The much-awaited iOS and Android version of Microsoft Office suite may be around the corner. Online reports speculate that the productivity suite may be available on the iOS and Android mobile platforms in the next year.
There may be some strings attached to this though, since it is generally presumed that the iOS and Android apps of the Office suite may not be fully functional, without having to subscribe to Microsoft’s own Office 365 cloud service.
Microsoft Mobile Office Applications
From a Verge report citing unnamed sources, the yet to be released Office apps may only provide their users with the option to view their Word, PowerPoint and Excel documents. Each user may have to subscribe to the Microsoft Office 365 service, in order to edit his or her documents on the go.
Though the Verge report did not state or include a price for the subscription, a Microsoft Office Home Premium product’s 365 subscription generally costs $99.99 per annum for five user licenses. The mobile version of the subscription may, however, not cost as much as this.
App Release Date
According to the Verge report, the iOS version of Microsoft Office may be released towards the end of February or in early March 2013, while the Android version may be released in the month of May 2013.
The first date correlates with some earlier online reports on the release of the mobile Office apps. This includes a Czech Republic Microsoft product manager revealing a release date of March 2013 for the apps, and a published photo by The Daily, supposedly claiming to be a photograph of the mobile Office application running on an iPad, both of which were refuted and/or denied by Microsoft.
Mobile Office Launch
There were some predictions, too, that Microsoft would launch a mobile Office product at its SharePoint conference in Las Vegas, based on the assumption that Microsoft may want to position its mobile Office app as an enterprise product.
Presently Android and iOS users may use Microsoft OneNote app for note-taking but will have to rely on other third party apps like QuickOffice and Documents To Go, to read and edit their Office documents.
As great as apps are for our day-today operations, having a smartphone or other device that is out of commission due to unforeseen accidents such as a cracked screen or water damage may render such a tool useless. If your device is in need of repair, seeking out a professional such as iFixYouri can be a solid recourse.
The first impressions of the HTC Droid DNA are actually very promising. The look of the screen alone can already be classified excellent. However, how does this phone fair from the other smartphones?
We compared the HTC Droid DNA with some of the current heavyweights of the smartphone industry.
HTC Droid DNA vs. the Competition
The first thing to compare with rival smartphones is the screen brightness. The HTC Droid DNA was placed beside four other phones including the iPhone, the Nexus 4, the HTC One X and the Galaxy S III. The results revealed that the iPhone produces the brightest screen among all the smartphones followed closely by the One X. Although the performance of the HTC Droid DNA is quite disappointing, the brightness is still enough to make the screen visible in daylight.
Color Quality and Screen Testing
When it comes to color, the Super LCD 2 of the One X still remains on top along with the iPhone 5. Although the Super LCD 3 of the Droid DNA produces a rather blue hue, it is still a lot better compared to the greenish shade of the Nexus 4. Aside from the pixel density, the Droid DNA provides clear images for users to appreciate, especially in a macro shot.
However, in summary, the Super LCD 3 of the Droid DNA is still inferior to the Super LCD 2 of the HTC One X. Although the former has a slight edge when it comes to the sharpness of the display, this still cannot make up to its poor color calibration and darker screen.
Ranking Smartphones
Although the HTC Droid DNA does not generally have a bad screen, it is still a step backwards compared to the other phones. Here is the ranking of the smartphones according to their display:
- HTC One X
- Apple iPhone 5
- HTC Droid DNA
- Google Nexus 4
- Samsung Galaxy S III
Note: Although all the aforementioned smartphones have their clear strengths and weaknesses, all are prone to unforeseen accidents such as water damage, cracked screens etc. If your smartphone is in need of repair, the experts at iFixYouri can certainly help.
Honorable Mentions
Aside from these five, there are two other smartphones that remain to be tested. These are the Nokia Lumia 920 and the Samsung Galaxy Note II. When it comes to brightness and color, the Lumia is classified as excellent. However, it is still a step behind the Droid DNA in terms of the resolution. The Lumia 920 is a lot sharper because of the thicker typeface; however, the size of the pixels is actually comparable. As for the Galaxy Note II, it is, as of the moment, at the bottom of the ranking.
The HTC Droid DNA is one of the best smartphones in the market that is packed with a lot of impressive features. This device has a 5-inch Super LCD 3 screen and a 1920×1080 display. Its pixel density is 440 PPI, which is considered the highest pixel density on any type of mobile screen.
