The Cat S60 Is The First Phone With A FLIR Thermal Camera Built-In

The FLIR One thermal camera is pretty neat, but it's not exactly convenient to plug it into your USB port all the time. Now, Cat has announced the first phone that has FLIR's thermal imaging technology built-in, the Cat S60. The specs actually look a bit more in-step with modern Android phones than I'd expect, and it has all the usual Cat ruggedized features.

Here's the full spec sheet provided by Cat.

Thermal imaging camera, powered by FLIR

Strengthened Die Cast Frame

Drop proof to 1.8m, MIL Spec 810G

Super bright display (typical 540 nits), Gorilla Glass 4

4.7" HD capacitive multi-touch with auto wet finger & glove support

Optimised battery performance (3800mAh)

High quality audio experience (>105dB)

Underwater 13MP main camera with dual flash, 5MP front-facing camera

4G LTE

Snapdragon 617 Octa-core processor

32GB ROM, 3GB RAM

Android Marshmallow

Cat has posted a few images from the camera on Twitter, and the quality looks very similar to what I saw with the FLIR One. It uses the thermal camera to register heat data, then overlays that on the visible light camera for a more well-defined image. The drawback is that the camera module of the phone itself is a little bulbous. It's also water resistant and built to withstand a few drops.

Otherwise, this phone has very similar specs to the HTC One A9. It'll run Android 6.0 with 3GB of RAM and a Snapdragon 617 SoC. The battery is considerably larger than HTC's phone, though. Cat hasn't specified a launch date for the S60, but it will sell for $599. You can register your interest to be notified when it's available.

Source: The Cat S60 Is The First Phone With A FLIR Thermal Camera Built-In

Cat S60 is the world's first smartphone with a thermal camera inside

Cat, a company more well-known for its heavy duty machines, has announced the S60, which happens to be the world's first smartphone with an integrated thermal camera. The S60 comes with a 7-inch capacitive multi-touch display with glove support that is covered with Corning's Gorilla Glass 4. Inside, it packs a Snapdragon 617 processor paired with 3GB of RAM and 32GB of storage. Out of the box this will run Marshmallow, which is great to see.

Besides the standard set of features, what really makes this phone stand out is the integrated FLIR thermal camera, which offers still images, panorama and video capture. Some of the additional key features and specs of the S60 include:

Strengthened Die Cast Frame

Drop proof to 1.8m, MIL Spec 810G

Super bright display (typical 540 nits), Gorilla Glass 4

7" HD capacitive multi-touch with auto wet finger & glove support

Optimised battery performance (3800mAh)

High quality audio experience (>105dB)

Underwater 13MP main camera with dual flash, 5MP front-facing camera

4G LTE

Snapdragon 617 octa-core processor

32GB ROM, 3GB RAM

Android™ Marshmallow

Dedicated FLIR thermal camera app with MSX technology; still image, panorama, and video capture; changeable heat palettes; temperature spot meter; and min, max, and average temperature data

The S60 will be made available later this year in the UK and U.S., priced at €649 and $599 respectively.

Source: Cat

Source: Cat S60 is the world's first smartphone with a thermal camera inside

Best Android Phones of February 2016

Every month we are trying to compile a list containing the most noteworthy Android smartphones available for purchase. Some of you are just looking to inform themselves, while other are in a search for a new smartphone. Either side you're in, we hope you'll enjoy our Best Android Phones of February 2016 post.

Android is the dominant mobile operating system with dozens of OEMs building smartphones running on Google's software platform. It's very hard if not impossible to keep track of all the apparitions, especially that the smartphone offering is different from market to market.

The list below aims to give you a glimpse at the best Android smartphones available for purchase on most markets. The phones are listed by manufacturer in alphabetical order, so their performance is not affecting the order. Besides a brief description of each terminal we have also inserted links to their Amazon page in case you want to place an order now.

You believe that a certain smartphone should be on the list? The comments section bellow is all yours.

HTC One A9

HTC One A9 is the latest mainstream smartphone from the Taiwanese company. Coming with mid-range specifications, One A9 made a name out of being an iPhone clone.

iPhone clone or not, the One A9 is one beautiful smartphone, with metallic built and nice feel. HTC One A9 features a 5.0-inch AMOLED display with Full HD resolution and a 64-bit hexa-core Snapdragon 617 processor.

