it fell far short of that goal

Apple iOS 7 beta update hints at upcoming 'car display' feature

Apple on Friday released a second version of its iOS 7.1 beta to registered developers. It's an incremental update that fixes some bugs and moves some things around. For example, TouchID and passcode settings are displayed more prominently.

But one nugget worth noting is a setting in the "restrictions" menu that lets a user turn the "Car Display" on and off. The addition of the toggle setting suggests that Apple may release its "iOS in the Car" feature sooner rather than later. The car integration feature, according to 9to5Mac, will let users attach an iOS device to a car's console and provide an interface that lets them control things like music, messages, and maps right through the vehicle.

Sources also told 9to5Mac that there were other references to "iOS in the Car" elsewhere in the new beta update, and in the first iOS 7.1 beta update, released to developers last month. Apple's car integration launch could of course be pushed back, but it looks like the goal is to take the wraps off alongside the wide rollout of iOS 7.1.

How to set up parental controls for Android

It's highly likely you've heard the horror stories of how some parents have gotten hit with a massive credit card bill due to their kids making in-app purchases while playing with their smartphones. It's a scary situation to be caught in.

So if you want to make sure your kid doesn't accidentally hit your credit card with a US$10,000 bill for in-app purchases, you'll need to disable in-app purchases. There also other things you may want to block, such as access to your email, in case your child sends off an email full of gibberish to your entire email list. Here's how.

Disabling in-app purchases

(Credit: Screenshot by Aloysius Low/CNET)

To disable in-app purchases, you need to head to the Play Store, go to settings and check the password box under User Controls. This will require to key in your password every time you want to buy something. You should make sure the password is something that isn't shared with your kid. Tapping on Content Filtering will also let you select the type of apps you can download based on the maturity level. This works on both smartphones and tablets.

Using the Kid's Place app

Another option you can consider is an app called Kid's Place. It restricts the apps that your children can have access to. This free app lets you configure a screen with a grid of allowable apps and also prevents your kid from buying and downloading apps. A timer lock further limits the amount play time. To prevent them from exiting the app prematurely and bypassing the restrictions, hitting the back or home buttons will bring up a box where a password has to be entered before they can quit the app.

Android 4.3 in tablets

In Android 4.2, you can set up multiple profiles for different users, but 4.3 takes things one step further by letting you set restrictions. These restrictions include the ability to block apps from being accessed, blocking mature content as well as disabling in-app purchases.

It's actually quite easy to do this. All you need to do is head to the Settings > Users, and then add a restricted profile. It should prompt you to set up a passcode if you haven't already. You can then set a user name and select the apps that you want to allow, including browsers. You should also disable access to the Google Play Store (as well as other third party app stores) if you want to block app downloads.

Some apps will also have extra settings that can be disabled, but this is up to the developer to add in to their program. Otherwise, it will just be a standard enable/disable for the app.

Essential guides for new smartphone owners

Samsung's Galaxy Note 3
(Credit: Samsung)

Buying a new mobile phone used to be fairly straightforward. All you had to do is to find a handset design you like that's within your budget and get it. These days, however, things are a little more complicated. In addition to storage capacity and screen size, you will have to decide on the mobile operating system you want and consider the handset's compatibility with the other devices you have. There's also the concern about how to properly backup and migrate from one OS to another.

Having said that, there is no need to panic. We've prepared a series of guides to help you with restoring and backing up your phone. If you're feeling adventurous, we've also included a guide on how to root and unlock your phone, so you can install a different Android operating system rather than the default one provided by the manufacturer. Parents can also find out about how you can prevent your kids from making unauthorized purchases from the app store with your credit card.

Datawind releases US$37.99 Android tablet in US

This tablet costs less than a meal for two at a nice restaurant.
(Credit: Datawind)

Datawind first made waves back in 2011 with an Android tablet available to the schools in India for a government-subsidized price of US$22. Known as the Aakash 2, the little tablet that could is now available in the US for US$37.99 under the name UbiSlate 7Ci.

The UbiSlate 7Ci anchors a lineup of tablets running Android 4.0. For the meager pricetag, you get an 800x400-pixel 7-inch touch screen, 512MB of RAM, 4GB of flash memory, Wi-Fi, and a 1GHz processor. Those specs aren't going to knock you off your couch, but it's completely within the realm of reason for less than US$40.

If you want more features, look higher into the UbiSlate lineup. The UbiSlate 3G7 can take a SIM card, has a 1.2GHz processor, and a better screen resolution for US$129.99.

Chances are, if you're interested in an UbiSlate, you're interested in the dirt-cheap version. They're so cheap, you might consider tiling your floor with them.

The 7Ci won't win in a battle with the latest Apple and Google tablets, but it is looking to fill a niche in education as an inexpensive way to get kids connected with technology.

Making the 7Ci available to the general public should give hackers and makers an affordable device to play around with. Plus, you won't cry if you accidentally break it. It's available in limited quantities ahead of the holidays. Stocking-stuffer, perhaps?

Samsung to challenge Apple with AMOLED tablets -- report

Samsung's current Galaxy Tab 2 10.1 tablet.
(Credit: Josh Miller/CNET)

Samsung is cooking up a couple of new high-end tablets outfitted with AMOLED displays. At least, that's the scuttlebutt from a story at South Korean Web portal Naver.

