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Microsoft has released a new magnetic keyboard for the Surface Pro 3. It is part keyboard, part protective cover and part mouse. The Microsoft Surface Pro Type Cover provides a very laptop-like experience for the new flagship Windows 8 tablet and offers a level of productive capability that most tablets can’t match. During this unboxing video we show you everything that comes with the keyboard and give you a sense on how this is different from prior Surface offerings.
Microsoft Surface Pro 3 Type Cover Unboxing Video is a post from: Good e-Reader |
Monday, August 18, 2014
Microsoft Surface Pro 3 Type Cover Unboxing Video
Manage Mobile Workforce With Android Monitoring App
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You might have heard about this term "Mobile Workforce". This concept revolves around the fact that a mobile phone is changing the style of business management and incorporating new ways of business development. The concept of having a paperless office is finally gaining momentum. The era of 9 to 5 job has been over. Thanks to laptops, smartphones and tabloids. All you need is an internet connection and you are done with your work. How to manage the new mobile workforce is bothering employees. According to a study, 3 of 5 workers say that they don't need to be in the office anymore to be productive. While 32% rely on more than one mobile device.
If you analyze then you will see that most of the businesses have gone online. They hire consultants who work from homes, etc. The power of the mobile workforce has lots of benefits. It has also opened new avenues for business growth.
But how you as an employer need to take care of your company's confidential information? Some common threats that companies have been facing are the leakage of company secrets online. That is not only bad for company repute, but also raises concerns among employers regarding dishonest employees. If you will be given choice of a monitoring app that can tell you the activities of your employee's phone, then many would go for it. Among a list of reliable monitoring apps, the name of StealthGenie stands out. It provides key insights of your employee's phone in real time. The best part is that it is undetectable. The business communication being made plays a vital role in building your repute. So, you have to make sure that all kinds of communications meet your company vision. As an employer, you need to look at the incoming and outgoing emails.
In case you don't know the key benefits of Mobile workforce, I have listed down few.
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Icarus Illumina E653 Review
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Icarus has redefined what an e-reader is capable of with the advent of the Illumina E653. It comes bundled with Android 4.2, which gives users the flexibility to install their own eBook, magazine, newspaper or manga apps. How does this reader compare to the Kindle Paperwhite, Nook Glowlight or Kobo Auras of the world? Today, we give you a comprehensive hands on review of what this new e-reader is all about. Hardware The Illumina E653 features a six inch e-Ink touch screen display with a resolution of 1024×758 pixels. This reader does trumpet the fact it has a capacitive touch screen, but it honestly feels like it is employing older Neonode IR technology. None of the stock apps have any sort of support for pinching and zooming. Icarus has maintained a front-lit display, that allows you to customize the brightness of the screen and read it in the dark. There are five LED lights at the very bottom of the screen and splash upwards. We noticed from the nighttime reading tests that you actually see a bit of light spillage at the very bottom of the screen. It does not totally break immersion, but the light on the Kindle Paperwhite 2 is far superior. There has been some design changes from the Illumina HD and the new E653. The current model has done away with the 3.5mm headphone jack, so listening to music and audiobooks are obviously out of the question. They also removed the D-Pad on the bottom and the screen and also the physical home, refresh, and settings buttons. The only buttons present on the Illumina are physical page turn keys on the left/right hand side of the screen, back button and the physical button that turns on the front-lit display. There is 4GB of internal storage to house of all of your apps and eBooks. If this is not enough for your literary needs, there is support for a 32GB MicroSD card. You should get some solid battery life with the 2000 mAh, which is good for 4,000 page turns, or about 1 month of constant use. I feel like Icarus has done a fairly good job with the intuitive design of the second generation Illumina. It feels more modern, although I would have liked to see the screen flush with the bezel like the quintessential smartphone or tablet. Software
