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Showing posts from July, 2013

Android 4.3 Now out for Nexus 4

One of the perks of having a Nexus phone besides the stock android ROM is the rate at which updates are delivered to these devices. It was just yesterday that Android executive Sundar pichai announced Android 4.3 and today its already everywhere. Now nexus owners can easily update to this new flavor of jellybean while some of us are still stuck on jellybean 4.1.2, even Samsung hasnt released the android 4.2.2 update for Galaxy SIII and Note II yet while the nexus community gets to take a huge slice of that jellybean while we wait on the sidelines. If you have a LG Nexus 4 all you have to do to get this update is; 1. Go to settings 2. Scroll down to About Phone 3. Tap the System Updates option The update should begin immediately simple as ABC, this is why I love the simplicity of nexus devices, no long gruesome waits for updates. If you do get these update please use the comment box to tell us what you feel about this new flavor of android, should they have moved on to key lime p

MOTO X RENDER LEAKS AGAIN IN BLACK & WHITE

The Motorola X phone, dubbed "Moto X" has had its fair share of leaks, not too long ago one of its most proprietary feature "The always On Mic" a feature that allows the user have access to voice controls at anytime was leaked to the media, other specifications such as its ease of customization was also leaked but this is the first time we would see the phone in its true glory. Motorola has already announced that the device would be released to the public on the 1st of August and this renders are allegedly claimed to be the official press renders , they give us our first full glimpse of the phone, At first glance, we can see motorola has kept it simple with the phone, it has really thin bezels to maximize space and to reduce the entire surface area of the phone, we can also see the phone appears to have a 5.0" display. The Renders depict the phone in two colors, white and Black but motorola has over emphasised how easy it would be to customize the phone,

BBM FOR ANDROID TO BE RELEASED BEFORE END OF SEPTEMEBER

Its time to roll out the drums and jubilate....or NOT? Blackberry has kept us in the dark since they announced that they would make their famous BBM application available to other platforms hopefully its not too lates since people are getting bored and they have begun to look elsewhere for their Messaging needs, applications like, Hangouts, Whatsapp, Viber, WeChat, ChatOn, etc are already filling that void BBM would not even have enough elbow room to fight for. Blackberry India M.D Sunil Lalvani has reaffirmed claims that BBM for android will be available before the end of this summer as was originally announced by the Manufacturer. The Blackberry Executive was quoted in an interview with IBN live saying "The service is coming to Android this summer. but summer as per North America, where it remains till september" .  This is no longer news however it reaffirms the fact that Blackberry is still interested in sharing some of their goodies with other platforms, many peo

WE ARE ALREADY TIRED OF BBM FOR ANDROID/iOS

its been almost three months since Blackberry announced that their proprietary BBM messaging service would be made available to other platforms, Android and iOS especially. we haven't stopped salivating at the possibilities this could bring of course there's already a variety of  cross-platform Messaging Services available of which Whatsapp is king, we can not stop thinking about what this would mean for android, IOS and blackberry users alike. I switched over from blackberry since Samsung released the Galaxy S II and i have not looked back, sure recent developments have made me cast a longing look at blackberry's latest offerings but I have remained adamant and my faith was strengthened when it was announced that BBM might be coming to Android this summer. Making the jump from one platform to the other was a hard decision for me because i had most of my friends and social contacts on BBM and most of them were not yet seeing the green light that was Android or should i

All You Need To Know About Blackberry Q5

The Blackberry Q5 has started popping up everywhere in Nigeria lately, some people who had pre-ordered the phone from either MTN or the various online stores are beginning to receive their devices. If you are like me and you haven't pre-ordered yours, you might get a little jealous but this can be a good thing since we all know early adopters experience the most issues with their phones such as design flaws, equipment malfunction, etc. This is not to say that the Q5 is not an awesome phone or its not well designed but a little heads up about what you might be getting into when buying this device is always welcome. The Blackberry Q5 is the third device released by Blackberry this year, It was designed with the form-factor of older blackberry curve phones in mind, it has curved edges and its covered in a cheaper matte plastic finish than its other BB10 relatives. Although This phone was designed to be cheaper than other BB10 phones, Blackberry hasn't scaled down the OS

Blackberry updates Twitter for BB10

Twitter has finally released an update for the Twitter for  Blackberry 10 users. The previous app had a lot of issues and BB10 users were really dissatisfied and many people switched to third party apps such a Blaq for twitter The new update comes with a massive change log, lots of improvements has been made on the app in response to user complains.The app now allows users to have multiple accounts, and also check their DMs so you can now catch up on those gist you have been missing. Other new features include enhancements to the app's search utility, the ability to save pictures that are being shared on the platform, delete tweets, view full conversation threads and a host of other little tweaks here and there that might not be quickly noticeable. if you have got a Q10, Z10 or even the recently released Q5 , you can head up to blackberry world and download the app and also give us a quick review about it using the comment section. Be sure to subscribe to our blog for

