How to make the most of the world's most famous tablet when you're on-the-go iPads may look stylish. You can watch movies on them, listen to hours of music on them and let everyone on your social networking sites know where your latest business trip takes you. But putting them to use in case of emergency or to make the finishing touches to a presentation on-the-go is not so easy if you don’t know the right apps to download.

African Business Review has selected five apps that you should never be without when you find yourself on the road, in the air, or on the oceans…

1. Quickoffice Pro HD

$14.99

Unfortunately there are no officialMicrosoft Office apps available for the iPad. Microsoft is hoping that people will prefer to work on tablets that come with Word, PowerPoint and Excel pre-installed and run the mobile version of Windows 8, Windows RT.

Quickoffice however is invaluable when it comes to being able to create and edit documents, presentations and spreadsheets.  

2. Google Translate

Free

This handy app allows you to translate words and phrases between more than 60 languages using Google Translate for iOS. For most languages, you can speak your phrases and hear the corresponding translations. Saves you having to carry around phrase books and making embarrassing errors!

3. Skype

Free

The benefits of Skype are known far and wide. It has taken conference calling to w hole new level. No longer will you have to dial in and wait for people to join the conversation over a handset – simply install Skype and have your office call you while you sit in your hotel room on the other side of the world, talking at your iPad. Simple.

4. Skyscanner

Free

If there is one thing you can never 100 percent rely on, it’s air transport. Sure, most of the time flights run smoothly. But you never know when that train may be cancelled and you arrive at the airport too late to board.

 The Skyscanner app allows you to be able to look at the options for ‘Plan B’. It quickly works out an air route from one location to another, while also comparing prices to make sure you don’t have to pay the earth to get where you need to be, displaying airline numbers so you can book that next available flight.

5. Regus

Free

It’s not always convenient to meet in a bar or a restaurant – especially when you’re in a foreign city and don’t know much about the local haunts. But this Regus app provides you with offices, business lounges and meeting rooms close to your location that you can put to good use. It even displays directions on how to get there, and for no cost, too.

Today, Google posted a notice to its Google Glass channel on G+ that lays out its plan to prevent abuse of facial recognition on the head-mounted computer. Its solution? Reject any Glassware that uses it until they have proper protections in place.

Since Glass began hitting people’s faces, the questions about how a wearable camera with a computer attached would affect privacy have been ramping up. Specifically, facial recognition technology jumped out as a concern. If Google Glass can take HD video of you, why couldn’t it match your face up with a G+ profile or other data set and allow the user access to more information at a ‘glance’ than you’d care to give them?

Now, Google has outlined an official policy about Glassware with facial recognition elements:

When we started the Explorer Program nearly a year ago our goal was simple: we wanted to make people active participants in shaping the future of this technology ahead of a broader consumer launch.  We’ve been listening closely to you, and many have expressed both interest and concern around the possibilities of facial recognition in Glass. As Google has said for several years, we won’t add facial recognition features to our products without having strong privacy protections in place. With that in mind, we won’t be approving any facial recognition Glassware at this time.

We’ve learned a lot from you in just a few weeks and we’ll continue to learn more as we update the software and evolve our policies in the weeks and months ahead.

The updated developer policies on Google’s Glass developer site has added a new clause that states:

1. Don’t use the camera or microphone to cross-reference and immediately present personal information identifying anyone other than the user, including use cases such as facial recognition and voice print. Applications that do this will not be approved at this time.

As part of its response to congressional concerns over Glass privacy, Google has also codified its statement that it won’t allow the display to turn off while shooting an image or video. That’s now a hard rule as well. Google also added the Android section on content policies that cover things like gambling, viruses, hate speech and more.

Google engineers said something similar during an I/O session about Glass. Our own Alex Wilhelm reported on the facial recognition question:

Facial recognition is something that Google has worked on. They can imagine it existing through a third party. The company appeared to decline stating that they would build it themselves, likely to avoid painfully ignorant headlines. The company is “not scared” of it, but wants to ensure that it has clear user benefit.

