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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Watch more Xperia Z1 videos: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=blUhgO...
Find out more about the Xperia Z1:http://www.sonymobile.com/xperia-z1 
Subscribe to the Xperia YouTube channel:http://bit.ly/XperiaSubscribe

Sony’s WALKMAN app update rolling for Xperia Z1, and more…

We have a new version of Sony’s WALKMAN app rolling*, and as part of our behind the scenes series, we managed to catch up again with Maiko Ishida, Senior Experience Planner for Sony’s WALKMAN app to tell us a little more about it.

Maiko: My developer team and I have been reading social, blog and forums to get your feedback on Sony’s WALKMAN’s app; working away to make the changes and improvements you’ve voiced as important.

As a result of all the comments, we’ve adjusted our priorities and added in a few new ideas to make the best music player together with you.

So now we are ready to share some of the updates that will be delivered to you from this week! The latest WALKMAN update (version 8.0.A.0.4) brings pretty significant changes – I’ll take you through the highlights now…

We saw many of you finding our “smart” playlist functionality useful, but also suggesting new additions, so we’ve added:

• “Newly added” playlist
• “Most played” playlist
• “Now playing” indicator for songs, albums and playlists

Some of our Music Unlimited* fans asked for the ability to save playlists shared by friends… well, now here you go:

• “Save a friend’s shared playlist function”

We also noticed many, many TrackID™ users were reviewing their search history over and over. Why? Because it represents a list of tracks you really liked when you first heard them on radio, cafe, etc.

This got us thinking; wouldn’t it be sweet if you had your TrackID™ history as a WALKMAN playlist, with automatic track collation, so you could listen whenever you wanted? Now we’ve added it in this release:

• “TrackID™ history playlist**”

That’s all well and good, but say you’re not a Music Unlimited subscriber yet; you might be unsure of your favourite tunes residing in the catalogue (despite the fact it’s over 22 million songs)? No problem. We’ve added a 30-second free preview mode to every track in Music Unlimited’s library.

• “30sec free preview of every track in Music Unlimited’s library”

There’s no limits – we’re also offering free trial periods to listen to full tracks, and to use it on offline environment.

We working continuously on performance enhancements and fixes, with even more updates planned. Some of them take a little time to come together, but we’re confident where we’re going is: the best, most beautiful music player available – something completely unique and recognisably, Sony.

The update rolls globally this week for Xperia Z1, as well as Xperia Z Ultra, Xperia Z, Xperia ZL and Xperia Tablet Z.

Hope you enjoy this release – let us know, we’re listening 

Maiko.

* Timing & availability may vary by market

** Availability may vary by market

*** TrackID™ History playlist will be available to Music Unlimited regions

*** TrackID™ app also need to be updated with the latest version

New SwiftKey beta brings emoji and number row!

Hi everyone,

Today brings an exciting new SwiftKey keyboard beta which delivers some of your most requested features including emoji support for over 500 fun images and an optional number row for those who want quicker access to number keys.

SwiftKey 4.5 beta is free to download from today and we look forward to receiving your feedback over at the VIP forum as we work on improving them.

Download: http://bit.ly/skemojibeta

Here is more detail on the new features included:

Classic emoji:
Choose from more than 500 emoji across five categories: people, objects, nature, places and symbols. This update introduces a popup panel with tabs for each category so you can manually select the emoji of your choice.

Emoji word match:
As you type one of hundreds of keywords, you can opt to be offered emoji predictions in the candidate bar. For example, typing “Santa” will offer you a Christmas emoji in addition to word predictions, just tap the emoji image to select.

Fun examples include: “sleepy”, “pizza”, “broken”, “cheers” and “kiss”. Also, if you start typing a time of the day, such as 10pm, you may be greeted by the relevant clock symbol.

Let us know which other great examples you find by tweeting us @swiftkey or tagging your Instagram photo #swiftkey!

This setting can also be disabled if you prefer to always have words predicted in the candidate bar – just press and hold the 123 key, select Settings and Advanced to see this option.

