Apple iPhone 8 to come with vertical dual camera setup

Apple might have already trumped Samsung Galaxy S8 and S8+ as a new leaked image shows that the 10th anniversary edition Apple iPhone 8 is going to come with vertical dual cameras at one of the edges in the rear panel in contrast to the horizontal setup in the Apple iPhone 7 Plus.

According to an image published by iDrop, that quotes Apple sources in the know of things, the upcoming Apple iPhone 8 will be called 'iPhone Edition' and will pack a vertical dual camera just like the recently released Micromax Dual 5 smartphone. The only difference is that the camera in the Micromax phone is at the centre of the rear panel.

iDrop further goes to say that the iPhone 8 will also come in a similar design as the Samsung Galaxy S8.

This means that the device may pack a dual-curved screen with minimal bezels on top and bottom along with an OLED panel with 2.5D glass protection.

The image also shows that the Apple iPhone 8 will come with a LED flash unit just at the bottom of the vertical camera capsule unit. iDrop also suggests that the fingerprint scanner will be located at the back of the device. Obviously, Apple has not confirmed any of these details.

Previous reports also suggest that Apple may bring in OLED screens with the 10th anniversary Appke iPhone 8 and has been in talks with large suppliers like Sharp, LG and Samsung. OLED displays have better clarity and uses less power.

Apple is planning to make 60 million iPhone 8 units with OLED displays this year—about 40 percent of their production overall, according to the report.

Other rumours about the iPhone 8 suggests wireless charging, new sensor sytem and screen embedded touchID button. Reports claim that the phone is going to cost around $1,000.

Source: Apple iPhone 8 to come with vertical dual camera setup

LG G6 phone: full, in-depth review

LG's G series has been getting better and better over the years. The modular G5 was an interesting phone that turned out to be great value once the price dropped (plummeted). Now here's the G6 which brings a spec sheet and features that aim to take on the best on the market. It might not look too fancy at first glance, but there's a lot going on. We suspect the big question will be, 'Is it the phone to get right now, or should you bother waiting for, what history suggests, will be a big price drop in a few months?'

Key specs

5.7in, 1440 x 2880 LCD screen, 32,64GB/4GB RAM, 2.35GHz Quad-core Snapdragon 821 CPU, Adreno 530 GPU, Dual 13MP rear cameras (regular and wide-angle) plus 5MP front camera, microSD (dual SIM slot on some models), USB-C, IP68 dust/waterproof, Android 7, Google Assistant, 3300mAh battery, 149 x 72 x 8mm, 163g. Full specs here.

Design and handling

Lets face it. It's not much to look at. It's a shiny, black (also available in "silver") box that's a bit chunky not unlike the disappointing Sony Xperia X Performance. How... ev... er... Phone aficionados will appreciate what LG has done here. The company has focused more on function than form – running more-than-usual usability tests with the public. As such we still have a big, 5.7-inch screen but it takes up a large 80 per cent of the front face – the top and bottom bezels are small compared to competitors. And yet the phone is also much narrower compared to competitors while retaining a useable bezel (so that your fingers don't interfere with the screen when you're holding it). That's because the screen is 'longer' than usual. It has a 18:9 aspect ratio instead of the usual 16:9 and this allows for some nifty features that we'll mention below.

We tried to make the phone prettier. We recommend letting a case do that.

As for the thickness, social media is rife with stories of how users aren't fussed about super-thin, hard-to-hold phones and would rather have bigger batteries. While the 3,300mAh unit here isn't the largest on the market, if there was a screen-area-to-battery-size competition, this would do well. The upshot is that this large-screen phone is comfortable to hold even if you have small hands. And if you don't like the look of it, a case will easily cover that without increasing bulk. We approve.

The power button

One thing we weren't initially convinced about is having the rear-mounted fingerprint reader at the back double as a power button. This means it's only easy to press the button and turn on the phone if you're firmly holding it at the same time. If it's lying on the table or you're holding it differently this can be tricky. However, LG's knock code gets round this. By entering a combo of 6-10 taps around the screen, you can easily unlock it. It works very well. Problem solved.

It's also worth noting that the fingerprint reader is exceptionally fast and accurate. No matter what orientation, when we tapped it the phone instantly unlocked. However, it wasn't so comfortable with damp fingers.

The screen

The screen itself is an LCD unit – strange considering LG's owning of the OLED TV space. It's high quality but the colours don't pop like they do on some AMOLED competitors. We could also notice a bit of light bleeding through the bottom of the screen on some occasions but it's not distracting. The screen does emulate the TVs in that it supports Dolby Vision and HDR 10 – this means that colours and contrast can be superior to other screens. Certainly the demo reels we saw were impressive and few won't be impressed with the video reproduction on offer here. However, at the time of testing, the Netflix app would only let us watch content in HD – not 4K and not with Dolby Vision. It's early days though and we expect apps to catch up quickly.

Dolby Vision showreels looked very good on the screen. But access to real-world content is extremely limited at the time of going to press.