The main selling point behind the E653 is the open nature of Android 4.2. Many e-readers by Sony or Barnes and Noble use Android, but they use a very locked down version and are both heavily skinned. They certainly don’t allow you to install your own apps or give you an interface that is similar to anything that LG or Samsung provide. The Icarus home screen is one of the only things on this e-reader that is modified from the stock experience. It shows you the books you have recently read or have added to it via the Microusb port. There is no built in ecosystem to purchase content, so you will not be inundated by book discovery or anyone trying to shill you new content. When you hit the Settings or Apps buttons things tend to look more like a your atypical vanilla Android smartphone. There are a number of preinstalled apps for you to use right out of the box such as Aldiko, Dropbox, gReader, Kobo, Opera Mini and Amazon Kindle. Sadly though, there is no built in App Store for you to install new content. This will put a reliance on Icarus owners being savvy enough to load in the Good e-Reader App Store or APK files from the internet. It is important to note that due to the home screen being modified to be more e-reader centric you cannot set up widgets or wallpapers. The last thing I wanted to mention is that you can’t drag down your finger downwards from the upper top menu to see your clock and notifications. Instead, its on the bottom right hand corner and you have to click on the clock to see the notifications. You will see apps you downloaded, incoming emails and other critical updates like a WIFI hotspot. The one thing I really like is the stock keyboard, and its not too often that you hear about it during a review. It uses the stock Android one and it is actually possible to change it with alternative apps, for further customization. You get a full QWERTY keyboard by default and the keys are placed perfectly apart. The Kobo Aura e-Reader has keys that are placed on top of each other, whereas the Icarus has a true Android keyboard. I dig when you are searching the internet or entering forms and the .com button appears under the enter key, which cuts down on the time entering your email address. In the end, the Android experience on the Icarus feels more tighter than the Onyx Boox T68. It also is more robust than the only other e-reader currently available that allows you to install apps. Overall, this reader will appeal to anyone looking for more control over their favorite ecosystem, without being locked into anyone in particular. e-reading experience
Icarus has an e-reading app that is integrated into the home screen and allows you to read PDF, FB2, EPUB, RTF, MOBI, TXT, HTM files. I have to say ePub books look really great, but the drawback is with PDF files. When you read a traditional ePub book, such as one of the 37 that come preloaded on the reader, you get a solid experience. The first thing you notice is there is no page turn refresh issues plaguing you every single page you turn. Instead it only occurs every six pages, so it does not constantly break immersion. If you want to change the font size, line space, margins or font type, you simply have to hold your finger in the middle of the screen. You get 4 icons that appear on the very bottom and it is not immediately clear on what they do. It is important to explore them all to find out what they do. Advanced users will like the fact there is 56 preloaded fonts to select from, which is the highest number I have ever seen on a reader. I found the fact it as an Android Emoji option, and thought the book would be the equivalent of Wingdings, except for thousands of different smiling faces, but this was sadly not the case, the text basically just looked like a series of text messages. The one drawback on the Icarus is with reading PDF files. There is no way to pinch and zoom to isolate a particular part of the document. Instead there are two viewing panes to choose from, the default or extreme zoomed. Once its zoomed you can drag your finger around the screen to find the ideal body of text, but you can’t turn pages in this manner.
The one thing that was very unique about looking at PDFS was the ability to actually alter the e-ink display. There is an option exclusive to PDF files that allow you to physically change the amount of greyscale and black levels. For example, we were looking at the Dungeons and Dragons Monsters Manual and one character looked very clean, I adjusted the blackness levels and suddenly you saw many different shades on his legs, chest and arms. Very cool! In addition with PDF files, you get the same type of reflow options of text that is much akin to the way the Sony rendering engine performed. You can strip away all of the custom styling sheets and extract pure text. When it comes right down to it, the Illumina gives you freedom. The Kindle locks you into Amazon, Nook makes it difficult to access anything but the Barnes and Noble bookstore and Kobo is the same. It is possible to load in your OWN books, but it is difficult for your average user. Icarus gives you the option to do business with whatever ecosystem you want or the ability to download 3rd party indie readers such as Moon+ Reader, Aldiko or Manga Plyus. Should you buy this?
