Samsung sees Tizen phone as gateway for bigger things

SAN FRANCISCO: Samsung on Tuesday unwrapped its new smartphone using the Tizen platform, a move aimed at breaking away from Google's Android and staking a claim to the "Internet of Things."

The South Korean consumer electronics colossus showed off the Samsung Z, its first Tizen-powered smartphone, in a major shift away from the ubiquitous Android operating system used in the majority of its devices.

Samsung touted Tizen as a platform not just for phones, but for a range of connected devices from home appliances to door locks and watches which may communicate with one another in the future.

The unveiling came a day after Apple -- a few blocks away in San Francisco -- unveiled a coming new version of its iOS mobile operating system with capabilities that could have iPhones, iPads, and iPod touch devices vying for that same spot in the middle of a what is billed as the booming Internet-of-Things.

The world's biggest smartphone maker made its pitch at the Tizen Developer Conference, a forum that aims to help the platform become a rival to Android and Apple's iOS.

Samsung showed off a line of Tizen-powered devices ranging from Tizen-Android cameras to its freshly announced smartphone powered entirely by the South Korean technology firm's open-source operating system.

Samsung even teased a prototype smart television that connects to rich online content using Tizen.

- Cash prizes for apps -

Along with being enticed with contests offering cash prizes for winning applications, the approximately 1,000 developers at the keynote presentation were urged to check out an Open Smart Home project for "monitoring and controlling devices in the home or on the body all together" whether from one's living room or from half a world away.

"The goal of this project is to have it evolve into services for the entire Internet-of-Things," Samsung executive vice president and Tizen technical steering committee co-chair Jong-Deok Choi said during an on-stage presentation.

"We plan to have this project implemented through Tizen."

Samsung announced Monday the launch of a new smartphone based on its own operating system, in a step towards independence from the Google Android platform that dominates its popular handsets.

The Samsung Z, which has been specially developed to run on the Tizen platform, will go on sale in Russia in the third quarter of this year before reaching other markets.

The vast majority of Samsung's devices, including its flagship Galaxy S smartphones, use the Android operating system.

- Exploding 'IoT' -

International Data Corporation (IDC) on Tuesday forecast that the global Internet-of-Things market will grow from $1.9 trillion last year to $7.1 trillion in the year 2020.

People are embracing the "IoT" in their homes, vehicles and elsewhere, while businesses are being lured by promises of efficiency and revenue, according to IDC.

"The worldwide IoT market is exploding," said IDC mobile services vice president Carrie MacGillivray.

California-based Google has long pitched the potential for its free Android operating to be used to power broad arrays of devices in homes in a vision that goes far beyond smartphones and tablet computers.

Developer Henry Yu of Silicon Valley-based RGB, which specializes in streamlining video formats, was among those at the Tizen conference and suspected that no single platform would rule the IoT.

"At the end of the day, they will have to work together," Yu said of rivals such as Samsung, Apple and Google vying to be at the center of the IoT.

"The Internet-of-Things has been around, but it is hodgepodge. People will want to get along because they want each other's market."

Things will get clear in next 2/3 days: Yusuf Shah

PESHAWAR: Taliban liaison committee member, Maulana Yusuf Shah Saturday said that the fighting between the two minor groups of Taliban would have no affect on the government-Taliban talks and the situation in this regard would be clear in next two/three days, Geo News reported.
Talking to Geo News, Maulana Yusuf Shah said that contacts have made with the Taliban Shura and added Taliban infighting would not affect the talks.

Taliban political Shura member Maulana Azam Tariq said that the talks making headway gradually. He said that the media hyped Taliban’s ordinary infighting and added the misgivings between the two groups have been removed and now no infighting would take place.

Six things that make Nokia X stand out among Androids

The Nokia X series phones will rely upon an open version of the Android mobile software system created by Google that has become the world's most popular software used in smartphones.