One curious design choice is that while Gorilla Glass 5 is used on the back of the phone, the older, weaker Gorilla Glass 3 is used on the main screen. That's another reason to use a case with this phone.

The speakers

Don't expect too much from the speakers. They don't get particularly loud and they get quite muddy quickly when playing treble-rich and bass-rich music. We say they but it's really only speaker one at the bottom. Also, the whole phone vibrates in your hand when the volume is turned up – more than we've noticed on competitors. It lends itself to headphones.

This carries through to speakerphone usage. While we could make out what was being said, it wasn't as loud-and-clear as competitors.

Performance

The G6 uses the same components as the expensive Android flagship Google Pixel XL and also the HTC U Ultra. While it sped along as expected when performing day to day tasks there was definitely some slow down when playing basic games like Angry Birds. We suspect that this was partly down to the not-quite-final versions of our phones' hardware but it could be due to LG's heavy tinkering with the raw, Android 7 Operating System. We'll update this as we learn more.

Software

Android 7 is included and it comes with the excellent Google Assistant. We were seriously impressed with this on the Pixel XL and it feels some distance ahead of competitors to the point where we actually use it regularly. Unfortunately it is not compatible with Google Daydream VR yet, though.

Previous users of LG's phones will be happy that the old penchant for using cheap-looking, unsophisticated icons has gone and, for the most part, it feels like stock Android. LG adds some nice touches though. The knock-to-unlock code (as mentioned above) is still there and works well. You can also get the phone to automatically choose different ringtones for your favourite contacts. A weather animation can appear on the lock screen and Smart Settings can automatically adjust settings/open apps when you're at/away from home or connect an audio device. A Smart Doctor app can manage memory, keep things ticking along optimally and diagnose problems. You can easily set the size of icons to be bigger or smaller and some apps can run in separate windows – so you can do things like watch video and access social media at the same time. Not all of these features are unique and some can be replicated with third-party apps, but they're all nicely integrated into the OS and simple to t urn on and off.

An 'LG Friends' app lets you connect with physically-nearby friends who have a compatible phone. An LG Health app offers the usual health-tracking trimmings including a pedometer.

The other area LG has focused on is making the most of its 18:9 screen, especially the fact that it can easily be divided into two, equal squares. At a basic level you can adjust the screen sizes of apps although some, like Google Maps navigation, will instantly work better because they can display more of what's ahead. But the main area where the 'benefits' can be seen is with the camera...

Next: Camera, Battery and Conclusion

Source: LG G6 phone: full, in-depth review

Micromax Dual 5 with two rear cameras, 1-year replacement scheme launched at Rs 24,999

Domestic handset-manufacturer Micromax on Wednesday launched a new smartphone, called Dual 5, at a price of Rs 24,999.

The phone, which will be available offline and online on e-commerce platform Flipkart, will go on sale on April 10 and will be available in a Gold colour variant.

In terms of specifications, the Micromax Dual 5 will come with a fullHD 5.5-inch display protected by Corning Gorilla Glass 3. The phone will sport a Qualcomm Snapdragon 652 processor along with 4GB RAM and 128GB internal storage expandable upto 128GB via microSD card.

The Dual 5 comes with a vertical dual rear camera setup with LED flash. Both the rear cameras have 13-megapixel Sony sensors. While one sensor is monochrome, the other one is RGB. This means that users will be able to take Bokeh effect shots. The front camera is also a 13-megapixel sensor that comes with a soft front flash for better selfies.

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Micromax is playing up the camera of the smartphone and claims that it will be able to take good pictures in low-light. The phone will also come with several camera modes such as pro mode, panoroma and slow motion.

The Dual 5, which will draw power from a 3,200 mAh battery that supports Quick Charge, will come with a fingerprint sensor and a dedicated customisable key for quick actions. Micromax claimed that only 10 minutes of charging the phone will give it juice for 4 hours. The customisable button can be set as a quick launch button for Camera and other actions.

In terms of security, the phone will come with a military grade independent security chip for safer passwords. The security features of the phone also makes it 'theft-proof'. The company claims that the phone will not shut down once a wrong PIN is entered too many times and if the right PIN is not entered in a hour, it will wipe all the data on the phone.

Micromax also claims that the phone will come with an anti-snoop mode. If someone enters a wrong PIN, then the camera takes a photo of the person and notifies the owner of the phone, the company said.

Further, the phone comes with a secure vault where the user can store his or her private files. Other features incldude an IR blaster, app freezer to restrict background apps and VoLTE support.

Micromax also said that Dual 5 was the first of the Dual series launch. It said that the Dual 4 will be launched soon.

