Doctors use iPhone app to examine eyes, detect disease

Researchers have successfully used an iPhone app for imaging the inside of the eye of immobile and paediatric patients.

Researchers have successfully used an iPhone app for imaging the inside of the eye of immobile and paediatric patients. 

The team used the iExaminer smartphone system and an iPhone to image 28 paediatric patients with a diverse range of retinal and optic nerve conditions. 

The system consists of a PanOptic Ophthalmoscope (a lighted instrument to examine the inside of the eye) and an adapter that attaches the ophthalmoscope to an iPhone to enable taking photos and videos. 

It can image key structures of the back of the eye in a single view without necessarily requiring dilation drops. The associated app facilitates capture, storage and transfer of data. 

This also makes it possible for real-time tele-medicine consultation without violating patient identity as no external facial features are revealed. 

"This system could be useful not only to ophthalmologists but also physicians, hospitals and general practitioners," said lead researcher Jiaxi Ding from the Ross Eye Institute at University at Buffalo in the US. 

Because it can instantly capture photos and videos of the back of the eye through an undilated pupil, "there is potential for prompt tele-medicine consultations with an ophthalmologist and getting preliminary triage answers to the patient more quickly than waiting for standard office referral," he added. 

Photography plays a critical role in documenting and tracking the progression of eye diseases. 

The results were shared at "AAO 2014" - the 118th annual meeting of the American Academy of Ophthalmology.

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10 Tips To Tighten Security On Your Android Device

Android is the most popular mobile platform in India as well as the world. One of the major reasons for its popularity is the flexibility it offers in terms of customization and the abundance of third-party apps.

Apps can even be side-loaded, bypassing Google’s Play Store app marketplace. However, all this also makes Android vulnerable to security threats and malware. Moreover, with our increasing reliance on smartphones and tablets, we’re storing more private data than ever before, leaving us more vulnerable to data thefts.

So how do you protect yourself from losing precious personal and work data accessed via Android devices? Here are 10 tips to help you secure your Android gadgets:

1. Use a screen lock

October 18,2014

The most basic security measure for every Android device, a screen lock allows you to guard the device by using a pattern, PIN or password. 
The lock can be activated through the Android device’s Security Settings. Following the activation of the lock, the device can be set to lock automatically after a specific time period or by pressing the Power key.

2. Encrypt your device

October 18,2014

Android allows you to encrypt all the data on your device. You’ll need to key in a password or PIN each time the device is turned on to decrypt all the data. 

If the phone gets into the wrong hands, there’s no way to access the data without a password or PIN if the device is restarted. This way, your sensitive data stays safe though the device becomes a little slow. 

It can be activated through the Android device’s Security Settings.

3. Using personal device for work? Talk to IT

October 18,2014

According to security solutions firm ESET, around 30-40% of devices in workplaces are vulnerable to threats unless users are educated about risks. 

If you plan to use your personal device for work, check with your workplace’s IT team before configuring it to access and store work related data.

4. Activate Google’s Android Device Manager

October 18,2014

Even if you lose your device, the Android Device Manager feature allows you to track a (connected) device on Google Maps. 

It also enables you to ring the device at full volume for five minutes and even erase all the data. 

To verify if it's enabled, you can go to the Settings menu on your device and tap on Security. It can be enabled through the Device Administrators setting under Security Settings.

5. Don’t store sensitive data on SD cards

October 18,2014

Make sure you don’t store sensitive information such as copies of credit cards and personal IDs on external storage cards since it is easy to remove them and access the data stored. 

If you need to store important information, keep it on internal storage.

6. Don’t install apps from unknown sources

October 18,2014

While apps on the Google Play Store are not curated as diligently as Apple’s App Store, it is still the safest place to download and install apps on Android platform.

Installation files (APKs) sourced from third-party sites should be dealt with caution as they might hide malware or spyware.

7. Install locks for apps

October 18,2014

You can use additional protection for apps like Gallery and Messaging to protect private data. 