The technical specifications also include an Adreno 405 GPU, 2 GB RAM for the 16 GB model, 3 GB RAM for the 32 GB model, microSD up to 200 GB, a rather small 2,150 mAh battery, and a fingerprint reader embedded in the home button. It runs Android 6.0 Marshmallow with HTC Sense on top and in on the camera front it arrives with 16 MP primary cam with OIS and a 4 MP UltraPixel secondary cam.

On Amazon, the 16 GB HTC One A9 sells at $385 without contract. If you want the 32 GB model you would have to pay $459.99. You can place your order here and here respectively.

HTC One M9

HTC One M9 was the company's flagship smartphone for 2015. The Taiwanese manufacturer has put a lot of hopes in this device, but it was received with mixed reviews because it was only a minor upgrade over its predecessor.

HTC One M9 features a 20 MP rear-facing camera with f/2.2 aperture and 4K video recording, 4 MP UltraPixel selfie shooter, and a 2,840 mAh The device integrates a 5.0-inch Super LCD3 screen with Gorilla Glass 3 protection.

On the technical specifications list you will also find 32 GB of microSD-expandable storage, 3 GB RAM, and a 64-bit octa-core Snapdragon 810 SoC. One M9 is upgradable to Android 6.0 Marshmallow.

In case you want to get your hands on HTC One M9, you can buy it unlocked from Amazon at $448.99. You can order directly using this link.

LG G4

The LG G4 was released in the spring of 2015 and it was one of the most powerful phones of its time. Even though the G5 will be announced later this month, the LG G4 is still a great purchase

LG's flagship smartphone boasts about a super bright 5.5-inch IPS LCD screen with Quad HD (1440 x 2560) resolution, 528 ppi pixel density, and Gorilla Glass 3 protection. G4 is the first smartphone in the world outside the Nexus line-up to get upgraded with Marshmallow.

The main camera of the device has 16 MP resolution, laser autofocus, OIS, and 4K UHD video recording support, while the secondary cam is an 8 MP unit with f/2.0 aperture. It has a Qualcomm-made Snapdragon 808 processor, 32 GB native storage, 3 GB RAM, microSD slot for further storage expansion, and a 3,000 mAh battery with fast charging support (60% in 30 minutes).

The LG G4 can be bought at a discounted price from Amazon. The Brown Leather model is available without contract for $369.05 here.

LG V10

The LG V10 is a high-end phablet released by the South Korean company in October 2015. It's a shock resistant smartphone with MIL-STD-810G certification.

Above the 5.7-inch IPS LCD screen with Quad HD resolution and Gorilla Glass 4, lays a 160 x 1040 2.1-inch secondary always-on screen that shows your notifications. V10 is underpinned by a hexa-core Snapdragon 808 SoC mated with Adreno 418 GPU and has a fingerprint reader on the rear-facing power button.

The phablet comes with 4 GB of RAM, 64 GB internal storage and microSD support up to 200 GB. It has a 16 MP main cam with f/1.8 aperture, laser autofocus, and OIS and a 5 MP Duo cam for selfies. It's kept alive by a 3,000 mAh battery and it should get upgraded to Marshmallow over the next few weeks.

LG V10 is available on Amazon starting at $639. You can order yours in Black, White, Brown Beige, or Ocean Blue using this link.

Motorola Droid Turbo 2

Droid Turbo 2 is another rugged smartphone. It was also released in October 2015 and it sells exclusively in the US through Verizon. Outside US, Turbo 2 is marketed as Moto X Force.

Droid Turbo 2 is no doubt one of the most powerful smartphones around. It has a 5.4-inch AMOLED screen with Quad HD resolution, octa-core Snapdragon 810 processor, 32/64 GB storage, microSD up to 200 GB, and 3 GB of RAM.

The smartphone comes with a 21 MP rear-facing camera sensor with f/2.0 aperture, phase detection autofocus, dual-LED flash, and 4K video recording and a 5 MP front-facing camera. It features a massive 3,760 mAh battery with fast charging support and which promises to get the smartphone through 48 hours of mixed usage.

