iCosmoGeek - The Technology News Blog

Everybody surprised during last month’s Mobile Congress 2012 event where Nokia announced the world’s first phone with a massive 41 megapixel camera. This resolution in fact tops most DSLRs and the professional high-end cameras. Well, megapixels don’t matter at all after a certain point. Read on… Before discussing about the latest Nokia phone hype, read what exactly a megapixel (MP or Mpx) from Wikipedia - “A megapixel (MP or Mpx) is one million pixels, and is a term used not only for the number of pixels in an image, but to express the number of image sensor elements of digital cameras or the number of display elements of digital displays. For example, a camera that makes a 2048 × 1536 pixel image typically uses a few extra rows and columns of sensor elements and is commonly said to have "3.2 megapixels" or "3.3 megapixels", depending on whether the number reported is the "effective" or the "total" pixel count (as opposed to the 2048 ...

Finally, Apple released its next iPad few hours ago. Before Apple’s event today, there were number of speculations that this ‘Resolutionary’ ( that’s what Apple is calling it on its official website )  device is called as ‘iPad 3’ or ‘iPad HD’. But, Apple just named this new product as just ‘ The new iPad’ . Perfect!     This naming convention makes sense if you think for long term. Just think about in future, does iPhone 13 or iPad 16 makes sense to you? This also makes sense if you think about the iPhone series. The current iPhone 4S is actually the fifth generation iPhone device, and the next iPhone series is the sixth generation and Apple may call it as iPhone 5. Err, may be or completely not. Hope Apple call the next iPhone just ‘iPhone’, instead of iPhone 5. This is just similar to MacBooks, iMacs or Apple TVs. Now, to summarize today’s Apple event, the Cupertino introduced tow new major products, along with new iOS update and software.   iOS 5.1 ...

Believe it or not, it is possible to service a computer from home. The best part is that it will only take around fifteen minutes a month to do so, but it will benefit the user in the long run as it will keep the computer stable, safe and optimized. Here is a checklist of the things that can be done on a regular basis, all of which are completely free of charge:             - Make backups of personal information. No matter how unobtrusive the following actions may be, it is always best to stay safe. So, before making any adjustments or alterations to a computer, backups would be an absolute must.              - Update the security patches and drivers on the computer. Windows usually has an automatic update service for these things and the majority of users out there choose to use this process, so that they won't have to run it manually. Before doing any virus scans, it would also be smart to...

If you have a geeky boyfriend or girlfriend and you really find it tough to impress him/her with the conventional roses, chocolates and teddies, then try something wacky that will get them noticing you and the gift in no time! Here are some weird gadgets that your beau is sure to adore this Valentines: 1. The 'Control Your Spouse' talking remote This talking remote will surely have your man or woman cracking up with the verbal one-off sounds and effects that will put your spouse back on track! Now the famous one-liners can be belted out with the help of a button mimicking the popular "What were you thinking?", "What about my needs?" or the "All right, hand over the credit cards!" and many more! You could buy this talking remote in either male or female varieties - which will make your love, think of you all the time!   2. The Human Key Kinky Holder These cute and geeky key holders shaped like a ‘male’ or a ‘fem...

For the past four months, I've used a stock iPhone 4S . That was not my choice as there wasn't a jailbreak for iPhone 4S. Today, I've jailbroken my iPhone 4S to experience the magic of Cydia! You are probably thinking – why should you consider jailbreaking your device? Some simple reasons are mentioned here despite many. First day screenshots from my new device -   The Notification Center - Notice the ‘Superman’ logo replacing the official carrier logo. Data, Time, free memory in the status bar. Instant call, One touch twitter, search google, spy cam, and more – all from the notification center     Home Screen – Look at the dancing Cydia icon on the dock screen. And count the number of icons on the dock!   Siri – This one is a baby out of many available tweaks from the big repository. You can tweet, open programs and more right from Siri.   Lock Screen – One more color tweak   Custom cosmoGeek Carrier Logo! (This is real...