Obviously wearable computing that combines camera technology, an always-on connection and a computing platform poses a bunch of privacy and security challenges, not just facial recognition. But it appears that Google has been feeling enough heat about this particular feature to ban the apps until they can get a policy in place.

Note that this official policy applies to apps that are ‘Glassware’. That means that they use the Mirror API and are installed via a web interface. These apps have limited access to the hardware and must be allowed by Google. Developers can build whatever native apps they like, root the device and install them directly. Google has even stated that it is working on anative API for Glass. But, for now, the official channel for facial recognition apps is closed.

I’ve been using Glass myself and have some mixed feelings about it. I’m not bullish or bearish on it, but find it interesting and something definitely worth ‘pulling the string’ on, to borrow Tim Cook’s phrase. There are some very interesting applications here, but it’s definitely a ‘far future’, not ‘near future’ technology.

-thenextweb.com

Among all the mobile apps in the market, face book application is the top to see application and easy to download application. Most users are friendly captive to the face book mobile apps which is awesome due to its visibility on the first introduction page of the Facebook.com.

The statistics suggests that the face book mobile user are many due to the same factors while the next to face book; the Instagram application play the next category after face book.

The Facebook is proudly working with the apps inside the platform which combine the apps to interacts the users and it’s self store for promotion of the apps.

Tech360 Correspondent

Apple has appealed a Chinese court decision that awarded the Encyclopedia of China Publishing House with $84,000 (RMB 520,000), arguing that it shouldn’t be held responsible and the amount is too high, the Jinghua Times reports.

The encyclopedia publisher had won the initial ruling in September. It filed suit against Apple after discovering its work pirated on the App Store. Though Apple argued that, as the store operator, it wasn’t to blame for the infringement, the court found the company guilty because it had profited from the sales. According to the report, Apple will keep the same line of reasoning in its appeal with the higher court.

While the $84,000 in damages would hardly put a dent in Apple’s sizable cash hoard, the ruling could create an ominous precedent that might open the company up to lawsuits from other parties who have suffered infringements on the App Store.

TECH360 Magazine Correspondent

The company said on Tuesday that in the coming weeks it would release a maps app called here in Apple’s App Store. It will be a free download for iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch owners. Nokia also said it would release a toolkit for programmers to make Nokia-powered mapping apps for Android phones. And it is forming a partnership with Mozilla, the browser company, to develop location features for its new operating system, called Firefox OS.

Nokia has emphasized the power and thoroughness of its mapping database, which has information on 200 countries, in an effort to distinguish its new Lumia smartphones from the competition. For instance, when Apple’s new maps system turned out to have some embarrassing lapses, Nokia published a blog post that compared its maps with Apple’s and Google’s and, of course, concluded the Nokia maps were better.

TECH360 Magazine Correspondent

Apple has appealed a Chinese court decision that awarded the Encyclopedia of China Publishing House with $84,000 (RMB 520,000), arguing that it shouldn’t be held responsible and the amount is too high, the Jinghua Times reports.

The encyclopedia publisher had won the initial ruling in September. It filed suit against Apple after discovering its work pirated on the App Store. Though Apple argued that, as the store operator, it wasn’t to blame for the infringement, the court found the company guilty because it had profited from the sales. According to the report, Apple will keep the same line of reasoning in its appeal with the higher court.

While the $84,000 in damages would hardly put a dent in Apple’s sizable cash hoard, the ruling could create an ominous precedent that might open the company up to lawsuits from other parties who have suffered infringements on the App Store.

TECH360 Magazine Correspondent

Seoul. Samsung Electronics' Galaxy S3 became the world's best-selling smartphone model last quarter, pushing aside Apple Inc's iPhone, which has dominated the chart for more than two years, research firm Strategy Analytics has said.