A number of apps are available on Play Store that offer an additional level of protection for individual apps. Such apps ask you to set up a password or PIN code that needs to be entered whenever you open the particular protected apps.

8. Don’t root your phone

October 18,2014

By rooting your phone, you can install custom Android ROMs and even some incompatible apps.

However, apps with root access get unhindered access to your device’s file-system, exposing it to more damage in case a malicious app is installed. It also voids your phone’s warranty.

9. Keep your device software up to date

October 18,2014

Google releases software updates that also include several security patches. 

Check for software updates using the device Settings, where you’ll find a System Updates option in the About Device menu.

10. Sign out or use incognito mode while browsing

October 18,2014

Remember to sign out of Chrome while browsing the web on an Android device or use incognito mode, especially if you share devices and PCs. 

Chrome records your search and browsing history and syncs it across all devices on which you’ve signed-in.

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Gionee Elife S5.5 Review

Usually, it’s the brand that inspires trust in a product. It’s why a Samsung or Nokia phone is preferred by so many, irrespective of its merits as a good phone. But that trust was built on delivering great products over the years. With the Elife S5.5, Gionee is hoping the product is good enough to inspire trust in their brand. 

Gionee Elife S5.5 Buy From Flipkart : White | Black

Gionee Elife S5.5 Buy From Amazon : White | Black

Specs: 5-inch Super AMOLED Plus touchscreen (1920×1080 pixels, 441ppi) | 1.7GHz octa-core Mediatek MT6592 processor | 2GB RAM | 16GB internal memory, no microSD card | 13MP camera, 5MP front camera, FullHD video recording | 3G, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4, GPS, microUSB | Single micro SIM | 2300mAh Li-po battery Price: MRP – Rs. 20,000

Design: The Elife S5.5 claims to be the slimmest smartphone in the world—the “5.5” in the name indicates the width of the device: just 5.5mm. Almost everyone who saw this sleek handset asked how much it cost and were surprised by the price. Its slim profile and magnesium alloy construction makes the S5.5 great to hold and use. 

Not everything is perfect, of course. The glass back looks good at first, but gets scratched easily and will soon turn into an eyesore. The front is also prone to attract fingerprints easily. But perhaps most importantly, it heats up quickly and can get uncomfortable to hold while travelling.

Screen: The 5-inch screen of the S5.5 is is sharp, the colours are accurate, and the viewing angles are good. In direct sunlight, it’s fine on full brightness. The only issue with the screen is the auto brightness mode, which isn’t smart enough to always adjust to the best setting for your environment. You’re better off leaving it at 60% brightness manually. 

Performance: An octa-core processor and 2GB of RAM takes care of most needs. The phone doesn’t lag or hang, but it does have one problem. When you play games that require lots of swipes, the screen will often freeze for half a second — and that’s often the difference between winning and losing!. 

Camera: The S5.5 excels at taking photos while in motion. The shutter is quick and the auto-focus is good enough to capture at least the centre of the image in good detail. The fringes, naturally, are a bit blurred—but not as much as what you’d expect from most other phones. Apart from shots taken while moving, the S5.5 is also good for still photography and videos, although it’s not the best we have seen. Low-light shots naturally suffer with auto-focus, but they also have noise and lack details. You’ll need to apply an Instagram filter to be able to use them. The front camera is weak in dimly lit environments, so selfies in the club are going to be full of noise. 

Gionee Elife S5.5 Buy From Flipkart : White | Black

Gionee Elife S5.5 Buy From Amazon : White | Black

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iBall Slide 3G 7803Q-900 review: Good tablet, but I wouldn’t use this as a phone

Despite the onslaught of the phablets ranging from 5 to 6.99 inches there are still tablets in the market that offer voice calling. The latest in this group is the iBall Slide 3G 7803Q-900, a 7.85-inch Android tablet with dual 3G SIM slots.