Just weeks after the launch of Nokia’s first ‘Android phone’ – Nokia X – at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, the company has brought the phone to India. Priced at Rs 8,599 (best buy), the phone is available for purchase starting today (March 10).
Although Nokia X is based on Android, it is very different from other phones in the market that work on the Google’s OS. Here are six ways in which the Nokia X is different from the crowd.
ANDROID SANS GOOGLE
Nokia X’s operating system has been built on Android Open Source Project (AOSP). This is just a fraction of Google’s OS seen in many of today’s phones. AOSP doesn’t come with proprietary Google code and hence, Google apps such as Play Store, Google Maps, etc, will not be available on Nokia X. Over the years, Google has been linking several key features to Google Play Services, which isn’t available under AOSP. If an app makes use of any of these features, Nokia X won’t be able to run it.
For further information on the limitations of AOSP, you can read two articles on the subject at Ars Technica. One is about Google’s iron grip on Android and the other explains why forking Android is not the best idea.
DISTINCT MICROSOFT FLAVOUR
Nokia X comes with a customised tile-based interface that reminds of Windows Phone. Couple that with Microsoft services such as OneDrive, Outlook and Nokia’s own Here Maps, and it’s easy to mistake this phone for a Windows Phone device.
Nokia said it is working on an easy way to migrate your data from the Nokia X to Lumia phones. More details on that should be available in the coming weeks.

along with a Nokia app store, where you can download many other apps and games. You can also sideload apps (download the .apk file and install), but that may not be a great idea because the app may not be optimised for the device. Nokia allows you to access third-party Android app stores to download apps that aren’t available on the Nokia store.

BUILD QUALITY
At the launch event in New Delhi, a Nokia representative threw the phone down from a height of five feet and even banged it against wooden surface. The Nokia X didn’t break and continued to work smoothly after that. Of course, it doesn’t mean that you’ll be able to claim warranty if you manage to break your Nokia X. Still, the demo was interesting and we will definitely test the build quality as soon as Nokia sends us a review unit.
Overall, Nokia’s phone is in the news because it stands out. There is no dearth of Android phones in the market, but the Nokia X is definitely going to grab eyeballs.

FAST LANE
Nokia X just has one button below its touchscreen display. This is a back button that looks identical to the one on new Asha series phones. It’s not surprising that Nokia also brought the Fast Lane interface from Asha to the X. Fast Lane gives you quick access to your favourite actions, whether it is playing music or calling. It also keeps you updated on upcoming events from your calendar.
FIXED FOCUS
The Nokia X’s camera does not have auto-focus, which is a bit baffling considering the phone’s price. The Lumia 520 costs less than the X and comes with auto-focus. If you love photography, then the Nokia X’s camera is going to prove a little restrictive.
THE APP MARKET
The biggest concern, however, is availability of apps. Nokia ships the phone with apps such as Facebook and Opera,

8 Things you need to know about your heart

Heart disease is the leading cause of death in most countries. It is quite important to reveal warning signs as soon as possible in order to prevent further problems. Read up on these 8 key facts and learn how to manage and improve your heart health.

Sleep seven to eight hours to protects your heart
People who sleep less than 6 hours a night show tree times the risk of developing heart disease than those who get seven to eight hours. Sleep helps to regulate insulin activity. Lack of sleep causes your more resistance to insulin that results in higher blood sugar levels and will contribute to heart disease due to weight gain. Exhaustion is another symptom of heart disease that is often ignored in females. If you notice that you are persistently exhausted, even after sleeping well, consult your physician.

Dropping just 10 lbs reduces the risk of heart disease
Sure, weight matters, but your waistline can be an even better indicator of your heart health. Females with waistlines over 40 inches and males with waistlines over 45 inches are at increased risk of heart disease. Studies show that losing even just 10 to 15% of your weight can significantly improve your heart health. And 25 to 55 minutes of aerobic exercise at least four times a week can help to strengthen your heart and reduce bad cholesterol and high blood pressure, especially if combined with a healthy diet.