The very first iPhone was launched on the 29th July 2007 and on that day, the world of mobile phones changed for ever. Other cell phone manufacturers cowered, whispering amongst themselves. No single phone blew its horn in challenge. And then came Android .     And today we are actually talking about 20 things that Android can do better than iPhones! 1. Android Supports Multiple Hardware Options About 10 brands of smartphones use Android OS at the moment, and the list is growing. iOS, on the other hand, is used only by iPhones and other Apple devices. 2. Android Runs Multiple Apps Simultaneously IPhone’s application multi-tasking is limited to email, iPod and Phone apps in the background. Android phones can run both system and Android marketplace apps at the same time. GPS data recording and app notifications continue to run even when the apps are closed. 3. Android Makes Us Life Easier Through Widgets On Android phones, you can launch appli...

Everyone has heard about how great iPhones are. They have apps, or applications, for just about anything you could need, they can communicate over wi-fi, and they can have as much memory and processing power as a laptop. Business executives use them to keep track of companies and teenagers use them to text and surf the Internet. While iphones have uses for almost everyone, there are certain features which make them especially useful for women. Useful Apps for Women Apps are one of the biggest attractions for iphones. Apps allow individuals to customize their iphones to do the things that interest them, from gaming to calculating. Many of these apps can be very useful for women. The iPeriod Ultimate app The iPeriod Ultimate app can help keep track of your periods, fertility, and ovulation to help you stay on top of your cycles. Many women have made a lot of use out of this app. Pocket First Aid Pocket First Aid is another app that can be very helpful. This app gives fi...

The recent drop test conducted by Apple for iPhones proved that these devices are pretty delicate as compared to the other Smartphones in the market. The drop test conducted on iPhone proved the fact that the glass cover easily breaks once the device falls down. However, Apple has embarked with an interesting kind of solution by introducing a new airbag for iPhone, iPad and iPad touch. This bag will assure a right kind of safety to these named devices. Besides, the company is also seen taking measures to work on the durability factor of these products. By this move the company is leaving no stone unturned to allow the consumers to opt the rival Smartphones. Digging deep into the Airbags   Apple described this new airbags for the Smartphone as “micro-inflatable bladder”, in their recent patent filled for the product. According to the company, the bag will be located between the body of the iPhone and the glass cover. Thus giving an extra support in terms of protection the mom...

If you’re looking to make some extra cash, you might want to try turning your efforts toward Craigslist’s local and free online classified ads. Craigslist has been around for a while, but it’s still a place that many people frequent. It’s a great place to meet people in your community for group activities or mutual interests, find or post a job, and buy or sell just about anything at all. If you use it correctly, you can find some great opportunities to earn some extra spending money. Start by signing up for a free account and finding your local page. There are Craigslist sites for hundreds of cities and regions across the country, so find the one or two closest to your location and get started. Wanted One of the easiest ways to earn some extra money on Craigslist is to browse the Wanted section. Here people place all kinds of advertisements of things they’re looking for. Lots of time people are looking for donations or items of little value, but there are also lots of people wi...

It’s raining tablets and smart phones everywhere. They all are packed with never heard of features and that too in real small packs. But a major drawback of any tablet or smart phone is its limited storage capacity. Even the top of the class devices cannot carry too many movies or audios. Those with expandable memories are too limited by inadequacy of flash drives. It seems hard drives would have been a better way out. And Seagate cared to come out with a solution. They released an external hard drive - GoFlex Satellite - capable of streaming data to iPads, Android tablets and even smartphones.   Good Goflex Satellite external drive looks similar to any Goflex Pro or Goflex Slim. However, it sports an internal battery and wi-fi connectivity. Size of the drive is 4.72X3.46X1.26 inch and weighs only 0.59 pounds 267.62 grams. GoFlex Satellite can store up to 500 gigabytes, which means you can take along your complete movie and music collection. Goflex Satellite ca...