Specs: 7.85″ IPS touchscreen (1024×768 pixels) | 1.3GHz quad-core MT8312 processor | 1GB RAM | 16GB internal memory, expandable microSD slot up to 32GB | 5MP rear camera with LED flash, 2MP front camera | Dual-SIM (GSM+GSM) | 3G, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GPS, microUSB 2.0 | 4000mAh battery | Android 4.2

Price: Rs. 11,490

Design

The tablet has a unremarkable style that is more functional than stunning. It is not the slimmest tablet around, but cannot be called thick in any way. The size makes it relatively comfortable to use as a phone if needed. One-hand operation is impossible and you cannot adjust the volume with one hand. The camera, two SIMs and SD card slot are behind a removable flap on top.

Screen

The 7.85-inch screen is one of the better features of this devices and is good for those who like to consume a lot of video content on the go. I guess that will be the strongest reason for people to buy a calling tablet with a screen that is almost 8 inches. Sadly, the audio is not as good as the screen.

Performance

The performance of this Slide tablet is as good as any mid-range smartphone. There is, however, a slight lag when you shift between apps or go from the home screen to the app drawer. The tablet also heats up a bit when you are playing video.

Camera

The front camera is good enough for that occasional skype call, but not for selfies. The rear camera is incapable of doing much in low light. But then you don’t buy a tab like this for its camera.

Click To Buy now from Flipkart

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Memory

Out of the 16 GB, 12.5GB is available to the user. You can’t expect much more in a tablet that costs so much. You might need to spend on a SD card if you want to have videos at your beck and call.

Interface

The interface has been customised for a phone and not a tablet. There are no major teams except the app tray button, which carries the iBall logo. There is not much bloatware and that is a welcome change coming from an Indian manufacturer.

Battery

The 4000mAh battery is good enough to last over a day and that has to be one of the advantages of owning a phone this large.

Verdict

The iBall Slide 3G 7803Q-900 is a decent tablet, especially given its price. I am not sure its size makes it a comfortable phone to use. But then look at the calling feature as an added advantage. I would not recommend this as a primary phone, but go ahead if you are looking for a second device.

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Xiaomi Mi3 quick read review: It no longer makes sense to buy anything more expensive

The first phone by the Chinese manufacturer in India has created a buzz among tech aficionados, and understandably so. But are great specs enough to make a great phone?

Specs: 5-inch IPS FullHD touchscreen (1920×1080 pixels, 441ppi) with Gorilla Glass 3 | 2.3GHz quad core Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 | 2GB RAM | 16GB internal memory, no microSD card | 3G, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4, NFC, GPS | 13MP rear camera with dual LED flash, 2MP front camera, 1080p video recording | 3050mAh battery | Android 4.4 Kit Kat with MIUI v5

Price: Rs. 13,999

Design

The Xiaomi Mi3 looks like a premium device. It’s got a magnesium alloy frame that protects the insides, and a sleek black front with a small “Mi” logo at the top—much less in-your-face than most brands.

While Xiaomi wants to fool you into thinking the back is metal, you know it’s plastic; that said, it’s good quality plastic. The buttons have a resounding click, but we aren’t quite sure how long they will last; even in a week of use, we already felt their response had deteriorated. The speaker grill is located at the bottom, so you can keep your phone face or back down on the bed and still hear it ring clearly.

Screen

Packing a sharp 5-inch FullHD screen with vibrant colours, there are no complaints with the display. It’s as good as what you’ll get on any device.

Performance

With a Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 processor, the Mi3 easily handles any task you ask it to do. The 2GB of RAM means that you can also safely multi-task. Everything is buttery smooth and you won’t feel a lack of power at any point. It should be noted that the Mi3 is the first Snapdragon 800 device I’ve used that doesn’t heat up easily.

Camera

Have you ever seen an LG and a Samsung TV next to each other in a showroom? Notice how colours on the LG looks duller but sharper, while the Samsung looks more vibrant but has noise around the edges. The Mi3’s 13MP camera is akin to the LG—your images won’t have vibrant, luscious colours and that can be a disappointment. But they’ll be sharp and capture detail exceptionally well.