Droid Turbo 2 can be ordered online from Verizon's store here. You can get it for $0 down and $26/month for 24 months or for $624 without a contract.

Motorola Moto G 3rd gen

The 2015 edition of the Moto G brings amazing specs to price ratio so I must include it on the list. It might not be a very powerful phone but the almost-stock Android skin runs flawlessly on it. It's upgradable to Marshmallow, too.

Moto G 3rd gen packs a 720p 5.0-inch IPS LCD display with a Gorilla Glass 3 protective layer and it's powered by a quad-core Snapdragon 410 CPU. The 8 GB model comes with 1 GB of RAM, the 16 GB has 2 GB of RAM, and both can accommodate microSD cards up to 32 GB. The phone is water resistant with IPX7 certification.

On the camera front, Moto G 2015 arrives with a 13 MP main cam with f/2.0 aperture, dual-LED flash, and Full HD video recording, and a 5 MP secondary camera. It has 2,470 mAh battery that should be enough for over a day of mixed usage.

Moto G 2015 is an affordable smartphone, the 8 GB model selling at $179.99 on Amazon. The 16 GB variant (which we recommend because it brings 2 GB of RAM) is available for $219.99. You can order them here or here.

Motorola Moto X Pure Edition

Motorola's latest flagship sells as Moto X Pure Edition in the US and as Moto X Style on other markets. Call it whatever you like, you will get the same technical specifications.

Moto X Pure Edition is what you would call a phablet, bringing a 5.7-inch Quad HD AMOLED screen. It has hexa-core Snapdragon 808 processor, 16/32/64 GB storage, microSD support, and 3 GB of RAM.

On the back of the phone there's a 21 MP main camera with f/2.0 aperture, phase detection autofocus, and 4K video recording, while the front panel accommodates a 5 MP selfie shooter. Moto X Pure Edition is upgradable to Android 6.0 Marshmallow and it's kept alive by a 3,000 mAh battery with fast charging support.

If you want to buy the Moto X Pure Edition you can get it unlocked from Amazon here. The base 16 GB model is $399.99, then you ad $50 for the 32 GB model and $100 for the 64 GB one.

Nexus 5X

Nexus 5X is one of the two Nexus phones released by Google last year and the third Nexus smartphone released by LG. Since it's a member of the Nexus family, it's always among the first devices that receive new Android updates.

Nexus 5X has an ultra-fast rear-mounted fingerprint reader, USB Type C, and a 2,700 mAh battery. The main cam is a 12.3 MP unit with f/2.0 aperture, laser autofocus, and dual LED flash, while the secondary cam has a 5 MP sensor.

The smartphone co-developed by LG and Google features a 1080p 5.2-inch IPS LCD screen and a Snapdragon 808 CPU. It also comes with 16/32 GB storage and 2 GB RAM.

Nexus 5X is a relatively cheap smartphone, being sold by Amazon for $329.99 after a discount of $50. You can buy one using this link.

Nexus 6

Nexus 6 is the only phone on our list that was launched in 2014. Despite its age, the Motorola-made phablet is a great purchase, being upgradable to Marshmallow.

Nexus 6 sports a gigantic 6-inch AMOLED display with Quad HD resolution and a Snapdragon 805 SoC which was the most powerful processing solution of 2014. It also comes with 32/64 GB storage and 3 GB RAM.

The device features a 13 MP main camera with optical image stabilization and dual-LED flash and a 2 MP selfie shooter. The battery is a non-removable 3,220 mAh cell.

Because of its age, Nexus 6 is subject to a heavy discount from Amazon here. Sold initially at $649.99, the 32 GB model is now only $349.99, while the 64 GB variant is $399.99 from $699.99.

Nexus 6P

Nexus 6P is the first Nexus smartphone developed by a Chinese company. The Huawei smartphone was released synchronized with Nexus 5X.