Source: Micromax Dual 5 with two rear cameras, 1-year replacement scheme launched at Rs 24,999

Apple iPhone 8 leak yet again hints at 3D sensing camera technology

Home > News > Apple iPhone 8 leak yet again hints at 3D sensing camera technology By Deepali Moray | Published: March 29, 2017 9:53 AM IST Email @deepalimoray comments Tags: Apple Apple iPhone 8 General

We are still months away from Apple officially announcing its next flagship smartphone – possibly called the iPhone 8. The anniversary edition iPhone 8 is expected to be a design marvel as most of Apple products are, but this time it is also likely to be equipped with some innovative features such as a 3D sensing camera. We have come across reports about Apple mulling incorporating such a technology to its upcoming iPhone, however, one of the latest information coming from a research note by a Morgan Stanley analyst adds more weight to the rumors.

Earlier this year, renowned Apple analyst Ming Chi-Kuo of KGI Securities revealed that Apple will be using a camera module with 3D sensing technology for its next-generation iPhone. This technology would be supplied by PrimeSense — the Israeli startup Apple acquired in 2013, which has also supplied similar technology to Microsoft for its first generation version of Kinect.

Now, bolstering the claims, Morgan Stanley analyst Charlie Chan explains in his research note that Himax Technologies — a company believed to be providing 3D components to Apple for the iPhone 8 — has seen a rise in its share price this year owing to the deal struck with the Cupertino-based company. The analyst further goes on to explain as to why the Himax Technologies is a fit for the iPhone 8 stating that the company's wafer level optics (WLO) technology can reduce the size and fit the 3D sensing in smartphones, BGR Classic reports.

Currently, the 3D sensing technologies for PC or tablet can run facial recognition, gesture sensing, 3D modelling and photo shooting advancement. However, if incorporated in a smaller device like a smartphone, it has the potential to open up newer usage such as AR/VR apps for gaming or virtual social networks. Apple CEO Tim Cook has also acknowledged that going forward augmented reality (AR) will be the new innovation in smartphone technology and a 3D sensing camera fits quite right in the company's future plans. ALSO READ: Apple iPhone 8 to feature 'revolutionary' front camera that lets you click 3D selfies: Report

To add to the latest report, Apple has also been awarded a patent for 3D facial recognition system earlier this March. Titled 'Enhanced face detection using depth information,' the patent describes a technology that will essentially allow the iPhone to scan and process a digital image using a depth map to cut down on incorrect detection. The said technology applies specialized hardware for object recognition and the underlying software is capable of scanning a digital image or digital live video feed and decoding whether a portion of the frame contains a face. The face detection algorithms can further identify when people in the scene are located at different distances from the camera. For this depth mapping, infrared light emission system is used which projects a pattern of optical radiation onto a scene. This light is in turn processed and converted into a corresponding depth map.

However, one of the shortcomings of this proposed depth mapping system for facial recognition is that while it is capable of detecting faces, it lacks the ability to authenticate that face. Now, whether Apple uses the technology for biometric authentication or as a camera feature is yet unknown. However, if incorporated as a camera feature, the technology would allow users to capture 3D selfies with more depth – something what we have seen with dual-camera modules that offer DSLR-like bokeh effect. Other usage of the technology could be in the field of gaming. It is speculated that this 3D sensing camera technology will allow users to place a 3D version of their head on a video game character's body allowing for a more immersive and interactive experience.

Although there is no official word on what the 'anniversary edition iPhone 8' will bring in tow, with speculations of a radical glass and metal design, 3D camera sensing technology, and an OLED display, it is poised to be one of the most expensive iPhone yet with a starting price of an eye-watering $1,000. ALSO READ: Apple iPhone 8 rumored to feature LG Innotek-made 3D dual-camera module

Ahead of Galaxy S8, Galaxy S8+ launch, Samsung store catches… Congress leader Deepender Singh Hooda demands new law on data…

Apple iPhone 8

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Published: March 29, 2017 9:53 AM IST | Updated: March 29, 2017 9:53 AM IST

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हिन्दी खबरें सैमसंग गैलेक्सी S8 के लॉन्च से कुछ समय पहले ही सैमसंग के एक स्टोर में लगी आग पैनासोनिक ने नया कैमरा लॉन्च किया एप्पल iPhone 8 हो सकता है नए 3डी सेंसिंग कैमरा से लैस आज लॉन्च होने जा रहा है सैमसंग का नया फ्लैगशिप स्मार्टफ़ोन सैमसंग गैलेक्सी S8, रुक नहीं रहा है इससे जुड़ी अफवाहों का सिलसिला डुअल कैमरा सेटअप के साथ आज लॉन्च होगा माइक्रोमैक्स Dual 5 स्मार्टफोन, जानें कैसे देखें लाइव स्ट्रीम

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Source: Apple iPhone 8 leak yet again hints at 3D sensing camera technology

More Samsung Galaxy S8 Details Leak Ahead of Launch: 18.5:9 Display, IP68 Rating, Better Camera

The Samsung Galaxy S8 devices are expected to be announced later this week on 29 March, but unsurprisingly, another leak concerning the two smartphones have appeared on the internet. Unlike other leaks before this, however, this latest one is pretty major: it details quite a bit on the Galaxy S8's overall design, specifications, as well as features.