With videos, the Mi3 has one issue: the microphone. It picks up too much ambient noise while shooting, so you often don’t get the audio you want.

Memory

The only major concern with this smartphone is storage. It comes with 16GB of built-in memory, of which 13GB is available to the user. If you take a lot of photos and videos, load up some music, and install some graphics-intensive games, you’ll quickly run out of space. You can rely on cloud services and make do though, which is not too bad a sacrifice.

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Lukup launches on-demand television service in India

The Lukup TV service aims to deliver a large number of TV channels in addition to those available on cable and DTH platforms.

Lukup Media has launched India’s first on demand TV service powered by its connected Lukup Player.

The Lukup TV service aims to deliver a large number of TV channels in addition to those available on cable and DTH platforms. These additional TV channels will have content from multiple genres including movies, shows, lifestyle and sports.

Using the Lukup Player, users will also be able to stream content on more than one screen or device – TV screens, tablets, mobile phones, wireless speakers – at any one time. The service includes unlimited recording capacity starting from 500 GB which can be upgraded without limit. Users can also download content on their mobile devices which they can access offline. With no minimum monthly subscription charges, users can pay per view.

The Lukup TV service is available in Bengaluru now and will be available across India in phases. The Lukup Player will be online and in retail stores from October, 2014.

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Will Facebook overtake YouTube as top video sharing website?

Facebook may overtake YouTube in video sharing through its news feed soon as video shares on the social networking website are fast catching up with YouTube, say researchers.

An analysis based on 20,000 Facebook pages and 180,000 posts over one year found that the social networking site is now a real threat to YouTube in terms of video consumption.

"The content marketers are directly uploading video content to Facebook, meaning that Facebook is retaining the traffic at the expense of YouTube," reported social media analytics company Socialbakers on its website.

"This is a big deal for YouTube. They could lose a big percent of their distribution," Socialbakers CEO Jan Rezab was quoted as saying.

This means users will stay on Facebook instead of leaving, he added.

According to the report, "Marketers are going to continue to use the network that is most effective for gaining engagement. Basically, there are no signs of the trend reversing from its current path."

In September, Facebook announced that it was serving up to one billion videos a day.

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Messaging app LINE reaches 30 million users in India, to partner game developers

Messaging app LINE on Friday said it has touched the 30 million userbase milestone in India and is on track to reach the 50 million-mark by the year end.

The Japanese company, which has over 560 million users globally, had launched its services in India in May last year.
"We make sure that our new features and services, be it through stickers or games, to take our users beyond the usual messaging experience and that has helped us reach the 30 million milstone in such a short span of time," LINE Business Head India Daman Soni told PTI.

He added that the company is on track to reach the 50 million userbase by December-end this year.
India, which is the fastest growing market for smartphones, has seen a huge growth in userbase for messaging apps like WhatsApp, WeChat LINE and Hike.

Soni said LINE is looking at partnering game developers in India to co-invest in development and marketing of games on its platform.

"Globally, our gaming property is very popular and we are looking at building that up in India as well. We are working with companies in India to find opportunities to co-invest in localised content," he said.

More than 40 dynamic games are available through LINE's gaming platform. With operations in 230 countries and regions (as of May 2014), LINE has 72 LINE family apps like LINE camera, LINE SnapMovie, LINE PLAY and LINE GAME for communication, digital content, game, tools and media.

Soni said the company is also engaging with content creators to design stickers with local messages.
Besides, LINE India is also looking at monetising options through tie-ups with corporates, offering them their platform to connect with consumers. Its partners include Groupon, Jabong and foodpanda.

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Review: Canon Pixma E400

Canon Pixma E400 

Buy From Flipkart | Buy From Amazon

 HP is aggressively advertising its home printers for quite some time now. Canon too has some offerings in this space. The new printer from Canon that we are putting to test is the E400, a multifunction inkjet printer. Good looking and compact, the E400 doesn't require much space.