Just like the lower-end Nexus 5X, Nexus 6P features a rear-mounted fingerprint sensor, Marshmallow out of the box, USB Type C, and a 12.3 MP primary camera with f/2.0 aperture, laser autofocus, dual-LED flash, and 4K video recording. The selfie shooter has 8 MP resolution.

The Huawei Nexus is equipped with a 5.7-inch AMOLED display with Quad HD resolution and Gorilla Glass 4 protection, while being kept alive by a 3,450 mAh battery. The phone also integrates 32/64/128 GB of non-expandable storage and 3 GB RAM.

If you want to buy the latest and greatest Nexus smartphone, you can do it on Amazon starting at $499. The smartphone is available in Graphite, Silver, and Gold with 32, 64, or 128 GB storage. Place your order here.

OnePlus 2

OnePlus is a Chinese company that made a name out of creating high-end phones at affordable prices. OnePlus 2 is their latest high-end phone and it's market as "2016 flagship killer."

OnePlus 2 might not be exactly a "2016 flagship killer" but it has quite interesting specs. It integrates a 5.5-inch LTPS IPS LCD screen with 1080 x 1920 resolution, Snapdragon 810 processor, Adreno 430 GPU, 64 GB of non-expandable storage and 4 GB RAM. There was also a 16 GB model with 3 GB of RAM, but it's no longer available for purchase.

The smartphone runs Oxygen OS 2.2.0 which is based on Android 5.1 Lollipop, has a fingerprint sensor on the home button, USB Type C, and a 3,300 mAh battery. On the back there's a 13 MP cam with OIS and laser autofocus, while the front panel accommodates a 5 MP selfie shooter.

The best place to buy the OnePlus 2 from is the company's online store. The orders over $100 are shipped free of charge and the phone itself costs $349. StyleSwap Covers cost $26.99 each.

OnePlus X

For the first time in 2015, OnePlus released two smartphones in a year. Besides the aforementioned OnePlus 2, the Chinese company also launched the OnePlus X mid-ranger.

OnePlus X comes with a 5-inch Full HD AMOLED panel, 16 GB storage, microSD support to 128 GB, and 3 GB of RAM. The processing tasks are handled by a quad-core 2.3 GHz Snapdragon 810 processor.

The main camera has 13 MP resolution, f/2.2 aperture, phase detection autofocus and LED flash, and the secondary cam is an 8 MP unit. It runs Oxygen OS 2.2.0 and is kept alive by a 2,525 mAh battery.

OnePlus X can be ordered from OnePlus' online store here. Bot the Onyx and Champagne models are $249 and the protective cases cost $24.99 each.

Samsung Galaxy Note 5

Samsung Galaxy Note 5 is the latest and greatest members of the Note tribe. Just like its predecessors it features an S Pen stylus and S Pen-specific software features.

Galaxy Note 5 is a true high-end phablet, sporting a 5.7-inch AMOLED display with Quad HD resolution and Gorilla Glass 4, octa-core Exynos 7420 processor, 32/64/128 GB of non-expandable storage, and 4 GB of RAM. A 3,000 mAh battery is keeping the lights up and the device should soon get upgraded to Marshmallow.

On the camera front, Galaxy Note 5 comes with a 16 MP main camera with f/1.0 aperture, OIS, autofocus, LED flash, and 4K UHD video recording and a 5 MP secondary cam. It has a fingerprint reader embedded in the home button and wireless charging support.

You can get an unlocked 32 GB Galaxy Note 5 from Amazon starting at $605.99. You can buy yours using this link.

Samsung Galaxy S6 / Galaxy S6 Edge

Samsung Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 Edge debuted in March 2015, but are still two of the most powerful on the market. Their successors will see the light of day later this month on February 21.

The two smartphones come with almost identical technical specifications. The main differences are the shape of the screen (standard flat screen for S6 and curved around the edges for S6 Edge), some extra software features for S6 Edge, and the battery (2,550 mAh battery for S6 and 2,600 mAh for S6 Edge).

The rest of technical specifications include an Exynos 7420 Octa processor, 32/64/128 GB of non-expandable storage, 3 GB RAM, and 5.1-inch displays with Super AMOLED technology and Quad HD resolution. Both arrive with a 16 MP / 5 MP camera combo, fingerprint sensors, and both are upgradable to Android 6.0 Marshmallow.