According to HTC, the Droid DNA has an enhanced viewing angle, which is up to 80 degrees. Its display is also a lot brighter and all types of blurring problems are already eliminated.
A Look at the Droid DNA
The Droid DNA is still considered a phone and not a tablet. It is slimmer than the Galaxy Note II and has similar footprint with the HTC One X. When it comes to performance, the Droid DNA has a 1.5GHz quad-core Snapdragon S4 Pro Processor. It also has an 8MP camera, which opens up to f/2.0 and a 16GB built-in storage. This is also one of the few phones that support a wireless type of charging.
The DNA’s Only True Flaw
The only concern about this phone is the 2,020 mAh battery. This battery can definitely support most other types of phone; however, with the Droid’s massive screen, powerful processor, and LTE radio, this battery probably won’t be enough. The battery juice is a lot less compared to the 3,100 mAh of the Note II.
As for the camera software, the HTC Sense 4+ provides a lot of improvements. It has an enhanced gallery of photo maps, smile recognition, better HDR, and a wonderful cool countdown feature. The phone’s Beats Audio also provides dual amplifiers. One is made for the external speaker and the other is for the headphones.
Standing Up To the Competition
The HTC’s Sense UI is also a lot simpler and more intuitive compared to the Touch Wiz of Samsung. It has the same guts with the Nexus 4, but comes with a better LTE and screen. This makes the HTC Droid DNA one of the best smartphones in the market.
It does look like the Note II however; the Droid DNA is easier to navigate. In fact, it is more comparable with the Galaxy S III since it has the same width, but a little taller. The screen of HTC is considered as the best among all the other products. It produces bright colors and pictures that are incredibly sharp. Its texts are also larger and easier to read compared to the iPhone 5.
If ever your HTC Droid DNA requires repair due to any unforeseen issues such as water damage or a cracked screen, rest assured that professionals such as iFixYouri are available for any and all smartphone repair needs.
Two years ago, there really was not any question about what operating system was best for smartphones – Apple clearly led the pack. Today, though, real competition has emerged in the form of Android’s Jelly Bean OS. This robust new operating system finally offers a real challenge to Apple’s domination, and one that begs a simple question: which operating system is best? The answer, as is so common in the tech world, is harder to answer than it may seem.
Android Jelly Bean
The great news about Jelly Bean is that it is the best version of Android’s OS yet. If you are using any Android device that is equipped with the OS, you are in for a treat – this version is more stable than ever, and it actually packs in a few features that are miles ahead of its competition. Jelly Bean is fairly easy to use, runs quickly and is full of delightful customization options that can really give a power-user his or her ideal phone.
Customization
Unfortunately, that customization comes at a price. Compared to i0S 6, the interface is still a bit unintuitive. The OS is also short on some of the bells and whistles with which iOS users may have been familiar, and the fact that the operating system has to function across multiple devices instead of a single class of devices means that it may not perform as well as its closed-system counterpart.
iOS 6
It is very difficult to say anything bad about Apple iOS 6 – after all, the company is known for creating user-friendly interfaces. In fact, this iteration might be one of the best yet, relatively free of major bugs and most of the problems that have befallen the older versions of the system. It is still slick and easy to use, the perfect system for any new smartphone user.
Of course, savvy smartphone users will quickly see the faults in this iteration of Apple’s OS. While it might be easy to pick on the Maps app for being universally panned, it is a symptom of a bigger problem – Apple’s closed system. If you are a fan of customization or playing around in the technological sandbox, this really is not the system for you. This may or may not be a turn-off to some, but it is something that should be kept in mind.
Which OS is Really Better?
In the end it’s not clear which OS between Android Jelly Bean vs. iOS6 is the best , it depends on how you use your phone. If you want the system that is most simple and easiest to use, Apple is the winner. If you prefer something that is robust and easy to customize, you should go with Android.
In either case, phones that user either system are susceptible to accidental damage. Don’t get too excited or frustrated by your new operating system, or you may mishandle your device. In the event that you need repairs, you also have options, but there is a clear winner in terms of results: iFixYouri. Find out why.
With smartphones, it is possible to video chat with people around the world, from anywhere in the world. Initially, the video chat feature was only available to those with a home computer. Nowadays, if you have an android OS enabled phone, there are many apps that allow you to make a video call.
For instance, Tango is a good example of a voice and video chat app that you may want to consider. This is an excellent app that allows you to call and watch your friends on the screen of your smartphone device.