One of the most talked about hardware of the upcoming Galaxy S8 phones are their unique displays: this latest leak reveal that the S8 and S8+ will feature 5.8-inch and 6.2-inch curved Super AMOLED displays respectively. On top of that, the displays are said to be 2960 x 1440 panels; that's a 18.5:9 aspect ratio, which is pretty similar to the LG G6's 5.7-inch 2880 x 1440 18:9 display.

Aside from that, the Galaxy S8 phones will share the same 12MP rear dual-pixel cameras as their predecessors, although Samsung is reportedly adding laser autofocus for better performance. The front-facing camera is getting an upgrade too: it's said to be an 8MP f/1.7 shooter with a new autofocus mechanism "to capture highly dynamic situations." Not surprisingly, there is also an iris scanner on the front of the devices.

READ MORE

Samsung Unveils Notebook 7 spin, Built With 360-Degrees Hinge and Fast Charging Capability

Other specifications of the Galaxy S8 devices detailed in this leak include Exynos 8895 – or Qualcomm's Snapdragon 835 – processors paired with 4GB of RAM, 64GB of fast UFS 2.0 storage, microSD card slots, rear fingerprint sensors (right beside the camera lens), 3,000mAh and 3,500mAh batteries in the S8 and S8+ respectively, IP68 ratings, as well as stereo speakers.

As is always the case with leaked material, it's wise to practice some caution with these early information, although they are consistent with previous leaks of the Galaxy S8. Regardless, all will be revealed come 29 March 2017, where Samsung will finally introduce its latest flagship devices.

(Source: WinFuture via SamMobile)

Source: More Samsung Galaxy S8 Details Leak Ahead of Launch: 18.5:9 Display, IP68 Rating, Better Camera

Nokia 150 feature phone launched in India: Price, specifications, features

Home > News > Nokia 150 feature phone launched in India: Price, specifications, features The Nokia 150 is currently listed on both Amazon India and Flipkart.

The Nokia 150 feature phone is now up for sale in India. The feature phone is listed on both Amazon India and Flipkart, with prices starting at Rs 2,059. But at the time of filing the story, there are no stocks on Amazon India, while the Flipkart price has been hiked to Rs 2,299 for the black version, and Rs 2,399 for the white version.

Nokia 150 was the first Nokia-branded device launched by HMD Global, after their takeover of Nokia feature phones unit from Microsoft. The phone was announced in December 2016, and was expected to arrive in India in Q1 2017. The feature phone was launched in two variants, but only the dual-SIM variant has been launched in India.

Nokia 150 specifications, features

Nokia 150 runs Nokia's Series 30+ software. The phone is a extremely basic device. It sports a 2.4-inch display with a resolution of 240×320 pixels. The Nokia 150 comes encased in a scratch-resistant polycarbonate shell, and is available in two colors — black and white.

The highlight of the Nokia 150 is the 32GB internal memory, which can be expanded using a microSD card. The device also comes with a 1,020mAh battery that can offer up to 22 hours of battery life, with a standby time of up to 25 days. ALSO READ: Nokia 3, Nokia 5, Nokia 6 to launch globally in Q2 2017 at 'affordable price'

On the connectivity front, Nokia 150 boasts of an dual-SIM card slots, Bluetooth 3.0 with SLAM, and FM Radio. There's a VGA camera on the back with LED flash, which also doubles up as a torch. The phone comes with Snake Xenzia and the try-and-buy version of Nitro Racing by Gameloft2.

Since acquiring the license, HMD Global has been on a launch spree. At the recently concluded MWC 2017, the company launched the Nokia 6 global version, along with Nokia 3 and Nokia 5. All three smartphones run on Android Nougat OS, and are expected to go on sale globally in Q2, 2017. HMD Global also re-launched the iconic Nokia 3310 with a brand new look and more functions at the same event. The rumoured flagship device Nokia 8 is still under wraps, though HMD Global is expected to announce the phone sometime later this year.

Published: March 27, 2017 10:01 AM IST | Updated: March 27, 2017 10:01 AM IST
Source: Nokia 150 feature phone launched in India: Price, specifications, features

Galaxy S8 Camera May Shoot 1000 fps Super Slo-Mo

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Source: Galaxy S8 Camera May Shoot 1000 fps Super Slo-Mo

Top 10 Phone Camera Lenses 2017

Today's smartphone cameras boast impressive photographic capabilities, but if you want to take your cellular photography to the next level, take a look at out a number of those phone camera lens kits. They come with lenses dedicated to specific features, which includes macro lenses for close-ups wide angle lenses for sweeping panoramas.

Award-winning Image Quality One of the most impressive films in to come out of the 2016 Sundance Film Festival was shot almost entirely on an iPhone 5s. That, alone, garnered the film a tremendous amount of attention, especially considering how good the footage looked. When most people hear the claim, they picture the filmmakers holding forth their iPhones like tourists capturing a street performer in Time's Square, and the process couldn't be further from the truth.

