Tuesday, December 18, 2018

SmartHome Revolution



There are many mundane tasks in life we have to do and managing them all isn’t easy. We can’t water the plants when we are out, we can’t control all the home appliances with a single remote, we can’t monitor our home security devices from anywhere in the world, we can’t make our televisions intelligent by analyzing our watching trends or we can’t access the internet and do computation in our televisions, or to alter the lighting or heating we had to get up, leave the comfort of the sofa or bed. With all the hustle and bustle of work life, these all small things become a difficult headache to manage.

Looking at the present scenario, these all might sound line stone age problems now because there has been a solution to all these above problems. It works on the internet, brings all the devices connected in our house to a common point and analyzes our data for the further improvement of our lives.

The devices that make it all sound like stone age problems are smart home devices. Smart home devices are residence oriented internet-connected devices that enable the remote monitoring and management of various appliances and systems, like locking, lighting, heating, AC, to name a few.  They all use your home WiFi connection and can sometimes also monitor your usage in order to further improve the user experience and also to artificially recommend suggestions.

Evolution of technology has changed our lives for the better. The inventions of computers, the internet, mobile phones and other devices provide for better-improved living experience. These devices deliver us the full functionality to the comfort of our sofas and beds.

Some of the major phases of day-to-day life that have been changed for better by smart devices are communication, improved health facilities, enhanced education levels, and general productivity.

As of now, there are many smart home devices available in India, thanks to their wide range on Flipkart. These devices not only are affordable but also provides you a greater range of functionality and impeccable user experience. I have listed below some of the useful smart home devices that every household or individual must have.

Google Home


When it comes to smart home technologies, there is only one winner - Google. And Google Home is the best. Period. #SmartHomeRevolution

Fitness bands


Fitness trackers have a variety of different functions, and some of them work better than others. Here’s a rundown of what fitness bands can do:

1. Keep track of  your progress
2. Free workout tips
3. Helps in setting achievement goals
4. Monitoring your health
5. Helps you stay motivated 
6. Monitor your diet regularly

There are many fitness bands available in the market today. I find FitBit to be the most useful one. Here is the Flipkart link. You can check out other Smart Wearables on FLipkart. #GetFitWithFlipkart 

Smart Home Hubs and Controllers


WinkHub 2 is the winner here. The Wink Hub 2 works with devices that use Z-Wave, Zigbee, Lutron Clear Connect, Kidde, Bluetooth, and Wi-Fi. It is also for the future. That includes just about everything in the smart home spectrum, from Philips Hue lighting and the Netgear Arlo camera, to Google Home. It's the most reliable, widely supported hub and has been recommended by manly tech magazines

Smart Plug


TP-Link HS100 smart plug comes pretty close to doing almost everything. It lets you easily control gadgets and appliances from your smartphone while delivering an unparalleled level of third-party smart home integration. Not only does it support Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant voice control, but it also works with Apple HomeKit, Nest, Samsung SmartThings, and Wink. It lacks energy monitoring but makes up for it with robust scheduling options, an intuitive app, and painless installation.

Smart Home Surveillance Camera


Onvif p2p smart home camera a full-featured home smart security camera that not only works as a standalone device, but can be incorporated into an iSmartAlarm DIY security system. The camera is full of useful features including a powerful 1080p image sensor, motion and sound detection, mechanical pan and tilt, time-lapse and event-triggered video recording, and a motion-tracking feature that allows the camera to follow a person around the room. Throw in free cloud storage, an SD card slot for local storage, and support for IFTTT integration, and you've got a killer indoor security cam.

Smart Locks and Home Security Systems


The Yale YDR3100. This third-generation smart lock offers all the bells and whistles and adds a few new features, including bluetooth compatibility, and Wi-Fi connectivity. It's easy to install and can be controlled remotely or with Alexa, Google Assistant, or Siri voice commands, and it retains the sleek aesthetics of its siblings. It's pricey, but it's the best smart lock I have ever used. 

Smart Lighting


Philips Hue is the best smart light and smart LED blub I have ever used. The Philips Hue line delivers with bulbs that let you control not only the intensity of the light, but also the color. It can get pricey, to be sure, but the Hue ecosystem has been around long enough that it works with just about every other system out there, from Alexa, to IFTTT, to Siri 

Smart TV


Mi LED Smart TV is the best affordable smart TV in the market as of now. It is quite slim and also the picture quality is perfect. It offers you a complete android based ecosystem, and you can easily sync your smart phone with it and Netflix and chill.

