androidgreenflag: 2013

LOAD THE BEST APPS ON YOUR NOKIA LUMIA 2520

Nokia’s first ever Windows tablet, the Nokia Lumia 2520 is now on sale and customers all over are excited to open their tablets and get going! Which apps shine on the Nokia Lumia 2520’s beautiful 10.1” screen?

Let’s have a walkthrough of our favorites.

First off, you can’t deny that the Nokia Lumia 2520 is an entertainment powerhouse. With that exceptionally long battery life and stunning screen, apps such as Vevo, Netflix and Hulu+ just beg for your attention. It doesn’t matter if you’re catching a full movie while on a plane or watching your favorite Katy Perry video, these apps are sure to keep you entertained.

Also, for viewing entertainment that you have stored on your computer or other storage device, Plex has been redesigned specifically for the Nokia Lumia 2520. If you’re running Plex server on your Mac or Windows computer, you can view your videos or music on your Lumia 2520 all over your house. Or, thanks to Nokia Lumia 2520’s ClearBlack Display – while you’re out back on the deck.

Put Lumia 2520 to work

Nokia’s first tablet is a workhorse, too. As you may know, it has 2GB of RAM and has a full Microsoft Office suite pre-installed. In addition to Office, what apps help you get things done?

If you’re one to use cloud storage to help collaborate on documents, you’ll be happy to know SkyDrive is supported in all aspects of the Windows RT 8.1 experience. Alternatively, Dropbox and Box are in the Windows Store if your group uses these cloud storage services as well.

What if you have a file that you want to get from your Lumia phone to your Lumia tablet? phriz.be [LINK TO STORY] enables you to flick files from one device to another with the flick of a finger!

Lastly – to stay in touch with your co-workers, use the Windows RT 8.1 versions of Skype and Lync. They let you make voice calls, IM and even see each other face-to-face for video calls.

Capture media and tell the tale

If there’s one thing Nokia Lumia are good at – it’s capturing the memories you create in stunning photos and fantastic video. Nokia Storyteller takes the photos from your Nokia Lumia phone and gives you a timeline-based way of seeing and displaying your pictures. Also, you can see where you captured the memory with a Maps view powered by HERE Maps.

Nokia Video Director lets you create and edit video on the go on your Nokia Lumia 2520.

Speaking of tails (pun intended), let’s end with an exciting game that reacts to the world around you! Dragons Adventure is a stunningly beautiful game that comes from our collaboration with DreamWorks Animation. Powered by your location, this game changes with traffic, weather and other outside elements to keep your child entertained as you travel this holiday season.

POLL: WHAT'S ON YOUR CHRISTMAS WISH LIST?

As Noddy Holder from Slade once yelled – “It’s Christmas!” And he’s not wrong; it’s just days away.

Boys and girls from across the lands have been scribbling down furiously their most wanted items onto their Christmas wish list in the hope they’ll receive what’s written upon it.

Have you made yours? Of course, as Conversations readers you’ll have a number of Nokia products you want – nay, need!

But which Nokia product has made its way onto your wish list? We’ve created four separate polls split into different categories; Lumia, Asha, Feature phone and Nokia Gear. We’d like you to pick one from each category.

Xmas poll: Which Nokia Gear?

Nokia Power KeyboardNokia Bluetooth Stereo Headset BH-121Nokia Protective Cover for Nokia Lumia 1520Nokia Portable Wireless Charging Plate (DC-50)Camera Grip for Nokia Lumia 1020Nokia Universal Portable USB Charger (DC-19)Nokia Universal Portable USB Charger (DC-18)Nokia Wireless Charging Car Holder (CR-200)

VoteView Results Polldaddy.com

Thanks for the votes; we’ll revisit this next week to go through the results.

7 NOKIA LUMIA PHOTOGRAPHY COMMUNITIES YOU SHOULD JOIN TODAY

You only have to take a photo with the Nokia Lumia 1020 to see why we’re such enthusiastic photographers.

Its photos speak for themselves. But it’s not just the world’s best camera smartphone, which takes great shots. If you’ve got any one of the Nokia Lumia family, you’re pretty much sorted for snaps. But where do you go for more information, to share your masterpieces, or to ask for help? As a matter of fact, there’s a host of helpful photo communities out there, each heaving with Nokia Lumia experts and fans. Here’s seven we think you should check out right now.