Strategy Analytics estimated Samsung sold 18 million S3 models in the third quarter, compared with iPhone 4S sales of 16.2 million.Strong sales of the flagship Galaxy S3 - which comes with a large 4.8 inch touchscreen - helped Samsung post a record $7.3 billion operating profit in the July-September quarter.

"Samsung's Galaxy S3 has proven wildly popular with consumers and operators across North America, Europe and Asia," said analyst Neil Mawston, adding the new iPhone 5 would likely reclaim the top spot for Apple in the current quarter. 

On Monday, Samsung said it has sold more than 30 million flagship Galaxy S III smartphones in about five months, making it one of the fastest selling smartphones in the world. 

Samsung Electronics Co., the world's biggest mobile phone maker, launched the smartphone at the end of May, months before competitors began shipping the latest versions of their top phones.  When Apple Inc. unveiled the iPhone 5 in September, Samsung launched an advertising campaign poking fun at the new iPhone. 

The South Korean firm said the S III is selling at a much faster rate than its predecessor announced a year ago, the Galaxy S II. The S II took 14 months to hit 30 million sales. Sales of the Galaxy Note II, which fills a market niche between smartphones and tablets, surpassed three million in 37 days, Samsung said last week. 

The runaway demand for high-end smartphones fuelled record profits at Samsung in recent quarters while other consumer electronics firms were hit by the global economic downturn that dented demand for TVs and personal computers.  Samsung, which also makes TVs, home appliances, semiconductors and display panels, got almost 70 per cent of its third-quarter operating profit from the division that makes mobile devices, cameras and computers.  Nomura Financial Investment in Seoul forecasts that Samsung will sell 67 million smartphones in the October-December quarter. That would be about 10 million units more than Samsung's smartphone sales in the previous quarter. 

Samsung does not disclose its quarterly smartphone sales figures, but analysts and research firms say the company sold a record 56-58 million smartphones in July-September.  (Agencies)

Nomura, which is more optimistic about Samsung's prospects than other forecasters, says Samsung's mobile communications business will post five per cent growth in fourth quarter profit from the third quarter, thanks to the high-end phones — the S III and the Note II.

Research firm IDC ranks the South Korean firm as the world's top smartphone seller in the last three quarters. In the latest July-September period, Samsung sold 56.3 million smartphones versus Apple's 26.9 million, IDC said.

 

The Citizen Tanzania

Mr. Forstall and John Browett were fired were fired in what seems to be an effort to bring the company together according to Apple top officials. According to Apple Mr. Forstall was ambitious and divisive, qualities that generated more friction within Apple after the death of Mr. Jobs, who had kept the dueling egos of his senior executives largely in check. 

The responsibilities of Mr. Forstall now will be distributed to other senior executive members of the Apple Inc. According to Apple this will help their workers to work more harmoniously together.

Scott Forstall was an Apple veteran who for several years ran software development for Apple’s iPad and iPhone products. Mr. Forstall was an important executive at the company and the one who, in many respects, seemed to most closely embody the technology vision of Steven P. Jobs, the former chief executive of Apple who died a year ago. Steve Dowling, an Apple spokesman, said neither executive was available for an interview. Mr. Forstall did not respond to interview requests over e-mail and Facebook.

TECH360 Correspondent

Apple has announced a new plan to make its products officially available in Nigeria through its official Apple channels. This is the first time the company will make such move in the Nigerian market.

The growing importance of the Nigerian market and the need to give Nigerian buyers a new level of customer experience and full product guarantee may have attracted Apple's new move to the Nigerian market.

The outlets will ensure products available through official channel partners in the country.

The new Apple Authorised Resellers include iConnect at the Palms, Lekki in Lagos; Superior Equipment - The Orchard at the Civic Centre in Lagos; Cross Energy, Flag Place in Abuja; and iMEED Store, Rivers House, Central Business Area of Abuja.

Core Group Africa, the Value Added Distributor (VAO) for Apple, officially launched the iPad in Nigeria recently, as part of a global roll out.