Installing the Tango App
First, you’ll need a working phone. If you’ve got an Android phone that is not behaving properly or is physically damaged, iFixYouri’s expert technicians will fix your Android phone properly and efficiently.
Video chatting through Android cannot be achieved if you do not have the supporting app to help you use the feature. You will need to visit the respective website dealer through your phone and locate the Tango apps from the list. The app is free and comes in different formats, including android phone.
Tap the icon of the app and give it time to download in your phone. Normally, the process takes some few minutes and after that you are done.
Getting Started with Tango
Once the app has been installed into your phone, you’ll be asked to create a Tango account, which is necessary to use the chat feature.
Once you are done, the app will proceed by linking all your mobile phone contacts stored in your device. Unfortunately, to enjoy a video chat session with any of your friends, they must also have a Tango account. Fortunately, the app and service are free.
Invite Your Friends
If you notice your friends have a phone that can support this app, this is the time to ask as many as you can to open an account with Tango. This can be done quickly and easily, thanks to the “invite” tab which comes with the app once installed in the phone.
Making a Video Call
After convincing your friends to install the app in their phones, you can now make that important call. Simply choose the name of the person you want to call, tap on the name and your device will link to their phone, provided they have a Tango account. The app will prompt you to start a video chat after asking you to turn on your camera.
If you have a phone that has a front-facing camera, you will be able to see the video of your caller from the other end. However, if your device only has a back-facing camera, do not worry since tango also supports such phones.
In anticipation of the debut of the Android 4.2 update, let’s examine what has made the Android 4.0 such a big deal. Also known as Ice Cream Sandwich (ICS), the Android 4.0 operating system from Google comes with a host of new features and improvements that makes it a big landmark for Android-based phones.
The New Android Home Screen
The new home screen comes with a custom font called Roboto. Along with this font, you will find the following in the new home screen:
- The status/notification bar is found at the top of the screen. Its left side shows notifications whereas on the right it displays the battery and time. The notifications can be accessed by swiping the notification icon downwards. You can customize the types of notifications you are shown there.
- The Google Search Bar is found at the top of the home screen.
- The Favorites Tray can be used as a docking station for folders and apps.
- There are three navigation buttons at the bottom — back button, home button and recent apps button. The old menu button has been discarded.
Apps in Android 4.0
Installing apps on ICS works the same way as it did in the previous version — you can install them from any source by touching and pressing the download button to install it on your phone.
To access the apps installed on your phone, you should press the Apps button on the bottom right of your home screen to get into the All Apps area. To uninstall an app, drag and drop its icon onto the Uninstall icon. If you like an app, you can send its shortcut to your home screen or your Favorites tray that we have already mentioned. Widgets in ICS can be accessed by touching the Widgets tab on the app drawer; overall they work similar to how they did in the previous version of the OS.
Other Highlights of Android 4.0
Settings
You can reach your settings by touching the notification panel and touching on the settings icon. Some new settings are: Data Usage, Battery and Apps sections. Other settings includes Accounts and Sync that show you the different accounts, such as email and other service accounts, connected to your phone.
Search and Voice Control
You can now Google search using your voice. It’s like Siri, but not quite…
File Management
Even though the new Android OS allows you to browse your phone’s memory like it’s a computer, you can improve your downloaded file management by installing a file management app.
If you’re not keen on upgrading to a new operating system until the bugs are worked out, then you’ll likely want to continue using your current phone. If you are experiencing any issues like a cracked screen or malfunctioning parts, let us repair your Android phone at iFixYouri — and save yourself the hassle of transferring all your data and setting preferences on a new phone.
For those frustrated with the new Maps app included with iOS 6, here’s news about the old Google Maps app you were used to using. Google has an upcoming upgrade on the horizon for its mapping service for its mobile devices.
Public Transportation
The upgrade includes the listing of options for public transportation in approximately 500 cities across the globe. This takes in departure times and suggested routes for in excess of 1 million international stations, which is roughly a 50 percent increase over a year ago. Google will even supply indoor directions as a means of assisting some riders in navigating the system.
To get a competitive edge, only devices that use Google’s Android operating software will have access to this initial offer. Devices from the following models will be able to access this upgrade:
- The Motorola Mobility Division of Google
- Sony Corp.
- HTC Corp.
- Samsung Electronics Co.