Nothing but a Nokia

What is it: A Facebook group for Nokia mobile photography maestros

Why we love it: In 2007, writer and mobile-tech aficionado Patrick Hamilton started travelling the globe taking pictures as he went. His mission? To create an interactive journey via his phones’ apps and cameras, and social media. And boy did he succeed. What’s more, he’s got the book to prove it. Fast forward to the present day and his Facebook group has morphed into an amazing place for members, 6000 and counting, to share their pics, all taken on their Nokia smartphones. These ‘phonographers’ share various contributers post shots, including hashtags indicating which phones, apps and settings they’ve used, and there are weekly challengers for group members to tackle with their Nokia cameras. #nban all the way!

The mobile photography blog

What it is: A blog and photo-sharing forum

Why we love it: It’s an old-school messageboard where people share photos taken with mobile devices and other users leave comments. The guys behind it are a small group of friends, obsessed with all things mobile, who yearned for a photo-sharing site dedicated to mobile photography with a particular emphasis on high-definition imagery. It’s got a gallery and a blog (as the name might suggest) that features the best of the work submitted to the forum, and the main site also has sub-forums devoted to photo apps, mobile news, photographic techniques, photography chat and miscellaneous conversations. A mine of excellent information and advice, and a proper community of like-minded folk.

Nokia Lumia 1020

What it is: A Flickr group for Lumia 1020 users and their photographs

Why we love it: It’s simple – images and videos taken with the Lumia 1020 are uploaded for viewing and comments. For viewers, it’s beautiful – the pictures are awesome and it’s shocking, even to us, that these were all taken with a smartphone. For photographers, it’s a great showcase and easy to use, and you’ll be in good company – the stats show that as of this month, the Lumia 1020 is the most popular Nokia camera on Flickr. With shots like these, it might soon be the most popular smartphone camera on there, period.

Nokia Lumia 920 Gallery

What it is: A Flickr group for Nokia Lumia 920 users

Why we love it: Well, see above – like the 1020 platform, the Flickr group for the Lumia 920 has got stunning images and an excellent viewing interface, and it offers an accessible and easy way of getting feedback about your work from the public. You can check out the photostreams of the group’s top contributors for even more visual treats, and you can click on ‘map’ to see where the Lumia 920s have been snapping away.

Lumia Lens

What it is: A subreddit for Nokia Lumia photos

Why we love it: Reddit quite rightly, in our opinion, bills itself as the front page of the internet. One of the world’s top social news sites, Redditors submit content that they find interesting and other users vote them up or down the ranks. Once you go beyond its own front page you’ll find literally thousands of fascinating subreddits, the name given to particular areas of interest. In the case of r/LumiaLens, users post their Lumia-created photographs for other Redditors to enjoy. We love the democratic nature of it and the discussion the photos prompt. The rankings are user-generated and anyone can take part, after a simple sign up. Plus it’s a quick way of seeing just exactly how amazing Nokia Lumia cameras are.

The PureView Club

What it is: A website dedicated to PureView technology

Why we love it: It showcases the brilliance that is PureView, that’s why. It collates news and background info on PureView devices and all the pictures and films on the site are PureView babies. As well as blog entries with featured images and videos, it’s got a really informative forum that will help you with your technical and photographic skills. Whilst the founders are from The Netherlands, the site’s international and run through English. They’ve also got anassociated Flickr group that showcases images taken with Nokia smartphones that use PureView technology; for the uninitiated, that means the Noka 808 PureView and the Nokia Lumia 920, 925, 928 and 1020. Phew!

Instagram #Lumia1020

What it is: An Instagram tag that pulls up all photos tagged as taken with a Lumia 1020

Why we love it: Ah, Instagram: the hipster’s photosharing tool of choice! Instagram, a tool for treating and sharing pictures, has been on-trend for years now, and with pages like this one to advertise its results, it’s no surprise it’s popular. The genius of Instagram is the ease with which you can apply filters to your image to create the faded/vibrant/golden/monochromatic/saturated memories of your choice which you then share with your friends and followers at the click of a button. Thanks to tagging, we can see what’s been taken by a bunch of Lumia 1020 users – and the results, we’ve got to say, are staggering. While more a collective than a community, it’s well worth a dive in. And if you haven’t got a Lumia 1020, there are plenty of other Lumia hashtags to choose from.