Executive Director for Apple Core Group Africa, Mr. Rutger-Jan Van Spaandonk, said "Nigerians can now to purchase with confidence knowing that their Apple iPad has been bought through the official distribution channels. We want customers to have the best Apple experience possible and be able to take advantage of the benefits of purchasing their iPad from an Apple Authorised Resellers. It is in the best interest of Nigerian consumers to buy from the official distribution channel so that they can take advantage also of the 2 year warranty." The warranty is a shield that protects official buyers and gives them peace of mind.

The extra year of warranty extends the standard warranty to two years for new iPads that are sold through Apple Authorised Resellers. "This is the first time a two year warranty is being given to buyers in Nigeria by Apple at no extra cost whatsoever," Van Spaandonk said.

In order to qualify, customers only need to provide proof of purchase from an Apple Authorised Reseller and register their iPad on www.isocietynigeria.com. In addition to the two year warranty support, there are other benefits in purchasing from authorised outlets, he said.

The new iPad which was also officially launched in Nigeria by Core Group Africa has the highest resolution display with 3.1 million pixels, giving sharp details on texts, videos and photos. It also supports dictation. Instead of typing, one simply taps the microphone on the key board and says what he wants. The new iPad listens and converts the words instantly into text. It also has a 10 hour battery life and provides the most versatile, on-the-go user experience for goal getting professionals and value conscious Nigerian.

THISDAY Nigeria

IPhone 4S

Again in TECH360 Tech deals today we have brand new iPhone 4S from Mr. Mandela Fuko. The phone is brand new and yourself you will unpack it from its original package. The price in Tanzania shillings is 650,000 only. Contact Mr. Fuko now 0713-898978.

TECH360 Correspondent

I decided to search the add which recently have been touching a lot of headlines in the tech magazines and news papers all over the world. The new Samsung commercial shows us a group of what appears to be iPhone fans waiting in lines around the country in front of mock Apple stores trading excited quips about the new phone's features.Have a view of this creative ad which have created a lot of attention in the tech communities all over the world. 

TECH360 Correspondent 

Another predicted move by tech enthusiasts all over the world has occurred as Apple Inc. the leading competitor to Android gadgets and products releases their new operating system without including the Google Maps supporting system. The new Apple operating system the Apple IOS 6 was released yesterday in USA. 

Apple’s previous versions of iOS, its mobile software system, included a Maps app that was made by Apple but powered by Google’s mapping service. In iOS 6, the latest version, Apple has replaced the old app with a new version that uses mapping data collected or purchased by Apple itself.

Recently Apple Inc. opened a case against Samsung Company which is using device and gadgets based on Android platform claiming the gadgets giant they are stealing ideas from their labs to develop their new gadgets, the claims which have left Samsung being fined 1 Billion USD by the court to Apple Inc. 

TECH360 Correspondent 

Apple iPhone 5

I wish Steve was alive to witness this, Apple has announced the release of their new enhanced featured phone iPhone 5. Apple Inc. on Wednesday took the wraps off its long-awaited iPhone 5, showing off a 4G device that is slimmer and comes with a larger screen than previous models of the smartphone. 

IPhone 5 will come in three versions: a 16-gigabyte model for $199, a 32GB device for $299 and a 64GB model that will cost $399. Pre-orders for the iPhone 5 can be made Sept. 14, and the smartphone will start shipping Sept. 21. By the way those are the US prices. Watch the unpacking video on YouTube…..

The name COMPAQ was formed by using COMP for computer and PAQ to denote small integral object. Recently COMPAQ has joined forces with HP in the digital gadgets world. The name HP was formed from the two tech guys Bill Hewlett and Dave Packard when they had to toss a coin to decide whether to call the company  Hewlett Packard or Packard Hewlett am sure you know who won the honor definitely Hewlett that is why we have Hewlett Packard (HP) today.

The legendary Google started its name as a joke boasting about the amount of information the search engine would be able to search. It was originally named Googol a world for the number represented by one followed by 100 zeros. After founders   Stanford graduates students Sergey Bin and Larry Page presented their project to an angel investor, they receive a cheque made out to ‘Google’.