Emoji contextual predictions:
SwiftKey 4.5 will learn from your personal use to suggest emoji you regularly use. For example, if you regularly include an emoji after an individual’s name, SwiftKey can learn to predict it, just for you.

Emoji can vary:
The appearance of emoji can differ between different versions of Android and different apps. Emoji are only supported on Android Jellybean and KitKat (4.1 and later). SwiftKey uses the system emoji font which is black and white in Jellybean and colour in KitKat. Some apps (eg WhatsApp) render the emoji within messages with app-specific fonts, often the same as seen on Apple devices. Google Hangouts uses the same colour emoji font as KitKat. This means that although the meaning remains the same, the actual images may vary between apps and between the sending and receiving device.

Optional number row:
SwiftKey 4.5 beta introduces the option of a dedicated number row on top of the keyboard for faster access to numbers, particularly for those with larger phone sizes. To find this setting, press and hold the 123 key, select Settings, then Theme & Layout, you can then tick or untick the Number Row option.

We hope you enjoy testing these latest features, please leave your feedback in the VIP community where it can be logged by the team. Not yet a SwiftKey VIP? It’s quick, easy and free to join!

Kind regards,
Evan and the SwiftKey Team

Images Now Showing

Have you ever wondered why Gmail asks you before showing images in emails? We did this to protect you from unknown senders who might try to use images to compromise the security of your computer or mobile device.

But thanks to new improvements in how Gmail handles images, you’ll soon see all images displayed in your messages automatically across desktop, iOS and Android. Instead of serving images directly from their original external host servers, Gmail will now serve all images through Google’s own secure proxy servers. 

So what does this mean for you? Simple: your messages are more safe and secure, your images are checked for known viruses or malware, and you’ll never have to press that pesky “display images below” link again. With this new change, your email will now be safer, faster and more beautiful than ever.

Of course, those who prefer to authorize image display on a per message basis can choose the option “Ask before displaying external images” under the General tab in Settings. That option will also be the default for users who previously selected “Ask before displaying external content”.

Similar to existing features like default https access, suspicious activity detection, and free two-step verification, image proxying is another way your email is protected. This new improvement will be rolling out on desktop starting today and to your Gmail mobile apps in early 2014.

Introducing Instagram Direct

Introducing Instagram Direct: a new way to share photo and video messages with friends.

For more information, check out the following resources:
- Read more at our blog: blog.instagram.com
- Visit our Instagram Direct FAQ: help.instagram.com/400205900081854
- Download the latest version of Instagram: instagram.com

To see more from the Instagrammers featured in this video and their #roundaboutUSA roadtrip, check out the following accounts:
instagram.com/sweatengine
instagram.com/sittingingodspalm
instagram.com/christmaselk
instagram.com/mrbrock21
instagram.com/georgiakatee
instagram.com/trevlee

Introducing Instagram Direct from Instagram on Vimeo.

Introducing Instagram Direct

Today, we’re excited to bring you Instagram Direct, a new way to send photo and video messages to friends.

Over the past three years, the Instagram community has grown to over 150 million people capturing and sharing moments all around the globe. As we’ve grown, Instagram has evolved not only into a community of photographers, but also into a means of visual communication. From a photo of your daily coffee to a sunrise shared from the top of a mountain hike, every Instagram moment contains something you find special—something you broadcast to your followers when you tap “share.”

There are, however, moments in our lives that we want to share, but that will be the most relevant only to a smaller group of people—an inside joke between friends captured on the go, a special family moment or even just one more photo of your new puppy. Instagram Direct helps you share these moments.

From how you capture photos and videos to the way you start conversations through likes and comments, we built Instagram Direct to feel natural to the Instagram experience you already know. When you open Instagram, you’ll now see a new icon in the top right corner of your home feed. Tap it to open your inbox where you’ll see photos and videos that people have sent to you. To send a photo or video to specific people, tap the camera button to enter the same simple photo or video capture and editing screens. At the top of the share screen, you’ll see the option to share with your followers (“Followers”) or to send to specific people (“Direct”). To send using Direct, tap the names of the people you want to send your photo or video to, write your caption, tap “send” and you’re done.

