Whats On My Dock (Photography Edition) EP2

Whether you a professional photographer or just an everyday snapper, your smartphone goes everywhere with you. Its light, its portable and definitely doesn't attract as much unwanted attention as a expensive professional camera. With smartphone camera like the Galaxy S4 Zoom and the Nokia Lumia 1020 opening up new possibilities in Smartphone photography, we though we'll celebrate by sharing our favorite Photography and videography apps with you...

INSTAGRAM

This app allows to to take your pictures, snap a filter on and share it with the world. Your pictures make  up a virtual photo Gallery that can be viewed by anyone across the world. People can comment, share or like your picture and your friends and family can even follow your account to receive your photos in their feed. Once you exel in Instagram your pictures can be featured in the "Popular page". Not really up for the whole world being able to view your pictures - Turn the "privacy" setting on so that only your selected Followers can view your images. Tag your friends and be tagged. when a friend takes a picture of you it shows up in the "Pictures of you"tab. Instagram recently added video. Now you can upload a 15 second video onto Instagram and show of your new skateboard tricks or just how cute your new cat is... Once you are on instagram don't forget to follow us

HIPST-A-MATIC

Although you are taking pictures on your smartphone doesn't mean you cant have the feel of using an analog camera. Change your film, your lens and flash to achieve different results with your end pictures. The result of this app is a hours spent editing your pictures in a really fun and entertaining way. Collect more lenses, flashes and films and buy more from the store. After you are satisfied with the picture, you can share your pictures with flickr, tumblr or instagram with ease and comfort. The only down-side is for me fellow Android users you won't get this app as its only available for Windows phone and iOS.

OGGL

An amazingly beautiful way to share and edit your photos. This app is by Histamatic and incorporates its beautiful effects and filters that really beatify your images. You can take pictures, and edit them with your own film and lens combination or a preset combinations and when you done editing, you can share your best shots with a community of some of the best photographers in the world. Browse pictures and tap curate to add them to your gallery. Share your pictures on instagram, flickr ect. Avalible for iOS and Windows phone. 

REPIX

Get creative with your images. Don't just edit them but remix them. This app is guaranteed to keep your fingers busy panting and editing your pictures with effects that make your pictures look more professional than ever. Word of warning - This app is highly addictive. Swipe your finger across the screen to paint an effect onto your picture. From lens-flares to smudges, Repix does it all! Share your images with all of your favorites photo sharing applications.

VINE

If videography is more your thing then share looping videos with your friends. Comment like and view some amazing videos as well as share your own. Be it showing off how well your dog can get the mail or how many push-ups you can do in 10 seconds, im sure the world will be pleased to see it. Explore the vine world to see some of the funniest videos on the internet. Vine is available for Android and iOS.  

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Blackberry Z10 (Review): The Dawn or Dusk of Blackberry?

Is it an iPhone.... is it the HTC One. No its the Blackberry Z10. The Z10 is the first phone to support Blackberry 10. According to Blackberry, This smarrphone is meant to signify a new start for Blackberry (Formerly known as RIM.) Blackberry 10 is the company's last attempt at success but with assets drying up and time passing by, will it be enough to keep the company afloat in this vicious smartphone tide. to put it simply, The Z10 is the rather disastrous Dawn of blackberry 10 but I can already see Blackberry's Dusk soon approaching!


HARDWARE

At first glance, the device does look stunning. Its glossy 4.2 inch screen, its smooth edges and bold buttons as simple yet utterly elegant! The immersive screen has a good re
solution (of  359 pixels per inch) The screen makes for clear, crisp and immersive content viewing (if your battery isn't dead.) Its when you hold the device in your hands when the problems roll out. The device has that common mid-range plastic-feel and it just seems too small, its definitely small for previous Galaxy S users but it may be okay for previous iPhone or Blackberry users. Overall, I like the look of the device. It undoubtable looks premium but it doesn't feel it. The phone's design is unique however It still isn't better than the Galaxy S4, the iPhone 5 or even its twin, the HTC One.