HOW-TO: SAVE DATA USAGE USING GOOGLE CHROME DATA COMPRESSION

Are you tired of paying through the nose for data connections? this might be a method that would help.With the recent hike in the cost of data connections in the Nigerian Telecoms Market, many Nigerians have been devastated and are looking for alternative means of saving data. I have decided to post a tip I have been using on my Galaxy S3 since Google rolled out chrome 28 beta. Most people forgot about the data compression feature that comes with this new version of Chrome BETA , basically Chromes routes your HTTP connections (browsing connections) through their own proxy servers and simply compresses data to and from your phone while you are browsing. Google claims this feature can help save 50% on your data connections hence you consume less data and save on your data bills. This technology existed on older blackberry devices that was why most blackberry data plans in the past were unlimited but the new BB10 devices only compress BBM data and not browsing/download data this is

iPhone 5S rumours in Pictures

its a usual phenomenon that when smartphones are close to being released, we are usually covered in an avalanche of leaks as sources from every nook and cranny of the world give details about how the phone would look like and what specs it would have. We have been expecting Apple to release a follow up to the iphone 5 but it has been delayed probably as a result of the iOS 7 upgrade or their ongoing suits and countersuits with Samsung their once cordial OEM partner that made their previous display technology and the A5X ARM based SoC chip used in the iPad 3 Today we got more information from our sources on the reasons for the delay and few new shots of the actual phone. Apparently the device is being delayed because of  issues Apple's Manufacturers are experiencing with the LCD display (P.S: they should have stayed with Samsung :P) and the circuitry that is supposed to handle the fingerprint scanner feature supposedly to come with the phone.  Sources have it that t

LG OPTIMUS L5 II FULL REVIEW

Today on our Budget Smartphone Series we review the LG Optimus L5 II. LG has been recognized for their prowess with Optimus range of devices and even gained more popularity with their Nexus 4 project but not everyone can afford such devices and some people are not even interested in the specs of a phone, they don't need phones with opta-cores and 1080p screens, they just need a device that can do day to day activities without any hiccups and not burn a hole in their pockets buying it. The Optimus L5 II is this kind of device. OVERVIEW Out of the box, you will notice that the Optimus L5 II is an improvement on its predecessor the L5, they have really improved on the build quality as this device is made to look like its made out of  brushed metal but its still really plastic. When it comes to looks, the Optimus L5 is beautifully designed, LG has managed to fit a 4.0" screen on this device and with a very thin bezel the phones dimension remains at 117mm X 62mm X 9mm. its easil

HOW-TO: GET A FREE LUMIA 1020 CAMERA GRIP

If you live in the US you might be lucky enough to get a free Nokia Lumia 1020 camera grip courtesy of microsoft. The Lumia 1020 will be going on sale on july 16 and if you place your order through Microsoft you will be getting the $80 camera grip for free. The phone itself will be on retail through regular carrier channels for a pricey $300 so if you order yours through Microsoft while they still have it in stock you get a free camera grip. At the time of writing this post, we can only hope Microsoft would extend this courtesy to the rest of the world, especially in Africa. Most manufacturers overlook the potential profits that can be made from emerging markets like Africa and Asia.Although Nokia has always maintained good presence in Nigeria we hope they would subsidize this awesome 41mp device here as well, so more people can afford it.

"Ok Moto Magic"....More Moto X phone leaks

Motorola has been through a lot of ups and downs before Google swooped down and acquired their Mobile division.Since then they have had some sort of Epiphany when it comes to innovation, from tattoo chips to digestible computing they have continued to impress us here at TECHNERDNG. The latest innovation from Motorola is the "always on mic". This is a feature that Motorola has added to their much talked about Moto X phone.  This feature allows users of the phone to always have access to voice commands even when the phone screen is off. The device listens to phrases and when it recognizes a command phrase such as the default " ok moto magic " or a custom phrase of the user's choice it unlocks the device and transfers whatever command, task or search terms to Google Now. The feature can be used to perform varoous task such as voice calls and opening webpages. At this point we can not estimate the effects of this feature on the battery life of the pho

MTN NIGERIA LAUNCHES APPSTORE

MTN continues to lead the way when it comes to mobile technology in Nigeria, in recent past we have seen them develop apps specifically for the Nigerian Market such as Afrinolly, and provide services such as their mobile TV service and Mobile Money service. They have further diversified and launched The MTN NextAppstore , Nigeria's First App store in a bid to app development in Nigeria. The success of app stores is basically determined but the quality of apps it stocks which is a function of how relevant these applications are to the General public. The store would stock some free and premium afro-centric/ Naija-centric apps such as The Nigerian Constitution, NewsBasket, etc. The Premium apps will be billed using the buyer's airtime on their devices irrespective of the user's carrier (network service provider). The MTN NextAppstore would carry blackberry, java, symbian and android apps but presently it only stocks android apps. Developers who wish to publish their apps

iPad MINI 2 MIGHT NOT BE AVAILABLE TILL 2014

The iPad Mini has been my favorite apple tablet device since it was released. The miniature Tablet has really lived up to expectations and people have been expecting even more, there have been rumours that the Apple was planning to release the iPad mini sometimes this year and that the device would be upgraded to have a retina display but at this moment it seems we can kiss our dreams of having a new iPad Mini anytime this year goodbye.  Some Sources have even claimed that it might not be arriving with a retina display  at all, these might be because Apple no longer does business with Samsung since Samsung has been responsible for manufacturing their displays up until allegations of patent infringement between the two tech giants began to unfold, but these are still all rumours and nothing is written in concrete about the fate of the iPad mini 2 yet but subscribe to this blog and follow us on twitter @technerdng for ti mely updates as the details continue to unfold  TNG.