This Wednesday, January 18, Wikipedia is going offline for 24 hours in protest of the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA). While Wikipedia announced that only the English version of the site will be offline, it could effect almost 25 million average visitors. Along with Wikipedia, big Internet names like Reddit, WordPress, Mozilla joins the black out protest.     So, what is this Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) all about? Before checking all those Facebook statuses, Twitter for SOPA, check it out this short video by Fight For the Future .   PROTECT IP / SOPA Breaks The Internet from Fight for the Future on Vimeo . SOPA and PIPA are two versions of the same anti piracy bill. The bill call these sites as ‘Rogue sites’ and the US Chamber of Commerce in a letter to the editor of the New York Times called - "Rogue Web sites that steal America's innovative and creative products attract more than 53 billion visits a year and threaten more than 19 million Ameri...

Your laptop’s just as good as how much battery power you have left, especially if you use it unplugged a lot. There is, of course, the option of leaving your laptop plugged in most of the time, but mobility - the main reason to get a laptop - does require you to be unplugged from time to time. And during these periods, you certainly will want to extend the life of your battery for as long as possible. The good news is that there are many practical things that you can do to make the most of whatever power you have in your laptop battery. Apply these tips and enjoy your laptop for a longer time without having to scramble around looking for a socket. Turn Wi-Fi and Bluetooth off when you do not need them. You may always want to be connected, and the chances are that in most places you go, you will have Wi-Fi access. However, this does not mean that you actually need to connect, and if battery life is an issue, turning off the Wi-Fi will definitely give you longer battery life. The ...

Good bye 2011! You won’t be missed in my life!! To write this last article for this year, I managed to combine most of the articles that are best of 2011 in this post. Sit back and read all these best articles on cosmoGeek and cheers 2012!     January 2011 Google releases Android 3.0 Honeycomb video Is the iPod Really That Much Greater than a Regular MP3 Player? What’s New in iOS 4.3? Print From Anywhere Using Google Cloud Print February 2011 Google: Microsoft Is Cheating and Copying Our Search Results FB Spam: I was logged into Facebook for XXX hours in 2010 Goodbye to Facebook ‘Share’ Button - ‘Like’ is the Future March 2011 Facebook Rolled Out New Commenting System Apple Announces iPad 2 – Thinner. Lighter. Faster. Windows 8 can be Installed in 8 Minutes, Restores in 2 Minutes Hoax! Facebook Will Not Use Your Photos In Ads How To Type Indian Rupee (₹) Symbol in Windows Google +1 – Google’s version of Face...

If you have an iPhone or an Android device, you’ve got apps. Games, organizers, calendars and various trackers can be found on virtually any mobile device. But do you have apps for your car? There are tons of apps for drivers; some are free and some will cost you but they are all useful. Here are our favorites: G-Park While it can be difficult to lose your car in the parking lot of an amusement park with their lot markers and landmarks, it is incredibly easy to misplace your car at the mall. If you frequently find yourself wandering through parking lot aisles searching fruitlessly for your car, this app is for you. When you exit your car, hit the ‘Park’ button and when you’re ready to find it, hit the ‘Where did I park?’ button. The app will guide you to your parking spot. Handy! Pocket Parking Meter Try to find someone who hasn’t been dinged by the parking police and you’ll be searching for quite a while. It’s easy to lose track of the time left on your meter, especial...

For all those Facebook chat fans, here is a cool trick to insert your profile picture as emoticon inside chat windows. In fact, this trick works with any of the profile pictures, Facebook pages. This means you can insert Mark Zuckerberg’s face or even Jessica Alba’s picture while chatting with your friends.     As shown in the above picture (leave those red rectangles), you can insert profile pictures of Facebook users and also pages inside chat windows. Steps: To test out, select one of your friends as a victim and start chatting! In the conversation, put your profile ID in double brackets. For example, the page https://www.facebook.com/cosmoGeek has cosmoGeek as the profile ID and https://www.facebook.com/pages/Alba-Jessica/304045381665 has 304045381665 as the profile ID. To insert above pages pictures as emoticons in the conversation, just type [[cosmoGeek]] or [[304045381665]] You can do the same thing for individual profile pictures of your f...