Needless to say we’re massive fans of them all, but which of these super seven get you snapping away with happiness? Let us know in the comments below.

Xperia™ L added to our AOSP for Xperia project on GitHub [open source]

Today we’ve added Xperia L to our growing Android™ Open Source Project (AOSP) for Xperia devices, letting you build and flash Android 4.4 (KitKat) on your unlocked Xperia L. This is the first time we’ve added support for a device with the 1 GHz Qualcomm MSM8230 dual-core chip. Read more about the project and how to participate after the jump!

Current status of the AOSP for Xperia L project
Even though the software is not suited for everyday use, and important functions like Bluetooth™ and GPS are still disabled, there are actually a lot of things working already. It is possible to make phone calls, send and receive messages, surf the Internet through either the mobile network or Wi-Fi® connection, take photos and shoot video clips. The LED light, NFC and sensors are also working (at least partially).

Want to participate?
As for all of our AOSP for Xperia devices, all collaboration and contributions are handled through the GitHub tool. In the readme files, you’ll find all the instructions and information required to get started. Make yourself familiar with the code, and feel free to take a look at the ‘issue list’ to see where you might be able to help out and possibly add your own contributions to the code. And don’t forget to check out our other devices included in the AOSP for Xperia devices project.

More information
• Download Software binaries for Xperia L.
• Check out all of our AOSP for Xperia devices projects.
• Take a look at another AOSP-related device, the Sony Z Ultra Google Play edition.
• Learn more about our open inititative.

Huawei's E-band Microwave Products Help Orange Polska Obtain Higher Rate on Mobile Backhaul Network

Huawei, a leading global information and communications technology (ICT) solutions provider, announced that it has signed a frame agreement with Orange Polska for the supply of 2nd-generation E-band microwave products over the next two years.

Orange Polska is Orange S.A.'s biggest subnetwork in Northeast Europe. As the largest mobile operator in Poland, Orange Polska provides a range of mobile services including GSM, UMTS, and WLAN services. Orange Polska constantly develops mobile broadband services to improve average revenue per user (ARPU) and understands that mobile backhaul network construction is an important part of building core competence.

As microwave is one of the main mobile backhaul modes for Orange, Huawei is the IP microwave solution provider for Orange Polska and has cooperated with Orange Polska since 2011. At present, thousands of hops have been used on Orange Polska's networks. With Orange Polska's mobile broadband services developing rapidly, it has faced challenges with expensive frequency resources for traditional microwave products and difficult wireless site address acquirement impeding the bandwidth improvement for MBB services. However, Huawei's E-band 71-86 GHz microwave frequency bands address this by featuring abundant spectrum resources and favorable pricing for leasing sub-bands.

OptiX RTN 380, Huawei's second generation E-band microwave product, provides 2.5 Gbit/s bandwidth to meet Orange Polska's requirement for MBB service development. It supports AM and 1588v2 functions, and will effectively improve bandwidth utilization and facilitate Orange Polska's LTE construction in 2014. In addition, OptiX RTN 380 is easy to install, deliver, and use commercially. Orange Polska selected Huawei's E-band products after a series of admission tests in labs and verification tests at commercial sites, with Huawei now recognized as a long-term strategic partner for mobile backhaul development.

In addition to traditional enterprise-level E-band microwave products, Huawei is dedicated to the development of the 2nd-generation of carrier-class E-band microwave products. Since September 2012, Huawei's 2nd-generation E-band microwave products have been used commercially by operators such as VHA, Rostelcom, and ETK, pushing the mobile backhaul industry into a new era.

By 2025 it is estimated that 630 million people will live in 40 megacities around the world

Jared Cohen, Director of Google Ideas says that technology has gone from being a laughable sideshow to technology being integral to every single aspect of our lives. Cohen says that cities and governments should look at what technology can help its citizens.

http://www.ericsson.com/news/131213-by-2025-it-is-estimated-that-630-million-people-will-live-in-40-megacities-around-the-world_244129226_c

Globally, almost 50,000 people move from rural to urban areas every day

Greg Lindsey, author of The Way We'll Live Next asks what role is ICT going to play in shaping cities. Lindsey says that the smart phone enables us to see into buildings, find people and optimize existing infrastructure.

http://www.ericsson.com/news/131212-globally-almost-50000-people-move-from-rural-to-urban-areas-every-day_244129226_c

The OSS/BSS Agility Formula: Ecosystematic

With an Ecosystematic approach to your OSS/BSS, you can open up your unique assets to external partners to develop new services and create new revenue opportunities.