After sending, you’ll be able to find out who’s seen your photo or video, see who’s liked it and watch your recipients commenting in real time as the conversation unfolds.

Photos and videos that you receive from people you follow will appear immediately. If someone you’re not following sends you a photo or video on Instagram, it will go to your requests so you can decide if you want to view it.

To learn more about Instagram Direct, check out help.instagram.com.

Instagram for iOS version 5.0 is available today for download in Apple’s App Store, and Instagram for Android version 5.0 is available today on Google Play. Instagram for Windows Phone is in beta. Stay tuned for future updates.

Nokia Motion Monitor beta

Nokia motion monitor beta tracks your physical activity based on your motion and steps.

Your activity intensity is primarily shown on a timeline where your daily details are visible including step count. The events view gives you insights into your behavior over longer periods while the week and month viewswill help you to discover patterns yourself. The more you keep your phone with you, the better the data will be.

Nokia motion monitor – see your daily activity.

This application will only work on the Nokia Lumia 1520, which has specific hardware that the app needs.

Key features

• Track your activity intensity and steps through the day
• Enjoy updates on your lock screen as well as on a live tile
• Tracking is done continuously in the background, consuming very little power
• See your data on a timeline by day, week or month
• Get insights and summaries of your activity in the Events view

How does it work? >>

Known issues and limitations >>

Your feedback needed

Please try out Motion Monitor and let us know what you think. We are especially interested in hearing feedback on usability of the application, quality of activity and step detection and power consumption.

We've put together a few tips and tricks to help get you started.

Nokia Releases Motion Monitor Beta App For Lumia 1520 That Tracks Your Motion And Steps

Nokia today released a new beta app for Lumia 1520 devices called Nokia Motion Monitor. As the name suggests, this app tracks your physical activity based on your motion and steps. This app runs in background continuously consuming very little power and you can have updates on your lock screen, glance screen as well as on a live tile. There are also different views to browse your activity data.

The Timeline is where your daily activity is recorded. Here you can see when you were moving, how intense the activity was and your total step count. The Events view gives you insights into your motion and summaries of your day, while the Week and Month views will help you discover if there are any patterns to your movement. The more you keep your phone with you, the better the data will be.

This application will only work on the Nokia Lumia 1520 because it uses dedicated core on Nokia Lumia 1520 to off-load sensor data processing from main processor, enabling algorithms to run using low power.

• Once the application is started it starts to track your physical activities
• Requires 10 days to learn your average day-to-day activity, then compares a day’s activity against your whole activity history

This is similar to the Apple M7 co-processor found on iPhone 5S. The M7 is accessible to applications through the Core Motion API in iOS 7. I expect Nokia and Microsoft to open up this motion processor in Lumia 1520 to the 3rd party developers to enable new range of fitness applications.

Download the beta app here from Windows Phone Store.

http://wmpoweruser.com

Android Device Manager

Description
Ever misplaced or lost your phone? Android Device Manager locates lost devices and helps you keep your device—and the data inside it—safe and secure. Android Device Manager lets you:
● Locate Android devices associated with your Google account
● Reset your device's screen lock PIN
● Erase all data on the phone

Download Xperia Z and ZL Android 4.3 10.4.B.0.569 firmware ftf Leaked

We mentioned a few days back that a 10.4.B.X.XXX firmware build will come as android 4.3 on Xperia Z, ZL, ZR and Tablet Z and here it comes, yes just now XDA legends DooMLorRD and Androxyde leaked the “Commercial & Journalists” version of Android 4.3 10.4.B.0.569 firmware for Xperia Z and ZL respectively. Android 4.3 10.4.B.0.569 firmware has not been certified yet on PTCRB but it was about to release as per our sources and here comes the final build of Android 4.3 10.4.B.0.569 firmware.

http://www.xperiaguide.com/2013/12/12/download-xperia-z-and-zl-android-4-3-10-4-b-0-569-firmware-ftf-leaked/

Plants vs. Zombies™ 2

Description
The zombies are coming… back. It’s about time! The sequel to the hit action-strategy adventure with over 30 Game of the Year awards is here. Join Crazy Dave on a crazy adventure where you’ll meet, greet and defeat legions of zombies from the dawn of time to the end of days. Amass an army of powerful new plants, supercharge them with Plant Food and power up your defenses with amazing new ways to protect your brain.