Even setting up this printer is a child's play. Just unpack the printer from the box, connect it to power, insert the cartridges and connect it to the system. The paper input tray is at the back and the output tray is on the front.

Canon has also added a few controls on the top that include power key, stop, black and colour command. There are notifications for black and colour ink too. While Canon has added the driver CD to the box, the printer automatically installs the software when plugged in a Windows 7 laptop. However, I had to install the software to use it with a Windows 8 machine.

In both the systems, the drivers were installed in less than five minutes. Supporting print, copy and scan, this printer is quick to operate.

In less than 15 seconds, it managed to receive the print command and even print the document. The characters were neat and the print appeared to be good even on normal mode. I tried using the printer for photo prints but the results were not good. This printer was quick with scanning, which is good for home use.
A good printer for home use

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Why Asus FonePad 7 is a good buy at Rs 11,999

Value for Money

After introducing Fonepad 7 in India last year, it was followed by an improved version of the tablet. The company has now come up with the third Fonepad 7, which supports dual SIM slot.

Asus FonePad 7 Dual SIM

Price: Rs 11,999  

Specs: 7-inch IPS display; 5 MP camera; Android Jelly Bean; 1.2 GHz dual core processor; 1 GB RAM; 8 GB onboard storage; dual SIM slot; WiFi, 3G, Bluetooth

You might be thinking why we review Asus Fonepad 7 so often. After introducing Fonepad 7 in India last year, it was followed by an improved version of the tablet. The company has now come up with the third Fonepad 7, which supports dual SIM slot. In terms of the design, this one looks very similar to its predecessors.

The 7-inch IPS panel with 1280 x 800 pixels is surrounded by a thick bezel, wasting a lot of space. The tablet has got custom UI onboard. There is a notification tray giving access to toggles for Wi-Fi, mobile data, airplane mode, among others, and these can be customised as well.

The tab is an average performer and there was a slight lag while switching between the running apps. This is a dual SIM voice calling tablet with decent call clarity. However, it is uncomfortable to hold it next to the face. The camera captures decent images in bright daylight.

For the price it comes, we can't complain .

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Ten reasons why you’ll love the BlackBerry Passport

Over the past two years, BlackBerry has received a lot of flak for not making innovative products. However, with the newly launched Passport, things are finally looking up for the erstwhile RIM. 



We give you 10 reasons why the white collared and many amongst you will totally love this product. 

1. Square design
One of the biggest upside of this product is the unique squat square design. The 4.5-inch screen is instilled in a square chassis and is a breather from the staple rectangular design. Though at first most would want to disapprove the appearance of this product, but once you’ve got it in your hands we bet you’ll totally love it. Of course, owing to its square design, single hand functioning gets limited. But this is BlackBerry, and they’re more about their QWERTY keyboard than their full touchscreen capabilities. More so, we’re all acquainted with those large phablets that barely fit in the pocket, but are selling like hot cakes. So we think BlackBerry finally has a winner with these design aesthetics. 

Click to Buy Now on Amazon

2. BlackBerry BlendThis is the highlight of the software’s prowess. Blend is a platform that enables access to emails, messages, files etc. from your Passport to a PC, Mac or a tablet. You just need a Blend platform for the respective OS - Windows or Mac, and you can easily access it with the help of Mobile network or Wi-Fi. Imagine you accessing files on different devices and editing them at the same time without any security threat, thanks to BlackBerry’s secured networks. Only if JLaw and Kate Upton knew about it! 


3. BlackBerry 10.3
This is a refined version of the previous iterations of BlackBerry OS 10. It looks nicer, performs faster and demands a lot of gestures and swiping to use. The center of attraction remains the Hub. Though many people have mocked it out-and-out, to us it makes a lot of sense to have all of our emails, Twitter/Facebook messages, and of course the WhatsApp chats in one place. Isn’t it? The icing on the cake - it features a new virtual assistant. 