Friday, June 5, 2015

Yahoo Maps and few other services to shut down



Yahoo Inc will be shutting down its Yahoo Maps and few other services as it will try to focus more on search and digital content.


In a blog post, Yahoo's Chief Architect Amotz Maimon said "At Yahoo, we continue to focus on our key product pillars: search, communications and digital content. Part of that focus includes taking a hard look at our existing products and services, and ensuring our resources are spent smartly and with a clear purpose. Ultimately, we want to provide you with the best products, platforms and experiences possible."

The blog post said stated that the Yahoo Maps service will close at the end of June this year. However, other interdependent Yahoo services like Flickr will continue to support the maps.

Monday, June 1, 2015

Asus ZenFone Selfie with 13MP front camera unveiled at Computex 2015

The Taiwanese mobile phone giant Asus has officially announced its Zenfone Selfie smartphone featuring a 13MP front and rear cameras at Computex 2015.

Specifications of the Asus Zenfone Selfie:

  • OS- Android 5.0 Lollipop with Asus ZEN UI
  • Processor- Qualcomm Snapdragon 615 octa core SoC
  • GPU- Adreno 405 (clock speed of 1GHz)
  • 5.5 inch full HD display with resolution of 1080x1920 pixels
  • RAM- 2GB


The front camera of the Zenfone Selfie has f2.2 aperture, 24mm wide-angle lens and 88 degrees wide angle support. The rear camera has f2.0 aperture and 28mm lens. The phone also supports an optional Swing attachment that allows you to take more effective selfies as well as use the attachment as a kickstand.




The phone will be available in different variants of 3GB and 4GB RAM also and with different storage capacities like 16GB, 32GB and 64GB. As of now, there is no word on pricing. 

You might also like to check Asus' new wearable called the ZenWatch 2. Click here to know more.

Saturday, February 14, 2015

Asus Zenfone - My Ideal Valentine

#UnconditionalLove with Asus Zenfone



So it is Valentine's Day and I am sitting in my home, with my Zenfone 5, preparing for boards. So no girl loves me this valentine's and also none loved me one the other days. But suddenly I hear my Zefone 5 whisper ' I love you'.


Asus Zenfone 5




  • Display: 5 inches IPS panel with 1280x720 resolution (294ppi)
  • Battery: 2110mAh
  • Storage: 8GB, expandable via microSD card
  • Camera: 8MP rear with LED flash, 2MP front
  • SoC: Intel Atom Z2560
  • CPU: 1.6GHz dual-core
  • GPU: PowerVR SGX544MP2
  • RAM: 2GB
  • Operating system: Android 4.3, upgradeable to kitkat(4.4)
  • Connectivity: 3G, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Dual-SIM

Asus Zenfone 6



  • Display: 6 inches IPS panel with 1280x720 resolution
  • Battery: 3300mAh
  • Storage:  16GB, expandable via microSD card
  • Camera: 13MP rear with LED flash, 2MP front
  • SoC: Intel Atom Z2560
  • GPU: PowerVR SGX544MP2
  • RAM: 2GB
  • Operating system: Android 4.3, upgradeable to kitkat(4.4)
  • Connectivity: 3G, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Dual-SIM


Reasons as to why I fell in love with Asus Zenfone


Super cool Camera


The Zenfone 5 is packed with a superb 8MP while the Zenfone 6 offers an 18MP camera. Both phones offers various camera functionality and various photo modes. The Zen UI makes it even more easier to interact with the camera. Low light mode is quite effective. Of all camera features, I liked Depth of Field mode the most.  The details that this mode brings are outstanding. Being a photography lover (check out my photography blog), I fell in love <3 with it at the very first instant.....(dekha jo tujhe yaar dil mein baji guitar).

Here are some photos taken by me with Zenfone 5 (Source: my instagram)





Asus Zen UI


The Asus Zen UI is user friendly and effective. The shortcuts listed in the notification panels are useful. Also it takes no time to surf from one app to another. Another striking feature of the Zen UI can be seen with the flip cover on. The clock and torch shortcut provided in the locked mode comes in handy.