Samsung Galaxy S6 can be bought from Amazon starting at $469.99 here. The Galaxy S6 Edge can be ordered from here and is a bit more expensive starting at $564.49.

Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge Plus

Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge Plus is the second high-end phablet released by the South Korean giant last year. It's basically the lovechild of Galaxy S6 Edge and Galaxy Note 5.

Galaxy S6 Edge Plus has a 1440p 5.7-inch Curved Super AMOLED display and the show is run by an Exynos 7420 processor. The phone also comes with 32/64 GB storage, 4 GB of RAM, and a 3,00 mAh battery.

Out on the back there's the same 16 MP camera with f/1.9 aperture, OIS, autofocus, LED flash, and 4K video recording, while on the front there's a 5 MP selfie cam. It has a fingerprint reader and it will be upgraded to Marshmallow soon.

On Amazon, the Galaxy S6 Edge Plus phablet costs as low as $642.99 without contract. You can choose between different color options and place your order here.

Sony Xperia Z5

Xperia Z5 continues the design language introduced a few years ago by the original Xperia Z, with glass front and rear panels, metal frames, and sharp corners. It's dust proof and water resistant with IP68 certification.

Sony Xperia Z5 is equipped with a 5.2-inch IPS LCD screen with Full HD (1080 x 1920) resolution and X-Reality Engine technology, while the processing tasks are handled by a Snapdragon 810 processor mated with an Adreno 430 GPU. The phone is kept alive by a 2,900 mAh battery and is upgradable to Android 6.0 Marshmallow.

On the back there's a 23 MP main camera which is considered the best smartphone camera around, while the front panel accommodates a 5.1 MP selfie snapper. It comes with 3 GB of RAM, fingerprint reader, 32 GB of internal storage, and microSD support up to 200 GB.

Sony's Xperia Z5 is $539.99 on Amazon. While the Black variant is expected to be back in stock on February 24th, the Gold and White models usually ship within 3 to 5 weeks.

Sony Xperia Z5 Compact

As its name suggests, Sony Xperia Z5 Compact is a compact version of the Z5. In fact is one of the few, if not the only compact smartphone on the market that comes with high-end specifications.

Xperia Z5 Compact has a glass and metal design and it's dust proof and water resistant with IP68 rating. It's upgradable to Android 6.0 Marshmallow, it has a 2,700 mAh battery, fingerprint reader, 32 GB on-board storage, 2 GB RAM, and microSD support up to 200 GB.

The handset is equipped with a 720p 4.6-inch IPS LCD screen and is powered by Qualcomm's Snapdragon 810 SoC based on four Cortex A53 cores at 1.5 GHz, foure Cortex A57 cores at 2.0 GHz, and Adreno 430 GPU. It has the same 23 MP / 5.1 MP camera combo like its bigger brother.

Because of its premium specs, Sony Xperia Z5 Compact comes at a premium price. It costs $449.99 on Amazon and it can be ordered here.

Source: Best Android Phones of February 2016

Apple Opposes Judge's Order to Unlock Shooter's Phone

Apple has vowed to challenge a judge's order to help the FBI access the cellphone of one of the San Bernardino shooters to aid in the investigation of the case.

Investigators obtained Syed Rizwan Farook's work phone with an authorized search warrant, but "has been unable to complete the search because it cannot access the phone's encrypted content," federal prosecutors said in a court filing.

"Apple has the exclusive technical means which would assist the government in completing its search, but has declined to provide that assistance voluntarily," prosecutors said.

But Apple responded early today with this statement to customers, signed by CEO Tim Cook:

A Message to Our Customers

The United States government has demanded that Apple take an unprecedented step which threatens the security of our customers. We oppose this order, which has implications far beyond the legal case at hand.

This moment calls for public discussion, and we want our customers and people around the country to understand what is at stake.

The Need for Encryption

Smartphones, led by iPhone, have become an essential part of our lives. People use them to store an incredible amount of personal information, from our private conversations to our photos, our music, our notes, our calendars and contacts, our financial information and health data, even where we have been and where we are going.