The film, Tangerine, was, in fact, shot on an iPhone, but the iPhone in question was tricked out with a fancy app, a steadycam for fluidity in movement, and a rather expensive experimental 1.33 anamorphic lens adapter. The filmmaker, Sean Baker, even said of the lens, "To tell you the truth, I wouldn't have even made the movie without it."

If you really want to take your cell phone photography to the next level, to get cinematic quality video, gallery quality images, and astronomically beautiful pictures from space, among other things, you need to augment the lens at the back of your phone with more than just a pinch zoom.

The lenses on our list attach to your camera with the greatest of ease, simply snapping into their spots like a paper clip. Once in position, they'll bend the light heading into your phone's camera just before it gets there, giving you either a wider field of view (labelled wide-angle or fisheye) a tremendous amount of zoom (labelled as telephoto, or with a magnification multiplier), or occasionally the ability to get unbelievably close to your subject without it going out of focus (labelled macro).

The best part about these lenses is that competition to come up with the best, least expensive technology has driven the quality way up and the costs way down. Adapters that cost close to $100 for a single lens just a few years ago now come as one in a set of three for under $30.

Zooming Toward A Choice

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When you pinch to zoom with a cell phone camera, you're using something called digital zoom. You may remember seeing both optical zoom and digital zoom specs listed on the last digital camera you bought before our phones stole the entire market. Optical zoom refers to the actual movement of lens elements to bend and magnify the light before it hits your sensor. Digital zoom essentially just crops in on whatever resolution the sensor has already captured, reducing the quality of your images as you pinch.

Any of the telephoto lenses on our list, including the telescopic and microscopic lenses, are optical enhancers, so the resolution of your image remains at its highest constant. The wide-angle lenses also maintain complete resolution, but there wasn't a threat to your image from going wider in the first place.

Choosing from among these sets will have everything to do with how you want to affect your image and what you want to shoot. I wouldn't recommend the microscope attachme nt for your next selfie, for example.

Most casual camera phone shooters would do well with any of the triptych clip-on lens adapters, the sets of three that include a fisheye, macro, and telephoto enhancement. These sets ought to satisfy the needs of anyone looking for a little enhancement without spending too much money.

The more specific the tasks you need tackling by some of these attachments, the more you're liable to spend on them, and the more limited their usage outside that task will be. The telescopic attachment is great for astronomical photography or for spying on your neighbors, but it's useless on anything that isn't a minimum distance from your camera. The microscopic attachment is probably the coolest thing on our list, and it would be a wonderful addition to any science classroom, but it wouldn't do to Instagram your brunch with it.

Old Glass, New Class

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Lenses predate the invention of the camera by millennia. As long as there has been the written word, there have been stones carved and polished to allow readers with aging eyes to magnify and decipher smaller text. These lenses also proved useful in starting fires when they concentrated beams of sunlight onto a small pile of kindling.

It was these single-element lenses that adorned the first cameras developed in the 19th century. Crude as they were, the lenses produced a lot of artifacts, as well as a significant amount of field distortion. By the late 1800s, however, photographers and lens manufacturers had begun to combine lens elements to cut down on distortion and to create clearer images that allowed more light to pass onto the exposure surface.

Fast forward another century, and the cell phone age is in full swing. Right there alongside it, the digital photography revolution rolls on, and before long the two worlds collide, as several phone manufacturers integrate simple cameras into their cell phone bodies. It starts out seeming like a novelty, but by the time the first iPhones hit shelves in 2007, phone cameras begin to look like serious contenders among casual photographers.

The camera industry responded by trying to make everything about their systems smaller, going so far as to do away with the reflex mirror in their most expensive and prestigious models, with Canon and Nikon notably holding out against the tide. They'll come around, eventually, but by then everybody will have a good phone and a better set of lenses like these for it.

Source: Top 10 Phone Camera Lenses 2017

Speed camera, texting while driving bills pass in Iowa Senate

DES MOINES, Iowa —

The Iowa Senate passed several bills Wednesday, ranging from a speed camera bill to banning the use of fetal tissue.

First, the Iowa Senate approved a bill that would regulate automated speed and red light cameras in the state.

Senate File 220 was altered so that it's not an outright ban on the cameras as first proposed. Instead, it places restrictions on the cameras. Cities who want them would have to justify their placement. Revenue generated from the fines would have to be used for road construction.

A bill banning texting and driving also passed in the Senate with an overwhelming majority vote of 43-6.

Sen. Joe Bolkom, D-Johnson, said when it comes to punishing distracted driving, the bill does not go far enough.

"I just don't think Iowans are going to understand what we're doing here," Bolkom said.

Sen. David Johnson, I-Osceola, said this bill is a step in the right direction, but he thinks it needs to send a much harsher message.

"If you're not going to take a big step here, I would just predict we're not going back to it for a long, long time and there are going to be a number of people killed because of it," Johnson said.

The fine for texting and driving remain $30. If the violation causes death, the driver can be fined an additional $1,000 and lose their license for six months.