In the Networked Society, collaboration will be a key driver of profitable growth. With an Ecosystematic approach to your OSS/BSS, you can open up your unique assets to external partners to develop new services and create entirely new revenue opportunities.

http://www.ericsson.com/news/131212-the-ossbss-agility-formula-ecosystematic_244129226_c

Rogers – Bringing Simplified Personalization to Data Subscriptions

Analia Iapichino, Rogers, Canada, shares how they created easy-to-use data plans that gave customers self-care options and reduced the call center congestion.

Interviewed at the 21st Ericsson Charging User Group, Analia Iapichino, Sr. Manager, Data and Access, Mobile & Fixed Data Product Management, Rogers, shares how their 'tamp;ry before you buy' offer gave customers self-care solutions and easily upgradable plans.

http://www.ericsson.com/news/131212-rogers-bringing-simplified-personalization-to-data-subscriptions_244129226_c

SANDISK’S DR. MANUEL D’ABREU NAMED IEEE FELLOW

SanDisk Corporation (NASDAQ: SNDK), a global leader in flash storage solutions, today announced the IEEE has named Dr. Manuel d’Abreu a Fellow for contributions to the design of resilient manufacturing processes for electronic products. Dr. d’Abreu is a Fellow within SanDisk’s Corporate Engineering organization where his responsibilities include memory management, error correction and technical relations with universities.

The grade of Fellow is conferred by the IEEE Board of Directors upon a person with an outstanding record of accomplishments in any of the IEEE fields of interest. The total number selected in any one year cannot exceed 0.1 percent of the total voting membership. IEEE Fellow is the highest grade of membership and is recognized by the technical community as a prestigious honor and an important career achievement.

“Manuel’s recognition by the IEEE is a great honor, and we are proud that he shares this unique distinction with world-renowned technologists who have made important contributions to the fields of engineering and science,” said Sanjay Mehrotra, president and chief executive officer of SanDisk.

Dr. d’Abreu has more than 30 years of experience in the semiconductor industry. His experience and expertise spans the system-on-chip and system-in-package design, test and manufacturing disciplines, as well as flash storage technology and coding theory. Dr. d’Abreu is active within the professional high-technology community, and his activities include being an advisor to the National Science Foundation and an Adjunct Professor at Santa Clara University. His work has been published at more than 40 technical conferences and in industry journals, and he holds 24 patents with 15 more pending.

About the IEEE
The IEEE is a leading professional association for advancing technology for humanity. Through its 400,000 members in 160 countries, the IEEE is a leading authority on a wide variety of areas ranging from aerospace systems, computers and telecommunications to biomedical engineering, electric power and consumer electronics. Dedicated to the advancement of technology, the IEEE publishes 30 percent of the world’s literature in the electrical and electronics engineering and computer science fields, and has developed more than 900 active industry standards. The association also sponsors or co-sponsors nearly 400 international technical conferences each year.

About SanDisk
SanDisk Corporation (NASDAQ: SNDK), a Fortune 500 and S&P 500 company, is a global leader in flash storage solutions. For more than 25 years, SanDisk has expanded the possibilities of storage, providing trusted and innovative products that have transformed the electronics industry. Today, SanDisk’s quality, state-of-the-art solutions are at the heart of many of the world's largest data centers, and embedded in advanced smart phones, tablets and PCs. SanDisk’s consumer products are available at hundreds of thousands of retail stores worldwide. For more information, visit www.sandisk.com.

Opera launches the industry’s first commercial-grade Chromium/Blink engine designed for RDK set-top boxes

Opera Software launched an industry first in the TV operator and devices sphere. Now, pay-TV operators and their partners deploying the Reference Design Kit (RDK), a pre-integrated software bundle developed and licensed to create a common framework for powering IP or hybrid set-top boxes and gateway devices, can use the Chromium/Blink engine, via the Opera Devices SDK, in their set-top boxes.

