A Closer Look at Tablet Screen Displays

Screen size and display resolution are key factors to consider when purchasing tablets for the home or office. Needless to say not all screens are created equal. Let's take a closer look at some of the highly ranked screens. The Sony Xperia Z4, is no different.

The 10.1-incher is supremely thin and light and its performance is among the fastest Android tablets. Its large HD screen is bright and crisp and, though it features a wide range of colors, color reproduction still looks lifelike and accurate. Like its predecessors, it's also waterproof. The Galaxy Tab S2 8.0, unlike its predecessor (see below), has a 4:3 aspect ratio. This means the screen is a little more square, and not as wide as the majority of tablets with a 16:9 aspect ratio. The size is better suited for reading and browsing the Web, however HD video still looks razor-sharp. The Samsung Galaxy Tab S 8.4 was released last year, though it's by no mean out of date. The super-AMOLED screen is similar to the one found on this year's model, the Galaxy Tab S2 (above), but with a higher resolution, resulting in more pixels-per-inch. It's sharp and vibrant, with rich color and deep contrast that make real life look dull in comparison. It also comes in a large 10.5 inch model. Since the screens are bigger with a wide aspect ratio (16:9), the older models are better for watching video. By contrast the Dell Venue 8 7000 is a sleek 8.4-inch model with a lot going for it. Its slim and lightweight aluminum design feels solid and luxe, and its sharp screen doesn't disappoint either. It's one of the best small tablets you can buy and, if you're a fan of photography, you'll get a kick out of its depth-sensing rear camera. Which screen display best meets your needs? Share your picks with the Smartphone and Tablet Emporium.

Will "Lightsaber Escape" Turn Your Smartphone into a Force to Be Reckoned With?

As “Star Wars” fervor reached a fever-pitch this week, Google unveiled another neat treat for fans of the franchise: You can now battle Stormtroopers from the comfort of your own desk chair. Lightsaber Escape is a Chrome Experiment  and web-based game that turns your smartphone into a lightsaber.

To try it, visit the game's website on your computer, and copy the unique URL you find there into a browser on your phone. (You can also do the reverse, and access the website on your phone first.) You’ll then be prompted to calibrate your phone. Once done, your phone will become the handle of a glowing weapon, and an image of the lightsaber will appear on your computer screen. Use the lightsaber to battle the Stormtroopers that seem determined to kill you. Lightsaber Escape, which works not just in Chrome but across all mobile and desktop browsers, was created by Google in conjuction with Lucasfilm and the “Star Wars” visual-effects studio Industrial Light & Magic.   A stunning surprise in the search engine that appears when users type in the phrase: "A long time ago in a galaxy far far away".Will "Lightsaber Escape" Turn Your Smartphone into a Force to Be Reckoned With? Share your comments with the Smartphone and Tablet Emporium. 

Smartphone Printers: Comparing Canon Selphy, Polariod Zip and Fujifilm Instax Devices

If you're buying an instant printer, you probably want it to be portable, or at least have a small footprint. In this category, you can eliminate the Canon Selphy pretty quickly, as it weighs nearly two pounds and has to stay plugged in. seconds.

The speed we're talking about here refers to the time it takes for the photo to print from the moment the "print" button was tapped on the phone. (Meaning that it doesn't include the time it takes to select and edit a photo.) Surprisingly, the Zip felt excruciatingly long, despite its newness. The Canon Selphy also took more than a minute due to its involved printing process -- the printer prints one color at a time for a total of four colors. So the Instax wins. But there is a catch. Unlike the Selphy and the Zip, the photo isn't ready for viewing once it's delivered. You'll have to wait a few minutes for the image to appear, old-school-style. It's not easy to build a printer that fits in your hand and produces high-quality photos. That's probably why Canon refused to sacrifice its printing quality for form factor. Although it won't fit in your purse, the Selphy delivers prints close to what you'd get from your local drug store. The biggest disappointment in the quality department goes to Fujimax Instax. The prints that come out of it are washed out, blown out and often blurry. In some cases, the nostalgic look might be what you're looking for. But for most people, the image quality just isn't worth the expensive paper. Polaroid's Zip sits somewhere in the middle, producing bright, inviting prints that when examined closely appear noisy or grainy. It's exactly what you'd expect from a pocket-size instant printer. Which printer meets your smartphone printing needs? Share your picks with the Smartphone and Tablet Emporium.