Fantastic Display


The Zenfones are provided with a grand display. The Asus TruVivid technology offers brightness and colour resolution like none. Movie experience has been made more enjoyable. In short, someone like me will look handsome when seen in Zenfone.  Huh.



Incredible Performance


Packing a 1.6 GHz Intel dual core processor, PowerVR GPU and 2 GB RAM, one would enjoy flawless performance on the Zenfones. It seriously works faster than many human brains to say the least. You wouldn't find any glitches in it. When it comes to running hardcore games like Injustice: Gods among us and FIFA 15, the Zenfone provides more greater performance than many other high end smartphones



Price


Another factor that made me fall in love with the Zenfone was its cheap price. You wouldn't find such a GREAT phone in such a low range. I had spend more money on girls, but still couln't find a true love. Zenfone, I barely spent any money on you and now you and I are soul mates.

http://www.flipkart.com/asus

You can buy Zenfones from here (flipkart links)



Wednesday, February 11, 2015

10 TV shows to watch before you die

There are some TV shows that you ought to watch before you die. If you didn't watch them, then your life in Earth is going to end in vain. It will be disrespectful to the world and I don't want to live in that world. So folks, tune into the channels and watch these shows. Remember..You Only Live Once

10. Big Bang Theory


Why? - Ever wondered how life would be like if we didn't had geeks and nerds? And how a geek can score a sexy girl like Penny?



Honorable mention-  Swag is for boys and class is for men.



9. Californication


Why?- Because Hank Moody is too cool for school.



8. Prison Break


Why?- Because you have never seen a guy with tattoos of the map of a prison on his torso. And how he manages to break his brother, who was convicted for killing the President, out of jail.


7. The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes (1984 Jeremy Brett series)


Why?- If you are a crime fiction fan and want the TRUE essence of Sherlock Holmes, the you got to watch Jeremy Brett as Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes. Each and every episode of the series is intriguing and the plot and the cast marvelous. Sorry Robert Downey Jr., but you suck as Sherlock Holmes.



6. Suits


Why?- Harvey Specter's winning personality and quotes invigorates me. It will do the same to you.



5. House of Cards


Why?- Oops. Spoilers of the first 10 episodes of its season 3 were online early. It ruined many lives.


4. Spartacus


Why?- Classic action and realistic fighting scenes coupled with tremendous graphic and story line. This one show is sure to leave you awestruck



3. Sherlock


Why?- Has 9.3 rating in IMDb. Portrays modern Sherlock Holmes. The plot is intriguing. Plus Benedict Cumberbatch won an Emmy.



2. Breaking Bad


Why?- Because one of its episode has 10/10 rating in IMDb. And that reason speaks for itself.



1. Game of Thrones


Why?- History's most pirated show and my all time favourite. It holds an IMDb rating of 9.5, the highest by any film or series. So, stop wasting time and watch this.






Thursday, April 17, 2014

Get Cortana in India or outside USA

The advanced voice assistant for Windows Phone 8.1 Cortana is only available in the USA as of now. Microsoft will roll out Cortana in UK now, followed by China. Other countries will get it in 2015. So, if you can't wait for that long, follow these steps.


Change your region and language

Go to Settings>Language and change the language to English (USA). It is compulsory to change the language to this. Restart your phone now. 



Now to change the region, go to Settings>Region and change and change the region to United States. Restart your phone now.

Now you are ready to use Cortana. You can find the Cortana icon in the app list.





Note: Changing your phone region will affect your payment options. So during payment change the region to your country. Also, you won't face any problems after changing the region.

How to install Windows Phone 8.1 Developer Preview

Windows Phone 8.1 Developer Preview is now available for download. Downloading it is not a big deal. There isn't any issue that you will face. To know more, click here. Follow these simple steps:

Register as a Windows App developer


You can register for free as an app developer in the App Studio. Go to http://appstudio.windowsphone.com/ and register yourself before you can download the developer preview.

Download the app 'Preview for Developers'


From the Store, download 'Preview for Developers' to install the developer preview. Click here to get the app
Now open the app and check the box next to 'Enable Preview for Developers'. Tap done to enroll yourself to get the developer preview

Downloading and Installing the update


Go to Settings>Phone Updates to check for update and download it!

Now you are ready to use Windows Phone 8.1 Developer Preview!



SmartHome Revolution

There are many mundane tasks in life we have to do and managing them all isn’t easy. We can’t water the plants when we are out, we c...