The Opera Devices SDK integrates seamlessly into the RDK environment, replacing Qt/WebKit as the rendering engine and providing direct integration to the RDK ServiceManager and the RDK Media Framework from HTML/CSS/JavaScript applications.

Support for the RDK is an important step forward for the Opera Devices SDK. Opera´s Chromium/Blink SDK for the RDK greatly simplifies the path to outstanding web services in operator-controlled environments. What this means for set-top-box OEMs and operators is simple: cross-platform rendering of operator portals and web services, in addition to readily-available popular HTML5 web content in the form of TV apps. Blink brings the latest and greatest of web standards for making stunning UIs, in turn providing a slicker, more cost-effective way of getting the content that consumers want onto the platforms they use every day.

The RDK was developed to accelerate the deployment of next-generation video services and prevent software fragmentation by providing speed to market, collaboration and standardization. Supported by more than 100 licensees, RDK Management, LLC, was formed as a joint venture between Comcast Cable and Time Warner Cable to administer the RDK.

With the new Opera Devices SDK for RDK, operators can immediately start deploying custom, HTML5-based services, using state-of-the-art HTML5 features such as CSS animations and 3D transforms. The SDK also supports the most common DRM and adaptive-bitrate streaming formats. The transition to Chromium/Blink on RDK can begin, today.

“Delivering the Opera Devices SDK for RDK is a big milestone, not only for us, but also for any operator wishing to secure its HTML5 roadmap while improving time-to-market,” says Aneesh Rajaram, SVP for TV and Devices, Opera Software. “With a growing and engaged community, the RDK is quickly being embraced by CE manufacturers, SOC vendors and other software developers, system integrators and TV service providers around the world. Opera is proud to bring its experience to the RDK community, with over ten years of delivering web-browser SDKs to tens of millions of connected TV devices worldwide.”

Enabling TV apps to subscribers has never been easier
To further the reach of popular web content, Opera Software built a complete cloud-based HTML5 TV app platform, the Opera TV Store, which is now deployed on millions of connected TV devices manufactured by leading OEMs. Depending on the implementation choices of pay-TV operators for their next-generation set-top boxes, consumers may receive access to the Opera TV Store. The Opera TV Store contains hundreds of TV apps and uses the Opera Devices SDK, effectively providing operators with an easy-to-deploy solution. The growing number of TV apps includes popular content providers such as Vimeo, Facebook, TuneIn, The North Face, Associated Press, Fashion TV, and much more. With innovative toolkits such as Opera TV Snap, brands and content owners can quickly repurpose their online video inventory into HTML5-based TV apps, at zero cost.

In addition, the Opera Devices SDK is regularly tested and deployed with TV apps from leading content providers such as YouTube, BBC iPlayer, Hulu+, Spotify, and many others. The Chromium/Blink-based browser solutions from Opera Software are also available in the SDK for Linux and Android, for a whole range of chipsets and CPU architectures.

Opera powers the web experience on tens of millions of devices made by over 50 customers, including Sony, Samsung, TiVo, Humax, Arris, Cisco, Amino, TCL, Sharp, Vestel and Altech.

Be an early bird; book your visit to Opera Software at CES 2014, and get in on all the latest developments in the TV and devices space. Opera Software’s booth is located at South Hall S2, Lower Level, #MP25070, CES Meeting Place. To arrange a commercial or media meeting, contact zlauder [at] opera.com.

About Opera Software ASA
Opera products enable more than 350 million internet consumers worldwide to discover and connect with the content and services that matter most to them, no matter what device, network or location. In turn, we help advertisers reach the audiences that build value for their businesses. Opera also delivers products and services to more than 120 mobile operators around the world, enabling them to provide a faster, more economical and better network experience to their subscribers.
From family photos and funny videos to business ideas that change the world economy, the internet has always been about discovery. Whether you are a consumer getting online for the first time, or a multinational corporation trying to reach the right audience, Opera can help you discover more online.
Opera Software ASA is listed on the Oslo Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol OPERA. ‘Opera’, ‘Opera Software’, ‘Opera Mini’ and the ‘O’ logo are trademarks of Opera Software ASA. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. Learn more about Opera at www.opera.com.