4. 13MO OIS cameraSomehow, BlackBerry has always managed to get their camera just about right, and this is the case with the Passport. The 13MP rear camera is quite a treat to use, and should leave the closet photographer inside you quite intrigued. We were pretty happy with the clicks, especially the ones in low exposure. 



In most cases the details of the clicks were sharp and crisp, but only a handful of captures failed to impress us. We also noticed that in some clicks the colour reproduction was a tad bit subdued, but it was sidelined with the overall picture quality. The focus is quite agile, and at various instances the camera prompts you to enable HDR – something that comes in moderately handy. This camera comes with a factory setting to capture photos in 1:1 ratio; while they wouldn’t bother you on the Passport, the default size might not be useful on other phones. 


5. Return of the QWERTY


Yes, this is the feat that’ll let you jump in joy. The QWERTY keyboard brings back the ease and the sensation of typing – something that no other physical or virtual keyboard delivers. The keyboard is touch-enabled, that lets you scroll through the webpages, emails, PDFs by just swiping your fingers – something that could be irritating at first, but settles down as the phone starts to grow on you. 

6. Super battery life
One of the biggest concerns of a data-hungry smartphone user is the device’s battery performance. As compared to other devices in the arcade, the Passport is a clear leader. Moderate-to-heavy usage should let you squeeze the battery life for about two days – you can finally bid adieu to those clinging USB wires and dud-looking battery packs. 

Click to Buy Now on Amazon

7. Super specs
Specs are at par, if not the best, with the devices that are making waves in the industry today. A 4.5-inch screen packs in a mammoth 1440X1440 pixel resolution. Under the hood is a 2.2 Ghz Snapdragon 801 quad-core processor coupled with 3GB RAM that makes multitasking a job ‘well done’. The 3450-mAh battery is what keeps your Whatsapp ticking for two days, without a single recharge. If the internal memory of 32GB doesn’t feed your soul, the people at BlackBerry have been kind enough to give you the ease of expanding this memory to 128 GB via a micro SD slot. A 13MP rear snapper and a 2MP front capturer does the trick for most of your video recording, or selfie-clicking shenanigans. 



8. Amazon AppStore
As noticed, BlackBerry lost out majorly to its competitors with a half-baked App Store that barely kept anyone interested in it. Though the BlackBerry World hosts an array of productivity tools, it’s the Amazon AppStore that serves as a silver lining for this smartphone. As compared to Google Play Store’s gargantuan 1.2 millions apps available, the Amazon AppStore has about 240,000 apps. Though the numbers look disappointing, the latter features a handsome number of Android apps. 

9. BlackBerry Enterprise SolutionYou’d agree with us – this is the fastest, safest, and the least vulnerable system enterprise. BlackBerry was the ‘apple of the eye’ of every CEO, not owing to its bold looks, but because of its secured network encryption. It’s because of the same goodwill that a lot of loyalists are still holding on to the brand. And yes, with the recent bout of iHacks, we reckon your search for a secure OS would end here. 



10. Getting Work Done
The ideal BlackBerry user doesn’t kill time by playing games, doesn’t Shazam that catchy song on the radio and surely wouldn’t want to find a possible white-collared associate on Tinder either. The ideal user would want the phone for pure business utility and efficiency. This massive 4.5-inch screen phone could very well be seen in the hands of all top-level executives. 

On the downside


BlackBerry AssistantThis is BlackBerry’s dyslexic version of Siri. It has a horrible voice recognition feature that take its own sweet time to understand the desi accent. More so, it works at the pace of a tortoise so don’t expect lightning fast search results. 

SizeThough the square design doesn’t irk as much, it’s the sheer wideness of the phone i.e. 3.5 inches that makes it a bit of a hassle to fit in the pockets. 

Blackberry Passport is available for Rs. 49,990. Click to Buy Now on Amazon

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