Citing an unnamed industry source, Naver said on Friday that Samsung is prepping two tablets, one with an 8-inch screen and the other with a 10-inch screen. Both will come with AMOLED (active-matrix organic light-emitting diode) displays, which are designed to be are faster, thinner, and brighter than their LCD counterparts. As such, the tablets will be part of Samsung's premium lineup, which likely means they won't be cheap.

At least one of the tablets will roll out early next year at the same time Samsung launches the Galaxy S5, the report added. By offering higher-end tablets with two screen sizes, Samsung wants to compete directly with Apple's iPad and iPad Mini, the source said. The iPad Air and new Mini both still use LCD screens but are equipped with Retina Displays to enhance their resolution.

Samsung outfitted its new curved Galaxy Round smartphone with an AMOLED display and sees the high-quality display as the future.

"We were the first to commercialize AMOLED back in 2007. This year we successfully produced 440 ppi [pixels per inch] high-resolution AMOLED....we also launched the first curved AMOLED displays," Kinam Kim, CEO of Samsung Display, said last month during a presentation at the company's analyst day in Seoul, South Korea

LG G Flex

The LG G Flex's curved screen does improve the video watching experience, but it's not a big enough reason for to recommend getting one -- the LG G2, with its conventional flat design, is still the better handset.

The good	Large 6-inch curved display makes for great video viewing; excellent battery life; self healing rear cover; useful software features.
The bad	720p resolution screen has a graininess issue; it's a little too big to fit comfortably in the front pocket; no optical image stabilization; no microSD card slot; running Android 4.2.2.

As one of the two current smartphones sporting a curved OLED display, the LG G Flex seems to lose out in terms of specifications war against the Samsung Galaxy Round, but the curved-screen LG handset does have its own unique features.

Design

Looking very much like the LG G2, the G Flex sports a vertically curved 6-inch screen that seems to fit the curvature of the face better compared with the Galaxy Round. Sadly, if there's one thing I don't like about the handset, it's that despite having a 720p resolution, the screen appears grainy thanks to what appears to be some distortion under the glass. I checked another G Flex unit and found the same issue. It's really a big deal, but those with a keen eye for details may find that some fonts aren't as sharp as they could be.

That said, if you're just watching videos on the handset, the graininess won't really matter. I love viewing videos such as those from YouTube on this smartphone as the curved screen gives a wraparound effect -- similar to curved OLED TVs -- and makes the video appear closer and clearer.

The graininess you see here isn't from the wallpaper.
(Credit: Aloysius Low/CNET Asia)

I mentioned earlier that the G Flex looks similar to the LG G2. But looks aside, the G Flex also has the same button layout. The volume rocker and power button are found at the back, with the power button also having an LED light. If you're taking a selfie with the rear camera, the light will turn on when the camera app is in face-tracking mode.

Weighing 177g, the G Flex isn't the lightest of handsets, but you'll hardly notice it as the weight seems to be distributed evenly across the frame. Don't worry about breaking the smartphone if you push down on it, the G Flex can withstand up to 32kgs of force. Check the video below to see how "flexible" the handset is.

Features

Running on Android 4.2.2, the LG handset doesn't have the latest version of the Android operating system. It has many of the software features found in the LG G2, including KnockOn, which lets you double tap on the screen to turn it on and back off. Other tweaks include QSlide, QuickMemo and Guest Mode. You may want to check our LG G2 review for more information about the software features.

What's new to the G Flex is the QTheatre tweak on the Lock Screen (which has been updated with a moving background). QTheatre is activated by doing a gesture that's like a curtain opening on a stage. It gives you quick access to YouTube as well as your photo and video gallery.

For ladies who tend to keep their handsets in a handbag with keys and are worried about scratches on your smartphones, the G Flex comes with a self-repairing rear. It works for light scratches, but deep marks cannot be healed (as you can see in the picture below).

The G Flex packs a 13-megapixel camera, but it lacks the optical stabilization feature found in the G2. This means that if you have shaky hands, your pictures are likely going to come out slightly blurred.

If you are taking pictures in mostly brightly-lit environments though, this won't be an issue, as the shutter will be fast enough. You'll only notice the motion blurs when shooting in low-light. That said, the image quality of the G Flex is very similar to the G2.

Performance

The G Flex runs off a 2.26GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 process, and comes with 2GB of RAM and 32GB of storage space. That should be plenty, though we would have preferred a microSD card slot to load more videos, given that the Flex is designed as a multimedia device.

Call quality was good, and the curve of the handset makes it easy to position the earpiece to the ear. The speaker volume is a bit soft though, and with the speakers placed at the back, you'll need to cup your hands around it to redirect the sound if you aren't using a pair of headphones while watching video.

The non-removable 3,500mAh battery also follows the curved shape of the handset. LG told me that the battery is designed around the shape of the handset, and is the first time a curved battery has been used in a smartphone.

Conclusion

The LG G Flex is an interesting device. You'll enjoy the gentle curve of the display when watching videos -- I felt the characters onscreen were much closer to me. Priced at S$1,088, the G Flex seems a little expensive, but you won't be able to get your hands on another curved-screen smartphone as the Galaxy Round is only available in Korea. I like the form factor, but I felt that the G Flex, like the Nokia Lumia 1520, was a little too large for me. The curved screen experience was cool, but I'm not sure if it's a big enough reason for me to recommend getting one -- the G2, in the end, with its more conventional flat design and great camera, is still the better handset.