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That leaves the Instax and Zip. Both easily fit in a backpack and won't weigh you down. But side by side, the Instax dwarfs the Zip, making the Instax look old and outdated, like a CRT monitor waiting to be replaced with a sleek flat-panel screen.

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That leaves the Instax and Zip. Both easily fit in a backpack and won't weigh you down. But side by side, the Instax dwarfs the Zip, making the Instax look old and outdated, like a CRT monitor waiting to be replaced with a sleek flat-panel screen.

Smartphone and Internet of Things Forecast for 2016 and Beyond

Research firm Statistica has published their IoT forecast through 2019. The figures shows the market size of the global Internet of Things (IoT) market from 2009 to 2019. In 2013, the global IoT market had a size of 485.6 billion U.S. dollars.

Here are some highlights from this new Statistica Report: This dossier presents a range of statistics, facts and forecasts about the Internet of Things (IoT). The document includes information on the overall projected development of the IoT market, the technologies used, and the number of connected devices & things. It also comprises sections on the industry verticals and fields of application such as for example the health sector, wearables and smart homes:  Market size overview,  Enabling technologies (Sensors, RIFD, NFC, etc.),  Industry verticals / fields of application, Connected devices/things,  Mobile connections & users,  Smart wearables, trackers & clothing, Smart cities & home.. With the smartphone as the most prominent device in the IoT arena, these numbers surely reflect the smartphone ecosystem growth. What will be the 'actual' smartphone and IoT device growth over the next four years?  While our finite, mortal minds cannot be sure, feel free to share your comments with the Smartphone and Tablet Emporium.Download the complete report at: http://www.statista.com/statistics/485136/global-internet-of-things-market-size/

Tablets Move into the Mainstream - Will They Reach Escape Velocity?

It's difficult to remember a time before tablets, but it's been just over five short years since the original Apple iPad hit the scene, and the current tablet market was born. Since then, we've seen scores of manufacturers trying to snag a slice of the tablet pie.

There's no denying the tablet is here to stay. The greatest strength of Apple's iOS, the operating system on the iPad Air and iPad mini tablet lines, is twofold: It's very clean and intuitive, and the wide selection of iPad apps that you can buy right on your tablet—more than one million iPad-specific titles at the time of this writing—work uniformly well with very few exceptions. Google's Android mobile OS gives you a choice of hardware from several different manufacturers and offers maximum configurability, a top-notch notification system, fast and smooth Web browsing, and seamless integration with Google applications like Gmail, Google Maps, and Hangouts for video chat. Android also includes support for multiple user logins so you can share your tablet with a friend or family member, a useful feature that's missing in Apple tablets. What is your choice for the highest value/most cost-effective tablet on the market today? Share your comments with the Smartphone and Tablet Emporium. View PC Magazine's Top 10 Tablets for 2015: http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2413145,00.asp

Does the Future of Artificial Intelligence Forshadow the Demise of the Smartphone?

Artificial intelligence Ericsson's "10 Hot Consumer Trends for 2016" report.connected to the Internet in five years' time. Ericsson. They think the smartphone screen will disappear in five years' time, to be replaced by AI as the main way of interacting with the Internet and communicating with devices at home. Still, predicting the death of the ubiquitous device may be as premature as heralding the demise of the PC, television, or even radio.  Ericsson surveyed 6,600 smartphone users aged 15-69 in 13 major cities around the world.While none of us mortals have a crystal ball, share your comments with the Smartphone and Tablet Emporium. View the entire Ericsson report at: http://www.ericsson.com/res/docs/2015/consumerlab/ericsson-consumerlab-10-hot-consumer-trends-2016-presentation-16-9.pdf .

Virtual reality headsets, not your smartphone, could be the way you access entertainment, apps and services by the end of the decade.
It predicts the world will have more than eight billion connected devices such as smartphones, tablets, e-readers, smart glasses and other wearables. Ericsson surveyed 6,600 smartphone users aged 15-69 in 13 major cities around the world. That's the view of half of all smartphone users surveyed.

Assessing Smartphone Camera Quality for Casual vs. Professional Photographers

Smartphone cameras are perhaps the most exciting and bitterly contested category in consumer tech today.   When most flagship smartphones offer high-quality industrial design, large screens, and blazing fast processors, it can be hard to make a device that stands out.