The Iowa Senate passed a bill ban the use of fetal tissue after no debate. The bill passed 43 to 6.

WEBVTT THIS POLICE SERGEANT WAS SO STUNNED TO SEE THE SUSPECT.STACEY: WE BEGIN AT THE STATEHOUSE WHERE THE IOWA SENATEPASSED SEVERAL BILLS TONIGHT.STEVE: A BILL THAT WOULD BAN ALL AUTOMATED SPEED AND RED LIGHT CAMERAS IN THE STATE.STACEY: SENATOR BRAD ZAHN INTRODUCED THAT BILL.HE SAID THE CAMERAS ARE MORE ABOUT THE MONEY GENERATED THAN ABOUT PUBLIC SAFETY.ZAHN SAYS UP TO 46% OF VIOLATIONFEES IN IOWA GO TO THE TRAFFIC ENFORCEMENT COMPANIES THAT ARE FOREIGN-BASED.>> REALLY WHAT HAPPENS HERE IS THE RICH CAN AFFORD THESE TICKETS AND THE REASON WHY, YOU GET AS MANY AS YOU WANT.IT DOESN'T GO AGAINST YOUR DRIVERS RECORD.DOESN'T GO AGAINST YOUR INSURANCE, BUT IT REALLY HITS THE LOWER INCOME PEOPLE DISPROPORTIONATELY.STACEY: AND THAT BILL IS UNDER CONSIDERATION IN THE HOUSE TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE.ANOTHER BILL JUST PASSED WOULD ALSO IMPACT DRIVERS.STEFFANI NOLTE JOIN YOUS LIVE TOEXPLAIN THE NEW PENALTY FOR TEXTING BEHIND THE WHEEL.STEFFANI: STACEY, THE SENATE JUST PASSED A BILL THAT WOULD MAKE TEXTING AND DRIVING A PRIMARY OFFENSE.POLICE OFFICERS CAN PULL YOU OVER SOLELY FOR TEXTING AND DRIVING.>> THOSE IN FAVOR OF THE PASSAGEOF SENATE FILE 234 AS AMENDED WILL VOTE AYE.STEFFANI: 43-6.>> ONE THAT PEOPLE BACK HOME WILL SAY, OK, I LIKE WHAT YOU DID AND MAYBE WE CAN IMPROVE IT ON THE WAY OUT THE DOOR, BUT FORNOW, I THINK IT'S A GOOD MESSAGE.STEFFANI: MAKING A PHONE CALL OR USING THE PHONE AS A G.P.S. IS ALLOWED UNDER THE BILL?SENATORS SAY THE BILL DOESN'T GOFAR ENOUGH.THEY WANT HANDSFREE LEGISLATION.>> IT'S OK TO DO THIS.SUDDENLY IF I DO THIS, I'M BREAKING THE LAW.I JUST DON'T THINK IOWANS WILL UNDERSTAND WHAT WE'RE DOING HERE.STEFFANI: SENATOR DAVID JOHNSONTHINKS IT NEEDS TO BE HARSHER.>> THEY HAVE TO HAVE THEIR CONVERSATIONS RIGHT NOW ON THE WAY TO SCHOOL.SO I DON'T KNOW.IF YOU'RE NOT GOING TO TAKE A BIG STEP HERE, I WOULD JUST PREDICT WE'RE NOT GOING BACK TO IT.WE'RE NOT GOING TO FOR A LONG, LONG TIME, A NUMBER PEOPLE KILLED BECAUSE OF I T.STEFFANI: THE INSTITUTE OF HIGHWAY SAFETY, 15% FEWER PEOPLEUSE THEIR PHONE WHEN DRIVING IN STATES WITH ENFORCEABLE BANS.SENATORS HOPE THAT STATISTIC TRANSLATES TO IOWA.FINES FOR TEXTING AND DRIVING REMAIN $30, BUT IF THE VIOLATIONCAUSES A DEATH, THE FINE COULD GO UP TO $1,000 AND LOSE YOUR LICENSE FOR SIX MONTHS.NOW, THIS BILL STILL HAS TO GO TO THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.LIVE IN DES MOINES TONIGHT.STEFFANI NOLTE, KCCI 8 NEWS.

Source: Speed camera, texting while driving bills pass in Iowa Senate

BullyEyes to introduce their phone accessory product – Phone Lens attachment

As the product expands the phone camera opportunity to get impressive pictures and videos

Mo I Rana, Nordland, Norway – Natalya Forsbakk, the founder of BullyEyes is happy to announce their product called Phone Lens Attachment, to the general public. This Phone Lens Attachment product, comes with a Wider Angle, 12.5X Macro, and Star Filter to give you impressive pictures and videos. It is designed mostly for smartphones to take exciting travel photos and video, from brand new perspectives and as well, add more visual power to their portraits and group shots.