Is the Icarus Illumina E653 worth the 139 euro cover price? It does a better job than Onyx T68, in handling Android app. The default e-reading app is also superior and you can easily get by with this, whereas the Onyx one was utterly deplorable. This e-reader is viable for anyone that wants a true Android experience on their e-reader and does not want to go through the technical rigamarole of rooting a mainstream one. It is completely viable to install your favorite reading apps, whether its a RSS Reader or comic book reader. One important note, any app that requires page turn animations often provide a lackluster experience. This is prompting Good e-Reader to test as many apps as possible and make a dedicated e-ink section on our app store. PROS Android 4.2 CONS Front-light has a bit of light spillage on the bottom of the screen Rating: 8.5/10
Icarus Illumina E653 Review is a post from: Good e-Reader |
Google Purchases Image Recognition Expert Jetpac
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Jetpac is best known as the iOS app that is able to recommend restaurants, bars, and attractions based on their analyses of Instagram photographs by the thousands. Google has announced that they were able to acquire Jetpac (for a indeterminate amount of money), meaning that iOS users will lose the company’s app come September 15, 2014. Speculation suggests of course that Google will integrate Jetpac’s neural network technology into upcoming versions of their own apps, like Maps. There is no exact science behind the scenes in how Jetpac works, other than it does represent highly advanced image processing. It’s actually rather clever… Jetpac takes every single detail from every single photograph and makes it relevant. While similar services may deliver recommendations based on the reviews provided by users, Jetpac makes carefully calculated assumptions: the more people captured leaving a restaurant with a smile, the better the odds are that you will also enjoy eating there. This concept is exciting on its own, but they take it a step further by reviewing the other photographs users have associated with their accounts. This may mean that the coffee shop you are being directed toward has resulted in satisfied dog lovers twice as often than those with a stronger affection for cats. Who knows what Google really has planned, but with their strong interest in artificial intelligence combined with their renewed attention to online social elements, the marriage of the two companies seems like a great idea.
Google Purchases Image Recognition Expert Jetpac is a post from: Good e-Reader |
Chromecast Support Extends to Firefox
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For those watching the evolution and growth of Chromecast closely, the latest nightly build of the Firefox web browser now supports the technology. Once you upgrade to the latest version of the popular browser, you can easily cast tabs or videos from any Android device to any available Chromecast located on the same network. To enable the casting, select Tools > Mirror Screen inside the browser settings. As the ability to wirelessly stream content from your Android device to Chromecast is enhanced and extended, users are starting to understand why Apple supporters have been so pleased with AirPlay. While it might be hard to anticipate needing to use this functionality, it can be very handy for occasions when you want to share content quickly and easily without having to transfer it to another person or device. Nightly builds are not official releases, but as long as you are okay with it being a little rough around the edges, feel free to give it a try. If you are content to wait a little longer, make sure you have Firefox for Android installed so that once the official release is launched it will be easy for you to update and use these new Chromecast features.
Chromecast Support Extends to Firefox is a post from: Good e-Reader |
Google Prepares for Subscription Music Service Launch
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Rumours have swirled for several months now that suggest Google is readying to launch a You-Tube branded subscription music service. New details tell us that this service will be called YouTube Music Key. It is a little confusing of course, because the tech giant already has their Google Play All Access service –though all signs point to the two being joined. Features of the service compare to the competition, offering: ad-free playback, the ability to save songs and videos for offline listening, and an optional audio-only interface. The cost for YouTube Music Key is a very reasonable $9.99 per month (following a free 30-day trial) and is expected to include access to the Google Play and YouTube Music Key services together. A date for the official launch hasn’t been announced, but it appears we are getting very close!
Google Prepares for Subscription Music Service Launch is a post from: Good e-Reader |
Pottermore Releases New Content and a Song by Singer Celestina Warbeck
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The seminal J.K. Rowling Pottermore website is more than just an eBook store to sell the entire series of Harry Potter eBooks, but also acts as an interactive game and a wellspring of original content. Today, a new 500-word entry about Celestina, who is sometimes known as the “singing sorceress,” provides never-before-known facts about this obscure character whom readers never “meet” in the Harry Potter series although she is mentioned several times and is Molly Weasley’s favourite singer. Pottermore.com also posted today the audio track of one of Celestina’s songs, “You Stole My Cauldron But You Can’t Have My Heart.” The song is a recording by Universal Orlando Resort featuring Celestina Warbeck and the Banshees who perform live every day at the brand-new, spectacularly themed environment, The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Diagon Alley. “You Stole My Cauldron But You Can’t Have My Heart” is the first song ever posted on pottermore.com. The new writing by J.K. Rowling offers colourful new details about Celestina’s early years, career highlights and tumultuous personal life. Rowling calls Celestina “one of my favourite ‘off-stage’ characters in the whole series”. Rowling also reveals that she “stole” Celestina’s first