All that information needs to be protected from hackers and criminals who want to access it, steal it, and use it without our knowledge or permission. Customers expect Apple and other technology companies to do everything in our power to protect their personal information, and at Apple we are deeply committed to safeguarding their data.

Compromising the security of our personal information can ultimately put our personal safety at risk. That is why encryption has become so important to all of us.

For many years, we have used encryption to protect our customers' personal data because we believe it's the only way to keep their information safe. We have even put that data out of our own reach, because we believe the contents of your iPhone are none of our business.

The San Bernardino Case

We were shocked and outraged by the deadly act of terrorism in San Bernardino last December. We mourn the loss of life and want justice for all those whose lives were affected. The FBI asked us for help in the days following the attack, and we have worked hard to support the government's efforts to solve this horrible crime. We have no sympathy for terrorists.

When the FBI has requested data that's in our possession, we have provided it. Apple complies with valid subpoenas and search warrants, as we have in the San Bernardino case. We have also made Apple engineers available to advise the FBI, and we've offered our best ideas on a number of investigative options at their disposal.

We have great respect for the professionals at the FBI, and we believe their intentions are good. Up to this point, we have done everything that is both within our power and within the law to help them. But now the U.S. government has asked us for something we simply do not have, and something we consider too dangerous to create. They have asked us to build a backdoor to the iPhone.

Specifically, the FBI wants us to make a new version of the iPhone operating system, circumventing several important security features, and install it on an iPhone recovered during the investigation. In the wrong hands, this software — which does not exist today — would have the potential to unlock any iPhone in someone's physical possession.

The FBI may use different words to describe this tool, but make no mistake: Building a version of iOS that bypasses security in this way would undeniably create a backdoor. And while the government may argue that its use would be limited to this case, there is no way to guarantee such control.

The Threat to Data Security

Some would argue that building a backdoor for just one iPhone is a simple, clean-cut solution. But it ignores both the basics of digital security and the significance of what the government is demanding in this case.

In today's digital world, the "key" to an encrypted system is a piece of information that unlocks the data, and it is only as secure as the protections around it. Once the information is known, or a way to bypass the code is revealed, the encryption can be defeated by anyone with that knowledge.

The government suggests this tool could only be used once, on one phone. But that's simply not true. Once created, the technique could be used over and over again, on any number of devices. In the physical world, it would be the equivalent of a master key, capable of opening hundreds of millions of locks — from restaurants and banks to stores and homes. No reasonable person would find that acceptable.

The government is asking Apple to hack our own users and undermine decades of security advancements that protect our customers — including tens of millions of American citizens — from sophisticated hackers and cybercriminals. The same engineers who built strong encryption into the iPhone to protect our users would, ironically, be ordered to weaken those protections and make our users less safe.

We can find no precedent for an American company being forced to expose its customers to a greater risk of attack. For years, cryptologists and national security experts have been warning against weakening encryption. Doing so would hurt only the well-meaning and law-abiding citizens who rely on companies like Apple to protect their data. Criminals and bad actors will still encrypt, using tools that are readily available to them.

A Dangerous Precedent

Rather than asking for legislative action through Congress, the FBI is proposing an unprecedented use of the All Writs Act of 1789 to justify an expansion of its authority. The government would have us remove security features and add new capabilities to the operating system, allowing a passcode to be input electronically. This would make it easier to unlock an iPhone by "brute force," trying thousands or millions of combinations with the speed of a modern computer.

The implications of the government's demands are chilling. If the government can use the All Writs Act to make it easier to unlock your iPhone, it would have the power to reach into anyone's device to capture their data. The government could extend this breach of privacy and demand that Apple build surveillance software to intercept your messages, access your health records or financial data, track your location, or even access your phone's microphone or camera without your knowledge.

Opposing this order is not something we take lightly. We feel we must speak up in the face of what we see as an overreach by the U.S. government.

We are challenging the FBI's demands with the deepest respect for American democracy and a love of our country. We believe it would be in the best interest of everyone to step back and consider the implications.

While we believe the FBI's intentions are good, it would be wrong for the government to force us to build a backdoor into our products. And ultimately, we fear that this demand would undermine the very freedoms and liberty our government is meant to protect.