EE HAS BEEN NAMED THE ROOTSCORE AWARD WINNER IN LIVERPOOL BY ROOTMETRICS

EE has been named the RootScore Award Winner in Liverpool by RootMetrics, an independent consumer advocate.

More than 25,000 mobile performance tests were completed, comparing the performance of EE, Vodafone, O2 and Three. EE came first in every category, coming joint top for Call & Text Performance and top for Mobile Internet.

The report findings showed average download speeds of 24.5 Mbps and average upload speeds of 15.1 Mbps for EE customers in the Liverpool area. These results were nearly 7 Mbps faster for downloads than any other mobile operator.

EE first rolled out 4G services in Liverpool in October 2012 and launched double-speed 4G services in July 2013. EE’s 4G services enable local residents and businesses to access the web on the go in an instant; download large email attachments quicker than ever; hold video calls; watch live TV on the move without buffering; and play live multiplayer games on the go.

Entertainment, entertainment, entertainment

Opera TV Store brings video-on-demand from Sony LIV and BIGFlix to Sony BRAVIA TVs

Sony and Opera Software announce the launch of two new Indian-entertainment apps in the Opera TV Store for Sony BRAVIA internet TVs. These new apps are Sony LIV, Multi-Screen Media’s (Sony Entertainment Network) Video-on-Demand service, and BIGFlix, which is India's leading movie-on-demand service by Reliance ADAG.

The Sony LIV app offers 18 years of rich and exclusive content from Sony Entertainment Television, covering genres including drama, comedy, thriller, reality shows and many more. It offers users their favorite current and classic shows from Sony, through a single log-in, seamless and engaging experience. The app also packs in features including multi-bitrate video streaming, which provides users with better quality videos, based on their internet connection speed. Now, Bravia users can enjoy all their favorite shows with a click of remote button whenever they want.

The Opera TV Store also brings Bollywood closer to BRAVIA users. BIGFlix subscribers can stream HD movies from an impressive catalog of over 1500 films from across genres such as action, comedy, drama and romance, as well as offering over 10 languages including Hindi, English, Telugu, Tamil, Bengali and Punjabi. BRAVIA users also get to enjoy a 3-month Unlimited Subscription from BIGFlix.

The Opera TV Store is Opera Software’s HTML5 application platform for internet devices, with exciting web apps optimized for big-screen TVs including the Sony BRAVIA internet TV. App categories span Video (the most popular category), Music, Social Networking, Games and News and Information, making it easier for users to discover and enjoy the extensive app portfolio. Sony LIV, BIGFlix and hundreds of other interesting apps from the Opera TV Store can be accessed by a single touch on the "SEN" button of the BRAVIA remote.

“There is an increasing appetite in India for on-demand content. The introduction of these apps will help viewers to easily consume their favorite videos from TV serials and movies whenever they want,” says Mr. Tadato Kimura, Head of Marketing, Sony India. “We have always striven to provide the best viewing experience. BRAVIA TVs are equipped with Triluminos display and easy internet connectivity options, as well as providing amazing picture quality.”

“Opera's web products for TV are all about bringing the top brands and exciting content closer to viewers, and the Opera TV Store makes it easy to achieve this vision," says Aneesh Rajaram, Senior Vice-President for TV & Devices at Opera Software. "We are glad to synergize with partners like Sony, Sony LIV and BIGFlix to help users get more out of their TV viewing experience.”

The Opera TV Store application platform has already shipped on tens of millions of devices, including Internet TVs and Blu-ray Disc players. Also, using Opera TV Snap, a next-generation TV-app technology with the ability to transform online video channels into apps for connected TV, content providers can quickly create their TV apps to be distributed through the Opera TV Store at no cost. For more information, click here.

About Sony India Pvt. Ltd.
Sony India is one of the most recognized consumer electronics brand in the country, with a reputation for new age technology, digital concepts and excellent after sales service. In India, Sony has its footprint across all major towns and cities in the country through a distribution network comprising of over 18,000 dealers and distributors, more than 300 exclusive Sony outlets and 25 branch locations. Sony India also has a strong service presence across the country with 356 service outlets. Manned by customer friendly and informed sales persons, Sony’s exclusive stores ‘Sony Center’ are fast becoming the most visible face of the company in India. A distinctive feature of Sony’s service is its highly motivated and well-trained staff that provides the kind of attentive and sensitive service that is rare today.