NOKIA LUMIA 1020: 41 MEGAPIXELS OF PURE INNOVATION

Nokia has finally announced the Nokia Lumia 1020 this happened at an event organised in New York City held to launch the Smartphone.The much rumoured 41 Megapixel Smartphone that makes the Samsung Galaxy S4 Zoom look like an obese dwarf. The Lumia 1020 takes advantage of the pureview technology that Nokia debuted on the Nokia 808 pureview. Nokia has had to wade through muddy waters for the past few years but as Nokia's CEO stephen Elop said nokia has turned the "Next chapter in Smartphone Photography". The Lumia 1020 vs Samsung Galaxy S4 Zoom Nokia also confirmed most of the specs that have been floating around the rumour mill lately, the Lumia 1020 will come with 2.0GB of RAM which is a first for WP8 since the OS is so light but we believe most of that RAM would be used for image processing. Nokia also confirmed that it would be powered by  2000mAh battery and a 1.5Ghz Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 System-on-Chip processor favored by the manufacturer as its used in m

REVIEW: NOKIA LUMIA 520

Nokia Lumia 520 Today we continue on our review of   Budget Smartphones that have made their way into the Nigerian Market. Our subject for today is the Nokia Lumia 520. This is the baby of the Nokia Lumia series, its hard to find fault with this device at all because it has set out to do exactly what it was intended to do. without much ado let me take you down a Lumia coloured rainbow and show you that there might be a rising sun after Nokia's recent stormy Nights. Its no news that Nokia has lost its position as the numero uno smartphone manufacturer in the world to Samsung/Apple, The Lumia series is an attempt to regain that crown and they have a strong contender in the Lumia 520. OVERVIEW Nokia has not failed to impress us with their impeccable design language and world-class build quality. The Lumia 520 is an epitome of Nokia's craftsmanship.When most manufacturers make budget smartphones they usually sacrifice a lot of specifications just to make the budget cut b

REVIEW: TECNO PHANTOM PAD N9

TECNO isn't showing signs of slowing down in the race of being the top smartphone/gadget  manufacturer in the Nigerian Market. Tecno has been known for providing cheap or budget multi-sim phones. Tecno a few months ago released a "High-end Budget phone" the Tecno F7 phantom . Budget in terms of specs and build quality and high-end because its the most expensive device TECNO has ever built. All that is about to change with the recent introduction of the TECNO Phantom Pad N9. i had the opportunity to spend some time with the tablet and i will be giving you a concise hands-on review and first impressions about the tablet. OVERVIEW the Tecno Phantom Pad has an uncanny resemblance to the 2nd Generation iPad am sure Tecno must have drawn inspiration from apple's design language when making this device. the Tablet itself is an 8.0" capacitive touchscreen display Android Tablet running on Android 4.2 Jelly Bean. it is powered by a 4500mAh battery and a 1.2Ghz Q

iOS 7 Beta 3 might Arrive July 8

Even if you are an hermit that lives somewhere in the middle of nowhere on a galaxy far, far away...(yeah someone has revisted their StarWars stash recently, sue me), you should know that the Apple has released the iOS 7 which is the biggest revolution in the lifetime of the iPhone since its original debut 6 years ago. The new OS however is still in its Beta testing stage and its still only availabe to carriers and developers. Jony Ive  and the rest of the boys in cupertino are still tweaking the new OS for both appearance and functionality. Our sources have it that the Beta 3 version of the OS is most likely to be released for carrier testing on july 8 and developers might be able to get their hands on the device on the same day. The iOS 7 beta brought the new OS experience to the iPad, we cant wait to see what this new beta edition would bring to the table maybe some more compatibility features . keep you fingers crossed and subscribe to the our blog, you can also follo

Budget Iphone Might Get Colorful Casing

We have heard Apple has been working on a budget iPhone in an effort to make their products more affordable to people in emerging markets and those who want to buy a premium smartphone without necessarily having to rob a bank to do so. It has been suggested that these low-cost iPhones will come with colorful polycarbonate plastic casings some even believe the iPhone 5s or the iPhone 6  might also share the same fate.This is a departure from Apple's boring black and white color scheme and it gives the users a range of color choices instead of having to depend on aftermarket casing. this color palette leaves a bad taste on my Palate.....just saying The image above is what Apple's budget smartphone is expected to look like. These images appear to have been leaked by weiphone.Looking at the pictures the colors look like what would appeal to kindergarten kids and not regular smartphone users. Apple should have stuck with the colors they use on their ipods or at lea