A SPEC-SENTENCE

A spec-sheet thats so short, it can be called a "Spec-sentence." We've seen amazing spec-sheets over the past few months from Samsung and Nokia, Spec-sheets that I struggle to write on one page. Then you get Blackberry with a few average specs that we've seen 2 years ago. The saddest part is that blackberry openly boasts these "Features"on its websites. They expect phrases like, "Front-Facing camera" and "3G ready" to draw customers in. * Lets take a moment of silence to show how pathetic is, if you can stop laughing. *  

TOUR

On the front of the device, you will find The 4.2 inch screen. Blackberry branding below the screen. The headset speaker, LED indicator and the illusive Front-facing camera. Something I really don't understand is the dual bezels on the device, many people have commented that they are for 'design' purposes but if so I really think it doesn't look nice (at all.) It would have been good to see some speakers on them (like the HTC One.)  but the again Blackberry has so little content to play through the speakers. On the bottom you shall find the primary speakers, which make for muffled sound quality. The positioning of the speakers are bad as I find myself covering the speakers when holding it in landscape mode. The Top of the device has a Sleep/wake button which is also oddly placed right in the middle. Although it looks better, its just hard to press the button when using the phone with one hand. The right side is home to two volume rockers as well as a programmable button in the middle. (similar to the one found on the 9900.) The left side houses the connection ports, The MicroUSB Charging port and the HDMI Port for sharing your screen. Finally we yet to the removable back panel which you will remove to install a Sim card or MicroSD as well as to remove or change the battery. Speaking of the Battery, The Z10 has a fairly large 1800 mAH battery which is good for about a day however the battery life does tend to deteriorate after a few weeks of usage. Getting back to the Back of the device, the Z10 has a textured Back panel which isn't as good as the one on the Q10 but its really nice and gripp-able. On the back you will also find the fair 8MP camera and the Blackberry logo. 

CAMERA

The Rear-shooter is a 8MP camera which is very similar to the iPhone 5 and the Q10's. It makes for Clear and crisp pictures. The camera is amazing and is definitely a camera I would use for everyday photography. Although the flash helps in low-light situations, I find that the flash gives pictures an unusual glowing hue. The Z10 also has a fair front-facing camera that can be used to take pictures of yourself and for 3rd party apps like Skype.

BLACKBERRY 10 OS

Blackberry 10 is Blackberry's last attempt to get you, the end user to join the Blackberry eco-system abandoning all android and iOS have to offer for what seems like a joke if you ask me. Blackberry 10 virtually takes features from iOS and Android and calls them their own! Apple and Google  haven't even bothered to do anything about it because I think even they feel sorry for Blackberry's failed attempt. Blackberry 10 just feels like you living in 2008. The software has a good look to it but at the end of the day the features are outdated and aren't useful. An example is one of Blackberry 10's key features is Blackberry Remind which does what Apple's Reminders did in iOS 5 (in 2011)!

BLACKBERRY BALANCE

Blackberry Balance is a feature that separates your work files from your personal files, which I think is an amazing feature. It works well and its definitely a feature I love in Blackberry 10. It really defines Blackberry as a work phone and a personal phone for real business people.  Its more features like these that I want to see.

BLACKBERRY HUB

Blackberry Hub allows you to have a peek at your notifications at a glance from any application by just swiping across the screen. The feature is similar to Android and iOS's Notifications but the layout is unique. It works fairly well, however I would have liked to see Blackberry allow you to reply to messages from Blackberry Hub. 

KEYBOARD

I hate to give it to Blackberry but the on-screen keyboard on the Z10 is undoubtable the best i've ever typed on. It just looks stunning and works even better. With the keyboard its just easier to draft an email or text a friend. It feels real, typing is not only easier but friendlier, The Blackberry keyboard learns your way of typing and adjust so you don't have to worry about miss spelling a word because the Blackberry Keyboard will correct you. It also looks at your most used words to give you word suggestions, all you have to do it swipe them up. Its as easy as QWERTY. 