Winner – 2013 Best Mobile Game – Spike VGX Awards

"This is a remarkable sequel: 9 out of 10.” – Edge Magazine

"As beautifully presented as it is absorbing to play: 8.7 out of 10." – ign.com

Game Features

NEW PLANTS! NEW ZOMBIES!
Meet Bonk Choy, Bloomerang and Lightning Reed: Just a few of the powerful new plants that will defend your lawn through time. Go toe-to-missing-toe with dozens of new zombies including Ra Zombie in Ancient Egypt, Swashbuckler Zombie on the Pirate Seas, or Chicken Wrangler Zombie in the Wild West. In every new world, clever new zombies and brain-teasing challenges will test your zombie-zapping skills.

AMAZING NEW WAYS TO PROTECT YOUR BRAIN
New Plant Food and power-ups will take your game to new dimensions. Plant Food will supercharge your plants when you need it most. Use your fingers to pinch, flick and zap zombies off your lawn.

LOOK OUT! ZOMBIE CHICKENS!
Seriously.

NEW LEVELS OF EXCITEMENT
Battle the fun-dead on land, on sea and… on the rails? Unlock ultra-challenging (and ultra-fun) endless levels — Pyramid of Doom, Pirate's Booty and the Big Bad Butte.

THE FUN NEVER DIES
Collect coins to purchase potent power-ups. Survive long enough and you'll be rewarded with piles of prizes and achievements. And that's just the beginning! The future holds many mysteries. Also, zombies. Lots and lots of zombies.
"This is a remarkable sequel: 9 out of 10.” – Edge Magazine

"As beautifully presented as it is absorbing to play: 8.7 out of 10." – ign.com

Game Features

NEW PLANTS! NEW ZOMBIES!
Meet Bonk Choy, Bloomerang and Lightning Reed: Just a few of the powerful new plants that will defend your lawn through time. Go toe-to-missing-toe with dozens of new zombies including Ra Zombie in Ancient Egypt, Swashbuckler Zombie on the Pirate Seas, or Chicken Wrangler Zombie in the Wild West. In every new world, clever new zombies and brain-teasing challenges will test your zombie-zapping skills.

AMAZING NEW WAYS TO PROTECT YOUR BRAIN
New Plant Food and power-ups will take your game to new dimensions. Plant Food will supercharge your plants when you need it most. Use your fingers to pinch, flick and zap zombies off your lawn.

LOOK OUT! ZOMBIE CHICKENS!
Seriously.

NEW LEVELS OF EXCITEMENT
Battle the fun-dead on land, on sea and… on the rails? Unlock ultra-challenging (and ultra-fun) endless levels — Pyramid of Doom, Pirate's Booty and the Big Bad Butte.

THE FUN NEVER DIES
Gather keys to unlock brain teasers and new plants. Collect coins to purchase potent power-ups. Earn stars to take you to new worlds. Survive long enough and you'll be rewarded with piles of prizes and achievements. And that's just the beginning! The future holds many mysteries. Also, zombies. Lots and lots of zombies.

PopCap Web SitePlants vs. Zombies™ 2 Support
What's New in Version 1.7.261064
There's loads of cool stuff in our latest update! We have a new map, fun new features and we introduce a new foe!

• Big changes. We've upgraded the map to make game progression quicker and easier.

• It's simpler to know how much you've done, where you're going, and what loot you'll get along the way.

• Play all-new Piñata Party levels to win cool prizes.

• You can invite your friends and send ‘em gifts.

• Use the Turbo button to speed up your planting – and speed up the zombies.

• Be warned: when we were upgrading the map, somebody let in the Gargantuars.