About Opera Software ASA
Opera products enable more than 350 million internet consumers worldwide to discover and connect with the content and services that matter most to them, no matter what device, network or location. In turn, we help advertisers reach the audiences that build value for their businesses. Opera also delivers products and services to more than 120 mobile operators around the world, enabling them to provide a faster, more economical and better network experience to their subscribers.
From family photos and funny videos to business ideas that change the world economy, the internet has always been about discovery. Whether you are a consumer getting online for the first time, or a multinational corporation trying to reach the right audience, Opera can help you discover more online.
Opera Software ASA is listed on the Oslo Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol OPERA. ‘Opera’, ‘Opera Software’, ‘Opera Mini’ and the ‘O’ logo are trademarks of Opera Software ASA. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. Learn more about Opera at www.opera.com.

LG RECOGNIZED FOR ADVANCED SPEECH AND GESTURE RECOGNITION INNOVATIONS

LG’s Smart TV Advanced Speech and Finger Gesture Recognition Receive

World’s First Certificate of Validation from UL

LG Electronics’ (LG) Smart TV advanced speech and finger gesture recognition functions have been validated by globally respected product testing and inspection body, (UL) Underwriters Laboratories. The advanced speech and finger gesture functions found in LG’s newest premium Smart TVs are the key components of an intuitive and enjoyable user experience.

“Being the first to receive UL certificate of validation for Smart TV features is confirmation of our innovation’s uniqueness and innovation,” said Do-joon Lee, Vice President and head of the UX Division in LG’s Home Entertainment Company. “We are committed to advancing the Smart TV experience to bring greater convenience to people’s lives.”

For speech recognition, UL assessed how well the function comprehended spoken commands, the speed with which those commands were processed, LG’s finger gesture feature was measured in terms of movement-tracking accuracy and the effectiveness of its specialized functions.

The advanced speech and finger gesture recognition functions will be available starting in 2014 on LG Smart TV running the new operating system. The finger gesture feature is also compatible with the built-in camera or LG’s plug-in camera accessory.

Visitors to the LG booth at the International Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2014 in Las Vegas will have the opportunity to try out LG’s cutting-edge Smart TV technologies for themselves.

SAMSUNG Brings Reference Design Kit Technology to Set-Top Box Line to Support Multiplatform Cable Entertainment

RDK to enable accelerated development of next generation video services

At The TV of Tomorrow Show 2013, Samsung Electronics America, Inc., a leader in digital media and digital convergence technologies, announced that it has licensed the Reference Design Kit (RDK) from RDK Management LLC in order to significantly accelerate the Set-Top Box(STB) and Gateway development cycle, and deliver a rich, multiplatform home entertainment experience.

The Reference Design Kit (RDK) is a pre-integrated software bundle developed and licensed to create a common framework for powering IP or hybrid Set-Top Boxes and gateway devices for CE manufacturers, system-on-a-chip (SoC) vendors, and other software developers, system integrators and TV service providers. The RDK was developed to accelerate the deployment of next-generation video services and prevent software fragmentation by providing speed-to-market, collaboration and standardization. Supported by more than 100 licensees, RDK Management, LLC was formed as a joint venture between Comcast Cable and Time Warner Cable to administer the RDK. More information is available at http://www.rdkcentral.com

“As a leading provider of Pay TV CPE worldwide, Samsung recognizes the value of a common platform,” said Stephen Goldstein, Vice President and General Manager, STB at Samsung Electronics America’s Enterprise Business Division. “The RDK allows Samsung to deliver devices to operators faster and with broader scale. Samsung has already begun deploying Set-Top Boxes based on the RDK and we look forward to more RDK-based projects in the United States and abroad.”

“One of our goals with the RDK program is to accelerate development of an advanced software solution throughout the industry, which allows MVPD’s the opportunity to provide enhanced user experiences across a broad set of STB, gateway, and SoC platforms," said Steve Heeb, President and General Manager of RDK Management, LLC. “Samsung’s support of the RDK helps expand it as global platform available to operators around the world.”