The lens works perfectly with any iPhone, including latest models with dual camera, iPhone 7 Plus. Due to the size of its holder, the lens does not work perfectly with the latest models of Samsung Galaxy (Samsung Galaxy 6 edge, Samsung Galaxy 7, Samsung Galaxy 7 edge), but efforts are being made to develop a new holder that will suite well with the Samsung Galaxy. Natalya says: "We are working on developing a new hold which will be released in the market very soon."

Val, a satisfied customer has this to say: "WOW! I am amazed! These lenses boosted the quality and creativity of my phone pictures. They are very compact and will fit an even tiny purse; pictures are better than words, so I will just go ahead and attach some photos I just took of the Valentine's Day flowers. I used Macro and Wide-Angle lenses in comparison with no-lenses pics.

"P.S When I opened the box I thought the seller only sent two lenses, but apparently Wide Angle and Macro are attached to each other, so you need to twist the Wide Angle lens off in order to use only Macro."

Another satisfied customer, Y.R has this to say: "I did not know that there are lenses for smartphones. I have a Samsung, it is fantastic! Yesterday, immediately we made a few test shots, we were amazed at the quality of the pictures and volume. Super! Thank you!"

This product provides more visual excitement with phones, wild special effects using wide-angle image distortion, a new exciting way of capturing the world. The colors comprise of High-Definition Optical Glass, with 98% high-spectral transmission rate to ensure that light is not lost, which is necessary for colorful pictures. It comes with a multi-layer anti-ultraviolet coating to decrease the loss of light and protect the lens from scratches.

About BullyEyes

BullyEyes is a photography company that also deals on phone accessories and photo lens attachment. The phone lens attachment is specially design for cellphones with the goal of expanding phone camera opportunity to get more impressive images and video.

The fisheye lens bundle is a construction of two lenses: 120° wide angle and 12.5X Macro. This lens combination offers up a sense of fun and playfulness to images by distortion and exaggeration.  The 12.5X Macro lens alone magnifies the subject and provides an incredibly shallow depth. The 8-Point Star Filter of this product diffracts light into eight separate beams that radiate out from a central point. In other words, it will change the light source into amazing stars and add your pictures an extra brightness.

According to Tech Guide at www.guideandreviews.org, "BullyEyes Triple Lens Kit stood above the competition due to their amazing image quality, their easy attachment system (which is compatible with many third-party iPhone cases), and their convenience and portability; when compared with other lenses we tested, the BullyEyes produced better-quality images without any vignette."

Media ContactCompany Name: BullyEyesContact Person: Natalya ForsbakkEmail: Send EmailPhone: + 4747631511Address:Nesnaveien 654City: UtskarpenState: NordlandCountry: NorwayWebsite: http://bullyeyes.com/phone-accessories/triple-lens-kit https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01N0RMJQF

Source: BullyEyes to introduce their phone accessory product – Phone Lens attachment

How to quickly open camera on Moto G5 Plus [Guide]

Moto G5 Plus is a great device with several features built-in especially gesture-based controls that turns out to be as handy when used. If you are new to Moto smartphones, here's something that can amaze you. You can quickly open camera on Moto G5 Plus by twisting your wrist twice. Sounds good? Read on how to enable it.

Moto smartphones are designed to make things simple, hence, there are various gesture-based features that you can make use of. No need to tap-tap-tap and open stuff on the phone rather use Moto G5 Plus gesture controls from the Moto App.

There are two ways to quickly open camera on Moto G5 Plus.

Twist your wrist quickly twice to open the camera anytime.

Press power button twice for camera

Both method works even when the phone is locked.

Method 1 – Quickly open camera on Moto G5 Plus By Twisting Your Wrist

To enable this twist feature, all you need to do is,

Open the Moto app given on the homescreen.

Go to Actions which has options to use gestures as phone shortcuts.

Tap on Twist for Quick Capture.

Enable the toggle slider to turn it on.

Now whenever you want to quickly open camera on Moto G5 Plus, twist your wrist twice while holding it. It's like revving a motorcycle, turning a screwdriver or simply doing the Queen's wave quickly.

The same method also works for switching between front and rear camera. Twist twice when in camera mode.

Method 2 – Quickly open camera on Moto G5 Plus with Power Button

Second one is to just enable a quick shortcut inside the phone settings.

Go to Settings -> Display.

Enable the slider 'Press power button twice for camera'

Want more Moto G5 Plus guides? If you've just bought Moto G5 Plus and want to know more stuff about Moto G5 Plus, find Moto G5 Plus guides in our How-To Guides section.

Source: How to quickly open camera on Moto G5 Plus [Guide]

'Candy-bar' phones will get smartphone features with new Qualcomm chip

The Nokia 3310 phone, a replica of its iconic namesake, took Mobile World Congress by storm last month. It was a surprising show of enthusiasm for so-called candy-bar phones, which remain popular in developing countries because of their rock-bottom prices.

Qualcomm believes there's an untapped opportunity in such feature phones and believes it can bring smartphone-like capabilities to these handsets. So it made the 205 Mobile chip, which will bring LTE capabilities, better graphics, and more responsiveness to candy-bar phones.