                        Hint: Apple was the favorite fruits of the founder Steve Jobs. He was three month late in filling a name for the business and he threatened to call his company “Apple Computers” if the other colleagues didn’t suggest a better name by 5 O’clock guess what happened ……

The world Yahoo was invented by Jonathan Swift and used in his book ‘Gulliver’s Travels’. It represents a person who is repulsive in appearance and action is barely human. Yahoo founders Jerry Young and David Filo selected the name because they considered themselves yahoos.

Bob Noyce and Gordon Moore wanted to name their new company ‘Moore Noyce’ but they were unlucky since the name was already trademarked by the hotel chain so they named their company using acronyms   INTEgrated ELectronics also known as ‘INTEL’.

Jack Smith got the idea of accessing e-mail via the web from a computer anywhere in the world. When Sabeer Bhatia came up with the business plan for the mail service, he tried all kinds of names ending in ‘mail’ and finally settled for Hotmail as it included the letters “html” the programming languages used to write web pages. Hotmail was later on bought by Microsoft which stands for MICROcomputer SOFTwares coined by Bill Gates originally christened Micro-Soft the ‘-‘was removed later.

We all know that Apple have been considered to be the masters of innovation and creativity with the famous slogan “ if you don’t have an iPhone you don’t have an iPhone” meaning that you can’t have a replacement of Apple’s iPhone  with another smart device but know we are seeing the really challenge come from Samsung Mobile Company.  The latest iPhone looks much the same as the first one which came out more than five years. That hasn’t been a problem for Apple until now.

 The pace of IPhone sales has slowed. Part of the problem the competition has found the formula that works: thinner phones with big screens that make the iPhone looks small and chubby. For those who envy smartphones, iPhone owner’s need to look no further than Samsung Electronics Co. Its newest flagship phone, the Galaxy S III, is sleek and wafer thin. By comparison, the iPhone “is getting a bit long in the tooth,” says Ramon Llamas, an analyst with research firm IDC, Buyers started pulling back on iPhone just six months after launching the latest iPhone model.

Taiwan's national Chen Kung University as filed a suit against US tech giant Apple just few days after Apple recorded the best profit ever. The University claim that the company's Siri Intelligent Assistant as infringed on two of its patents. Apple introduced the voice activated assistant technology when launching the iPhone 4S in 2011.
But Chen Kung University in south Taiwan's Tainan city said the technology infringes two patents held by one of its research teams, both related to speech recognition. 

“Design is a funny word. Some people think design means how it looks. But of course, if you dig deeper, it's really how it works.” The late Steve Jobs the CEO and co-founder of Apple Inc. Steve Jobs used to believe that innovation is what distinguishes between leadership and followers. Like the famous IPhone quote “if you don’t have an IPhone you simply don’t have an IPhone” proves that Apple believe they lead the industry in terms of innovation and creativity.

            The recent battle between Apple Inc. and Samsung concerning the fact that Apple Inc believes the product Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 terminal resemble completely as Apple iPad terminal. The California court decided that since there is resemblance between the terminal of Galaxy Tab 10.1 and Apple iPad hence the blocking of sales of Galaxy Tab 10.1 should be implemented immediately.

             “While Samsung is authorized to competition, he has no right to engage in unfair competition by flooding the market with counterfeit products,” wrote Judge Lucy Koh in the document issued by the court. She adds that the arguments are strong enough to Apple that it has no choice but to grant the injunction.
           

The decision made by the court room is a blow to the South Korean company in which recently has been releasing newer versions of Galaxy Tab in the market. The company has been directly criticized by Apple in their war for sales in the US markets.
            The competition comes as an added advantage to the user’s point of view since the competition in creativity and products quality make the users to attain quality products from the markets. Let’s see what the future of war in gadgets production will have to offer with Microsoft getting in with Microsoft surface tab.