About RDK Management, LLC
RDK Management, LLC is a joint venture between Comcast Cable and Time Warner Cable, and supported by more than 100 licensees, to administer the Reference Design Kit (RDK). Developed to accelerate the deployment of next-generation video services and prevent software fragmentation, the RDK is a pre-integrated software bundle developed and licensed to create a common framework for powering IP or hybrid set-top boxes and gateway devices for CE manufacturers, SOCs vendors and other software developers, system integrators, and TV service providers. For more information please visit http://www.rdkcentral.com

About Samsung Electronics America, Inc.
Headquartered in Ridgefield Park, NJ, Samsung Electronics America, Inc. (SEA), is a recognized innovation leader in consumer electronics design and technology. A wholly owned subsidiary of Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., SEA delivers a broad range of digital consumer electronics, IT and home appliance products. Samsung is the market leader for HDTVs in the U.S and America’s fastest growing home appliance brand. To discover more of the award-winning products you love with Samsung, please visit www.samsung.com.

About Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. is a global leader in technology, opening new possibilities for people everywhere. Through relentless innovation and discovery, we are transforming the worlds of televisions, smartphones, personal computers, printers, cameras, home appliances, LTE systems, medical devices, semiconductors and LED solutions. We employ 270,000 people across 79 countries with annual sales of US $187 billion. To discover more, please visit samsung.com.

Sony SmartWatch 2 -- fitness and active lifestyle with the Runtastic app

With the new Sony SmartWatch 2 you can keep up-to date with everything fitness through the new Runtastic app, optimized for the Sony Smartwatch 2.

Monitor your progress with the active lifestyle and fitness apps, even when your phone is in your pocket and you're listening to music on the go.

#SmartWatch2: new software update & the best active lifestyle and fitness apps

This is the third post in our mini-series looking at the many sides to our SmartWatch 2 phone remote and, with a new year on the way, what’s better than having some fitness apps up your sleeve ready for your January fitness regime?

But first…those of you who already own SmartWatch 2 will be pleased to know that we’ve recently launched an update of the SW2 app. The latest version features improved UI, larger fonts, auto light sensing, fast scroll, new watch faces and lots more. It’s a significant update so enjoy! You can either wait for your handset to auto install or download from Google Play.

Right then, on with the post. It’s time to beat the bulge with the latest SmartWatch fitness apps:

Runtastic PRO

It’s the app that every fitness freak needs! With Runtastic you can map and track fitness activities such as running and biking, but you can also track cardio workout progress such as time, distance, elevation, calories and more.

Using SmartWatch 2 you can keep an eye on your progress as you work out and while you’re at it, why not share your sports activities on Google+, Facebook or Twitter?

Walkmate

Count your steps every day and find out the distance you’ve walked and the calories you’ve burned. This app is seriously social – share your progress on your social channels so you can measure your performance (or just show off!) against your friends. SmartWatch 2 is there to keep you focussed as you go.

GPS Maps

… because there’s always a chance you get lost while going about your work-out routine. With GPS Maps for SmartWatch 2, you’ll be able to see your current location and navigate to where you need to be – all from the wrist.

Speedometer / Compass

Challenge yourself! Measure your run-time, distance and maximum speed. For those of you who struggle with a sense of direction, it even has a compass to show the direction of North in relation to the direction of where you’re going.

That’s all for this episode. Don’t forget to have a look at our previous SmartWatch posts featuring social and lifestyle apps. Next time, get yourself suited and booted as we’ll be focusing on the best SmartWatch 2 apps for business.

See you there.

Album, Movies and WALKMAN - New generation Media Apps from Sony

The new generation of Media Apps from Sony make it even easier to discover, enjoy and share your content, all from one place - your Xperia smartphone using the best of Sony technologies.

The "Album" app brings all your on and offline photos and videos into one place, with intuitive sorting, automatic tagging and Pinch Grid Zoom for added detail.
The "WALKMAN" app gives you perfect sound optimisation, and seamless access to online music through Music Unlimited. Clear Audio+ presents your music with soul-shaking clarity, while you can easily navigate to your personal favourites and recommendations from friends. The "Movies" app will resume the last movie you watched whenever you pause, and with personalised recommendations from Gracenote, you can choose from your own movies or thousands online through Video Unlimited.

With any Sony Media app, you can connect wirelessly to a TV or speaker with just one-touch - get the big screen, big sound, right in your living room.

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