Apple’s Role in the Changes
These changes surface at the same time as Apple Inc. commits to replacing Google Maps’ position as the foremost navigation service on the iPad and the iPhone. Apple created its very own mapping service for its mobile devices, although it has arrived to a chorus of disappointment due to bugs and a lack of features.
The Effect on Google
This snub from Apple signifies a major blow to Google, which is set to lose revenue from mobile advertising as well as valuable insights about the whereabouts of individuals if iPhone and iPad users embrace this mapping service from Apple.
Response from Google Inc.
Google is of the belief that it can remain one step ahead of Apple as it relates to mobile mapping on Google maps by including features like the expanded directions for public transportation.
This may encourage iPhone users to make the switch to Android devices, or perhaps switch back. If you have an Android device that is no longer working properly, now might be the time to get it fixed (by the iFixYouri team) to take advantage of Google’s new app features.
The end is near. We never thought it would happen but the day is finally arriving in January. AT&T has had the iPhone monopoly in its hip pocket but as early as January 2011, it will have to share the iPhone with Verizon, thus increasing the odds of being able to make a call (reception burn #1). Reception or not, Let’s get Reaaaady tooooo Repaaaaaiirrrrrrrrr. It should not be any secret that those of us focusing on iPhone repair are happy about the announcement but nobody should be surprised.
It is being predicted by UBS AG analyst John Hodlik that the merger would provide Verizon with a boost in sales.
There are over 92 million Verizon customers, so while Verizon will get increased sales, Apple is really looking to get the big boom, boost or bump. They want to avoid a boo boo, which happens when you drop your phone on the ground, or hit your head on the kitchen cabinets. Hodulik went on to speculate Verizon customer might buy 3 million iPhones a quarter. My hunch is that it will be higher than that.
The smartphone competition is getting heated as of late and this was the obvious move. This move was more obvious than Nebraska going to the Big Ten. Or Lindsay Lohans ‘drinking’ problem. Or AT&T reception problems (reception burn #2).
The Apple iPhone elite have decided they can wait no longer. My thinking it has nothing to do with reception, although as burn #1 & 2 indicate, the punchlines just never get old. It has everything to do with the market.
Enter the Google Android, which is becoming a bigger part of the marketplace. The Android Galaxy S is going to be pimped by every cell phone coverage carrier this side of the milky way (“Hey baby, touch screen all night”). The names are pretty cool too: T-Mobile Samsung Vibrant, Verizon Samsung Fascinate, Sprint Epic 4G, AT&T Samsung Captivate. With names like that, what is the iPhone to do? Not to mention the specs and other confusing information that even the most dedicated iPhone fanatic would admit are ‘comparable’ to Steve Jobs Wizardry.
You Must be the Change you Wish to see in the World – Mahatma Gandhi
As for me, I’m liking the changes. I have been glued to AT&T like the new iPhone 4 Screen is to the LCD display. This is to say that if AT&T receptions dies I go with it. Of course, I don’t typically have reception problems but I have a problem with those dedicated to loving their phone on message boards, as opposed to paying attention to their families, homework or whatever ignored responsibility to instead boast randomly about a toy. It can be likened to the ‘my daddy can beat up your daddy’ syndrome that haunts our poor helpless tormented ashamed souls up until the time we realize our dad’s don’t know jack about cell phone technology, and as such, all related annoying behaviors should be terminated.
It is on me to be the change I want to see. It is on me to start playing around with the Android (and all the rest) to really know what I like. Or, just switch it up on the next upgrade, be happy (or frustrated) with my decision and document the experience. The ‘my phone is cooler than your phone’ line is only rewarding when taunting little kids who don’t even know how to use a phone. Or really old people, who have basically lost their hearing and all senses to communicate. But when dealing with other grown ups through blog comments or forum postings, the bickering is best left to the propaganda war machine, also known as anonymous posters disguised as one of us, hurling personal insults at someone who uses an a devise that may not be their preferred choice.
Heres how it goes: it’s time to take the gloves off and sit around a campfire singing songs until our smartphone alarms go off in the morning. When someone loses reception, just pass your smart phone to the left hand side and be happy, verbal quirks silenced by the tranquil spirits of cell phone harmony.
In all seriousness though, the game has just changed and the gloves have come off by the cell phone gods, waiting for the big hook to influence the current swell of competition. Something tells me the people who had benefited from the AT&T long standing exclusivity are telling themselves now they knew the party could not last forever. Everybody else is waiting on the tremors, so we can tweet about it.