But the camera is one place where even smaller players can make a name for themselves and attract new buyers. Ultimately, as impressive as its camera is, it's hard to envision the Lumix CM1 having any kind of mass appeal. Instead, we feel it's an ideal camera for anyone who refuses to compromise on image quality, but also can't stomach carrying a dedicated camera around. For hardcore Instagrammers and professionals who want to post their work straight to social media, it might be an ideal choice—one that outperforms all other smartphones, but is still portable enough to travel with you everywhere. We assume that professional photographers will use Nikon or Canon quality stand-alone cameras for their work. However, share your comments on the camera quality on your smartphone ... for casual use? Send your comments to the Smartphone and Tablet Emporium.

Samsung's New Fast Charge Wireless Charging Pad - Will it Boost Productivity?

Take your wireless charging experience to the next level with the Fast Charge Wireless Charging Pad. Available in black sapphire or white, the new wireless charging pad allows you to charge your Galaxy Note5 or Galaxy S6 edge+ device up to 1.4x faster than standard wireless charging pads, reducing total charging time from 0-100% by up to 50 minutes.

Using Samsung’s Fast Charge technology, the pad can transfer a faster charge to the device when used with the included Fast Charge wall charger. The Fast Charge Wireless Charging Pad is closing the gap in speed between wireless and wired charging! The pad is also backwards compatible for any Qi-enabled device so you can charge those devices wirelessly at standard speeds. Galaxy Note5 and Galaxy S6 edge+ are compatible with wireless Fast Charge technology. Other devices will charge at standard wireless charging speeds. Say goodbye to tangled wires and lost charging cables. The Samsung Wireless Charging Pad utilizes Qi Inductive Charging Technology that eliminates the need to fumble with charging cables each time you want to charge your device. The dedicated Charging Pad is always at the ready, providing wireless power whenever you set your device on the pad. You can still use your device while charging, and your device is always accessible so you can answer a call without having to unplug. How will the new Samsung Fast Charge Wireless Charging Pad improve your personal and business productivity? Share your comments with the Smartphone and Tablet Emporium.

Tablet Blue Light Screen Exposure May Impede Our Sleep Patterns

Having trouble getting to sleep after a late-night reading session on your tablet? It might be more than the story floating around in your head. Evening exposure to blue light from tablets may suppress our bodies' production of melatonin, which can cause major sleep problems.

Fortunately, Amazon has a solution. The company is rolling out a new feature to Fire Tablets called Blue Shade, which "uses specialized filters to limit exposure to blue light" to give you a more comfortable night time reading experience, and — hopefully — a better night's sleep. The feature can be turned on or off with a single tap, and also lets you lower the display brightness to an "ultra-low level," if you prefer. Fire tablet owners can fine-tune the color settings to their personal preference, and the device will "intelligently" adjust the filtering so that blue light is always suppressed. A new feature called Activity Center, for instance, lets parents see how much time their kids spend playing games, watching videos, and reading on the device. Parents can also view their kids' browser history to see what they're looking at on the Web, as well as specific apps, books, and videos their child accessed. This feature is designed for kids who have outgrown Amazon's FreeTime parental controls, but still need monitoring. Have you experienced this late night phenoniom? Share your experience with the Smartphone and Tablet Emporium.

Smartphone, Tablet and Wearable Christmas Gift Ideas - What's on Your List?

The Apple Watch landed mid-way through 2015 and enjoyed a positive response from its target demographic (anyone with an iPhone interested in wearables, basically). If you’re looking for a gift for someone, and they own an iPhone 5 or newer, then the Apple Watch might be worthy of your consideration. AirPlay is a wonderful thing.  
One minute you’re sitting on the sofa, watching a video on your iPhone or iPad, and two taps later, that video is on your TV for all to see. Whether you’re watching cat videos on Facebook, or an entire movie on Netflix, AirPlay allows you to share your screen with the entire room. the achilles heel of most modern smartphones, battery life can be drastically improved with a few after market accessories. If you know someone who burns through battery life like it’s going out of fashion, you could make their life easier this Christmas by giving the gift of external power. iOS 8 introduced support for Apple-approved gaming controllers, and though the market isn’t exactly crowded, there are a number of titles that really benefit from physical buttons, like GTA: San Andreas. you can always opt for the unimaginative-yet-often-appreciated Gift Cards. Available in $30, $60 and $120 denominations, iTunes credit can be used for a wide variety of things including: apps, music, TV shows, movies, books, in-app purchases, Music subscriptions, and even Cloud storage space. So which items are on your Christmas wish list? Share your ideas with the Smartphone and Tablet Emporium: www.smartphonetabletemporium.com  .