DOCS TO GO

Edit and write your own Microsoft Office Word, exel or powerpoint documents ,basically polaris with blackberry branding! Docs to go is really helpful as you can edit documents on the way to meeting on the streets of south africa and nobody will steal the phone because even thieves don't want blackberrys. Maybe that would be a good feature for blackberry to add to their brochures... You're welcome Blackberry! No seriously , Docs to go on the Q10 is hard to use due to the small screen , so I find it useless on the Q10 also getting the documents onto your PC can be a lengthy task. (installing unneeded software)

BLACKBERRY WORLD

Blackberry World would either make or brake Blackberry 10. It doesn't matter how bad the Operating system is, if Blackberry world had a good selection of apps then the software would be shadowed. Sadly thats not the case. I do commend Blackberry for trying - blackberry gave out several "Dev Alpha"devices to help developers get a feel of Blackberry 10 but few of them developed worth while applications and as a result, blackberry world isn't just okay, its scarce! Although Blackberry now allows you to port android applications they don't work that well or they don't work at all! On the Q10 you will hardly find android applications that will run on its unusual square screen, same goes with the Q5. Another thing Blackberry introduced is music and videos to the Blackberry World, which indeed opens new opportunities but why buy music on blackberry when you can buy it on Apple and listen to it on your computer and on your iPad/iPods where as you can only listen to Blackberry music on your Blackberry 10 Smartphone. (Blackberry "World" isn't available on previous Blackberry devices)

BLACKBERRY MESSENGER

Blackberry Messenger got a new blackberry 10 facelift however no matter how popular BBM is, i still think the platform is slow and that other platforms like ChatOn and whatsapp are the best messaging platforms. BBM was the major factor on previous Blackberry smart phones but with no BIS (Blackberry Internet Services) It just isn't needed. I have also found lately that there are more people using whatsapp than BBM. I just think BBM features are outdated and Blackberry just played attention on useless details instead of focusing on the bigger picture. I find myself hardly using features like BBM Voice and Video as their simple aren't enough people with Blackberry 10 smart phones.

SEARCH

The search tool is really handy. Have you ever really needed a file but cant find it. Say goodbye to those angry bosses or teachers because this search utility beats Apple's by far. Blackberry Search suggest files from the device as well as suggestions on Blackberry World and the internet in order to supply you with the best search results on a mobile device. 

SOFTWARE CONCLUSION

Overall I think Blackberry OS 10 is a really big improvement from Blackberry OS7. It has better graphics, a better layout and is faster but with dated features and annoying gestures this OS update just isn't enough to make people move from Android or iOS to Blackberry 10. From a Software standpoint, Blackberry 10 just seems confused! Is it a flagship device? Is it a Social phone? Is it a Blackberry? It just seems as though blackberry tried too hard. They were to busy trying to mimic their competition that they lost view of what Blackberry was really about, now it doesn't feel like im holding a Blackberry in my hands. Blackberry 10 has some amazing features like Blackberry Keyboard and Blackberry search but will a search utility and on-screen keyboard really save Blackberry? 

CONCLUSION

Blackberry has done an amazing job with the Z10 its beautiful and its unique. No matter what people may say. The Z10 is in my opinion a bold and striking move for Blackberry. I like that they made that move but I question whether its enough for the company. A dated operating system, a seemingly confused design and a dead App Store means consumers aren't interested in the Z10. Why would they be when there are phones with better specs and software. Blackberry is dying, but they are ending on a good note. I see a device that isn't all that good but its reliable, its convenient and its just a statement to everyone on how far Blackberry has come. It may not be the best phone out there but as a business person, a social person or a student. The Z10 is a phone i'd buy. Features like Blackberry keyboard, blackberry search , Docs to go and even the annoying gestures makes this phone so perfect for everyday life. I like this phone because its not trying to be something its not! It may be the dusk of Blackberry but its definitely the dawn of something new, Something unique and something that I really like...

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Did an iPhone 5 actually kill a lady?