YouTube to mp3 websites are wonderful tools for anyone who enjoys listening to their music on YouTube and want it in mp3 format. In the digital age, it is certainly not unusual for people to see a video on YouTube that features great music they would love to have in their own personal collection. However, you cannot simply download a video and automatically get it in mp3 format. This is where conversion websites that provide a service comes handy. The YouTube to mp3 conversion tool is highly useful and extremely convenient. Simply go to google and type in "YouTube to mp3" and you are presented with a number of sites that provide this service for free. There is no need to download any software to your computer, which is great because the fact is, you never know what you might get -- malware included. The conversion tool is simple to use and is in fact a website that anyone with Internet access can venture to. All that is needed is a URL from YouTube, and you will be all...

So you finally gave in – you finally decided that it’s time to invest in an e-book reader.  But which one?  Apple’s iPad?  Amazon’s Kindle?  Noble’s Nook?  Choosing an e-reader may seem like an overwhelming task, but with the right information and the awareness of your particular needs, the choice should be a simpler one than you may think. Reader or tablet Are you looking for just a book reader, or do you want access to magazines and newspapers as well?  Do you want a device that allows you to browse the Internet, listen to music, and watch movies, or do you have your laptop for all of that? If all you’re looking for is a device on which to read books, and maybe newspapers and magazines, in black and white, a simple e-ink reader is your best – and cheapest – bet.  The $79 Amazon Kindle, not touch screen, is the least expensive, most basic option available.  You could also look into the Kindle Touch or Nook Simple Touch. For more versa...

Whether you’re a printer for your home office for the first time or just in need of a replacement, inkjet versus laser is a question that will be on your mind. Which should you choose? What is the best investment? The highest quality? Which is the right choice for you? There is no quick, easy answer to this question. When you’re trying to decide, you need to weigh a few different things concerning what you’ll be using the printer for. Each home business is different, and you’ll need to consider your own personal needs when deciding between an inkjet and laser printer. Here are some things you should think about that will help you make the best decision. Cost Depending on your budget, the cost may be one of the most important factors when choosing a printer. Traditionally, inkjet printers cost less than laser printers. This information alone may be the deciding factor for you if initial investment is an issue, but don’t act too quickly. If you base your decision on initial pric...

When Steve Jobs claimed that Google “stole” Apple’s innovation, today, the United States Trade Commission (ITC) agreed and all those HTC infringing products are banned from the US. This rule applies to several popular HTC products including Evo 4G, Droid Incredible, G2, etc. The rule applies to all Android HTC devices running 1.6 to 2.2 in the United States effective April 2012. Before reading all those long pages of patents and infringements, here is the main ‘copycat’ reason. CNN Fortune took an in-depth review of this patent and according to them, it works like this -   When an iPhone receives a message that contains a phone number or an address -- e-mail, Web or street -- those bits of data are automatically highlighted, underlined and turned into clickable links. Click on the phone number, and the iPhone asks if you want to dial it. Click on the Web address, and it opens in Safari. Click on the street address, and Maps will display it. Any Android phone will ...

We have seen many security loop holes in Android related to either malware, apps, custom carrier modifications. Now, 25 year old Android developer Trevor Eckhart has discovered an interesting piece of software that comes pre-installed on most Android, Blackberry and Nokia phones. It records everything you do from your phone. It can even grab your passwords and queries! Worse!       The below embedded video recorded by Trevor shows how it works. The spying software called Carrier IQ (developed by www.carrieriq.com ) secretly logs everything a user does with his phone including text messages, encrypted web searches, phone calls, location and you name as well! Carrier IQ as described on their website is a software meant to monitor user’s experience with a phone so that carriers and manufacturers can do quality control.     This 17 minute long video is lengthy but interesting. Fast forward to 8:45 for the actual scene. A unique identifier is ...