name from a colleague at Amnesty International’s Headquarters in London where she once worked. The story has been posted today because August 18 is Celestina’s birthday, a fact which is revealed for the first time in this new writing. Both the audio track and the new writing can be found in the ‘Floo Powder’ Moment in Chapter 4 of Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets on pottermore.com (new users will need to register). Celestina is referenced in three of the Harry Potter books. The first mention is in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (Book 2) when Harry hears her name on the Wizarding Wireless Network (wizard radio) while visiting the Weasley home. She’s referenced again in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (Book 6) when she appears on a wizarding radio Christmas broadcast and once more in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (Book 7). In the charity companion book by J.K. Rowling, “Quidditch Through the Ages”, Celestina is credited with recording Puddlemere United’s team anthem “Beat Back Those Bludgers, Boys, and Chuck That Quaffle Here” – another of the four songs featured in the singing sorceress’s live show at Universal Orlando Resort. Pottermore Releases New Content and a Song by Singer Celestina Warbeck is a post from: Good e-Reader |
Google Play Textbooks Now Available in Canada
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Google has announced that their digital textbook service is now available in Canada. Students will be able to rent or purchase content just in time for the back to school season in September. Google Textbooks offers a wide array of content from well-known publishers like Pearson, Wiley, Macmillan Higher Education, Random House, McGraw-Hill and Cengage Learning. The textbook library is stored in the cloud and books can be accessed from any smartphone or tablet that runs Android or iOS. For students who only need a textbook for a semester or two, there is the option to rent textbooks for six months, saving up to 80% compared to buying print textbooks. You can download your notes and highlights anytime, even after your rental period ends. Just like on other textbook platforms, you "search within a textbook for a particular word or phrase, bookmark chapters and pages, highlight and annotate key passages and get quick access to dictionaries, translation tools, Wikipedia and Google search." Google Play Textbooks Now Available in Canada is a post from: Good e-Reader |
New 6.8″ Kobo Aura H2O eReader Shows up at FCC
| It appears that Kobo is getting set to release a new ebook reader, and it looks like it is going to be a replacement for the Kobo Aura HD. A new device that bears the name Kobo Aura H20 went through the FCC last week. The paperwork doesn’t contain very much information, but there is […] |
Amazon Brings Whispersync for Voice to UK with 10 Freebies
| Amazon has been expanding their Whispersync for Voice feature a lot lately with recent updates to their Kindle reading apps, and today they announced the official launch of their exclusive feature in the UK. Whispersync for Voice works by syncing Kindle ebooks and Audible audiobooks together so that you can switch back and forth between […] |
Librarians Share: Training your staff
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What has been your process in training your staff on your OverDrive service? It is a department requirement that all desk staff be familiar with OverDrive and downloading to various devices. We take the stance that it's no different than expecting a librarian to be familiar with any other database. Everything is written down. We have devices for all download types (app, Kindle, Adobe Digital Editions, Overdrive Media Console, Macs) with which to practice. All necessary software is downloaded on both the service desk and everyone's personal desk computer. Everyone has a one-on-one session with the trainer using their own device (usually a smartphone), a Kindle, a basic Nook, and their own (work) computer. On their own, they have to put a book/audiobook on each device, then take it off. (After training) For app-based devices in person, we recommend that staff set up the device instead of talking someone through downloading the app, setting up an Adobe ID, and adding a library. It's stuff that the patron doesn't necessarily need to retain and it shaves nearly 20 minutes off of each interaction. We then hand the device back and have the patron do the searching and downloading. Everyone is expected to try and help a patron on their own before they ask for assistance from a coworker. If they do need help, two people can generally figure it out without getting the resident “expert.” Everyone has attended the class that is provided for the public on eMedia. Basic information and troubleshooting diagrams are available on the internal wiki.
What have the results been? Everyone in the department feels comfortable with most questions and devices.
What are some of the most frequently asked questions and how does your staff address them? "Will it work with my device?" – We usually just say yes, as it is almost always yes (I can't think of a “no” instance). "Can you show me how to do this?" – Yes. We will always sit down and do a one on one session. No appointment needed. "Can you show me why this won't work?" – Yes. We troubleshoot for any given instance. "Is there a class for this?" – Yes. There are two different classes, the App and then everything else, given once a month all year long.
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Call for questions: Q & A interview with the engineering and education teams
| Back in February 2014, Matt Timmons-Brown captured Gordon, our Head of Software, and would not let him go to the café for his “Gordon Special” until he had spilled all of our secrets.  Gordon thinking about ‘Specials” as the ghost of a Toltec shaman hoots mournfully over his shoulder. Matt is spending some time at Raspberry Pi Towers shortly and we’d like to do this again, but this time with added educationy goodness from one of the education team. So: what would you like to know about Raspberry Pi? Post your questions below. The more questions we get the more interesting the Q&A sessions will be, so fire away! |
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