Tim Cook

Source: Apple Opposes Judge's Order to Unlock Shooter's Phone

Sony reveals new, smaller 22.5 megapixel smartphone camera sensor

By Sophia Sanchez on Feb 17, 2016 with Comments 0

Secondly, its hybrid autofocus system essentially combines contrast based and phase detection autofocusing.

We have had phone cameras with 3-axis stabilization (the LG G4, for instance), but the new Sony IMX318 is the first with 3-axis stabilization built into its internal signal processor. The combo has AF performance as fast as 0.03 seconds (and 0.017 seconds during 60fps video recording). Although generally speaking, a smaller sensor is better, the smaller pixel size on the new IMX316 compensates for the slightly larger sensor and brings the module's effective resolution to 22.5 megapixels. The company is already the leader in mobile camera sensors, so this new one should be just as great and it's likely that many manufacturers will adopt it for their high end devices. Sony isn't about to compromise the image capturing quality of mobile devices, irrespective of how thin they get which is why the company will be announcing its latest sensor. It features a 1.0μm pixel size, which makes the sensor smaller than its 20MP predecessor despite having more pixels. Sony's unique image stabilization technology incorporated into the IMX318 corrects not only camera shake, but also lens distortion, making for more attractive videos. As for the 3-axis electronic image stabilization feature for video recording purposes, the firm has stated that the sensor leverages the image stabilization technology that Sony has cultivated over its years developing cameras, and stabilizes video recording even with sufficient camera shake. Furthermore, because image stabilization is achieved by processing within the hardware of the image sensor, less power is used than when it is accomplished by software processing in the external application processor. The videos below give some comparisons between the IMX318 sensor and the sensor it is replacing.

The IMX318 uses 22.5 megapixels, which is a modest bump over the previous 20MP design. The sensor can record 4K resolution videos at up to 30fps, full-HD resolution videos at up to 120fps, and HD videos at up to 240fps.

Filed Under: Technology

Source: Sony reveals new, smaller 22.5 megapixel smartphone camera sensor

Caught on camera: What was Arun Jaitley showing on his mobile phone to Opposition leaders?

Delhi: An image of Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley along with senior leaders from Congress and CPI went viral on social media on Tuesday and raised a certain amount of curiosity.

In the picture, Jaitley is showing something on his mobile to three Opposition leaders, Anand Sharma, Ghulam Nabi Azad of Congress and D Raja of CPI.

As per NDTV, the photo was clicked after an all-party meeting called by Prime Minister Narendra Modi today.

Azad and Sharma is said to have walked out after the meeting and were waiting to speak to the media.

Then Jaitley also reportedly walked out within minutes, followed by Raja.

The report said that all four started talking and Azad appeared to be disagreeing on something and Raja was seen nodding in agreement.

After this the FM pulled out his iPhone 6s, following which all of them closed in and started watching the screen.

Jaitley, seemingly a little later, apparently triumphantly, kept his phone back in the pocket and looked at Azad and Sharma.

Azad was caught nodding while Sharma became thoughtful.

Later, Azad walked to the media podium and said that Congress did not endorse anti-India slogans.

He also said that his party did not support anyone challenging the Indian constitution.

According to NDTV, one of the four leaders later told the TV channel that an argument had started over the fact whether anti-India slogans raised at JNU campus were valid.

Congress leaders did not believe that it had happened, the report says and then to prove his point, Jaitley played the video clip showing slogan raising in the university.

Meanwhile, people on Twitter reacted in the following manner over the image:

Source: Caught on camera: What was Arun Jaitley showing on his mobile phone to Opposition leaders?

Despite Constant Phones And Cameras, Celebrities Are Wielding The Power Of Secrets

IDEAS Posted: February 15, 20164:20 pm

"The stars have gained an extra advantage lately because the financially challenged tabloids have less money these days to pay sources. Meanwhile, the stars get to both circumvent the media and to float an image of utter transparency through their promiscuous use of social media. In fact, that may only obscure them further."

Source: Despite Constant Phones And Cameras, Celebrities Are Wielding The Power Of Secrets