There is a big need for a chip like the 205, especially when you look at the limited features of the new Nokia 3310. The Nokia 3310 offers only 2G connectivity capabilities for texting and calling, while newer candy-bar phones with the 205 chip will be LTE capable.

LTE will mean more reliable connections and better call quality. Users will be able to do basic web browsing, send email, and engage in social networking via Twitter or Facebook. 

Qualcomm estimates 20 percent of all mobile phone shipments are feature phones, and most will move to LTE in the future. The 205 chip supports CDMA and GSM networks.

Gaming on candy-bar phones and their small screens will also look better and less pixelated, which should make long train rides home more fun. Users will be able to see streaming video on the 480p candy-bar phone screens thanks to the Adreno GPU in the chip.

Imagine dual-cameras on a candy bar phone -- that will also be possible with the 205 chip. The chipset supports a 3-megapixel rear camera and a modest 0.3-megapixel front camera.

Candy-bar phones will also get voice-over-LTE and secure payment capabilities via the chipset. Those features are important in developing countries, where mobile payments are gaining steam.

Feature phones will also get Bluetooth 4.1 capabilities. The dual-core 205 chip will operate at 1.1GHz, which could be like putting a jet engine in an extremely low-cost phone.

The chip could also fit in low-end smartphones. But the camera and graphics needs of such phones are much heavier than the 205 can provide. The chip is mainly targeted at phones based on embedded Linux, not Android or Windows.

Feature phones with the 205 Mobile chip will ship in the second quarter this year.

Source: 'Candy-bar' phones will get smartphone features with new Qualcomm chip

The beauty of having a good camera in every pocket

Cheaper smartphones that don't suck mean better cameras, and better photos.

While the rest of the team has been playing with phones that border (or safely fall into) the designation of 'expensive,' I've been erring on the side of budget, switching between four devices that are, to me, just as interesting, as much for what they lack as what they offer.

One of those phones is the ZTE Blade V8 Pro, a phone that barely got any attention when it was announced for the U.S. unlocked market back in January. I don't even think we wrote about it. But ZTE offered me a review unit, and after spending some time with it I'm glad I accepted. This $230 phone has pretty much everything you need from a handset these days: a great screen, excellent performance, awesome battery life, and software that doesn't make me want to poke my eyes out (though it ships with Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow, which is decidedly 😕).

Increasingly, we carry cameras that make phone calls, not the other way around.

But more than anything else on its spec sheet, it's the impressive camera that really surprises me. The phone lacks all the buzzwords you'd expect from a device three times its price — stabilization, phase-detection autofocus, laser autofocus — but it does have two 13MP sensors that act in unison to improve photo quality in daylight, impart some intelligence in low light (though less than I would like), and provide some impressive features that feel less gimmicky the more time I spend using them.

More than anything, though, its excellent camera credentials reinforce the thing I find myself repeating every year: we no longer carry smart phones that take photos but smart cameras that occasionally make calls (and connect to the internet, but don't kill my symmetry).

As impressive as it is to see the $649 Google Pixel and LG G6 increasingly offer "real camera" performance from tiny sensors, I love that I can recommend a $230 ZTE Blade V8 Pro to someone and ensure him or her a reliable experience that takes good photos in most situations. When I started reviewing phones, that's really all I wanted: to be able to trust the camera in my pocket the way I could the Auto mode on my Canon or Sony point-and-shoot, the diminutive single-purpose gadgets that I, along with millions of other people, began stuffing in drawers and forgetting about around the turn of the decade.

It's been six years since I brought a camera camera with me on vacation, and though the quality dipped for a time, I've reached the point of comfort (though maybe that's just what comes with age and acceptance of the things one can't control) with the relationship between convenience and quality.

When I started reviewing phones, all I wanted was a camera that took photos reliably. It took until now to make that happen.

Using the Blade V8 Pro (what a name) also reinforces, to me at least, that cameras are really the last true area of competition in the smartphone space. You can get a $100 phone that performs well, has decent battery life, and ships with a version of Android that doesn't make you want to saw off your fingers with a blunt object, but it's still pretty easy to tell the difference between a photo (or video) taken from an LG Stylo 2 and an LG G6. But you just said the $230 Blade V8 Pro takes awesome photos! Yes, but it's still a clear area of research, development, and cultural fascination for those who create, market and buy phones. That Blade V8 Pro, or any $200 phone, takes photos as good as the ones it outputs, is incredible; that the LG G6 takes photos as consistently beautiful as it does — perhaps not three times as good, but close — is also incredible.

That we get to benefit from the fierce competition around which company can outfit its pocket computer with the best camera — that's pretty incredible, too.

Elsewhere in the news:

Have a great week!

-Daniel

Source: The beauty of having a good camera in every pocket

Vivo Y66 with 16MP selfie camera launched in India

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Source: Vivo Y66 with 16MP selfie camera launched in India