(Picture of Ma)

Turns out iPhones don't only kill Androids but people. On July the 11th, A Chinese women by the name of Ma was allegedly "electrocuted" by answering an iPhone 5 while it was charging. There are no other details about this "Story". The news has been out for some time now and initially I believed that it was just an attempt from competitors to give Apple bad press but the story seems pretty legitimate and the scariest part is that Apple hasn't yet responded to recent events. Was it a coincidence or was it a glitch from Apple? The reality is its probably a glitch with most iPhone 5's out there! Recent events are really making me ask myself, if it happened once, who said it cant happen again! Until we get a response from Apple (which will probably never happen) none of us are really safe...

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The Samsung Galaxy S4 gets Colorful make-over!

Live at the Samsung Event : Photo Credit- TheVerge

For the past few years we've basically seen Black and White smart phones everywhere but Samsung plans on changing that ... At a recent launch event, Samsung splashed the stage with colour giving the extremely successful Galaxy S4 five new colours. To keep with Samsung's Nature-inspired theme, these colours were given a nature-inspired adjective. The new colours are ; Blue Arctic, Purple Mirage, Red Aurora, Pink Twilight and Brown Autumn. Im really exited for these colours to make they debut as I think its an amazing idea and it will definitely give customers a more personalized feel. We not sure exactly when these new colours will hit South Africa but we sure will let you know when it does.

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Blackberry Q10 (Review) : A Traditional Blackberry with the Right dilution of Android and Apple.... In other Words, A Fruit Cocktail!

"Fantastic, Fast. innovative, The Next Big thing" are 4 words that don't describe the Q10. The Q10 is Blackberry as it was made to be. It is the Blackberry 10 device for those few Blackberry-lovers out there. It has a stylish design, a QWERTY keyboard and a 3.1 inch multi-touch display but is that really enough to hide from the fact that Blackberry 10 OS is a failed attempt at iOS and Android?

HARDWARE

I chose to review the Q10 before the Z10 because frankly, I like to focus on the positive features of a device when I review it but with the Z10, there truly isn't anything to commend Blackberry on, but I wont go into too much detail on the Z10 because you're here to read about the Q10 and see it for what it truly is. Lets talk about the hardware, amazingly smooth keys that make for comfortable typing. The Q10 has a rather small 3.1 inch display which has a fairly low pixel resolution when compared to other flagship smart phones like the Samsung Galaxy S4.  Although bad, the resolution is much better than what ive seen on previous Blackberry devices like the Bold 9900. The Back of the device has a rather premium looking carbon fibre like design but once its in your hands, it just feels plasticy and not at all premium! Don't get me wrong, I love the design but im very disappointed with regards to the little details like speaker grills and  parts where Blackberry should have added premium materials like they did with the 9900. Under its plastic exterior, the Q10 packs a Snapdragon S4 Quad-core processor.  Overall , I think the Spec sheet isn't exiting to many but is definitely an improvement for previous Blackberry owners, its a good spec update but Blackberry users are a minority and Blackberry needs to reach out and expand their horizons and draw in new customers but with this hardware, I just don't understand why anyone would leave their flagship S4's or even the S3 for this phone.

CAMERA

The Rear shooter is a 8MP camera which makes for crisp detailed pictures. The camera is really good and is definitely a camera that id use everyday. The flash helps in low-light situations but I find that the flash gives the pictures and unusual glowing hue. The Q10 also has a fair front-facing camera that can be used to take pictures or used in 3rd part applications like Skype. 

TOUR

On the front you shall find a the QWERTY keyboard, Blackberry Branding, a headset speaker, a front-facing camera and an LED indicator. On the bottom of the device, you'll find the main speaker grill which produces amazing crisp sound quality however its placing is bad as the sound isn't firing at you but away from you. On the top theres a classic Blackberry Sleep/Wake button and on the right -hand side you'll find the volume rocker and the programmable button. On the Left-hand side is a Micro- HDMI port and a micro USB port for charging the phone.

BLACKBERRY 10.1 OS

Blackberry 10 is Blackberry's last attempt to get you, the end user to join the Blackberry eco-system abandoning all android and iOS have to offer for what seems like a joke if you ask me. Blackberry 10 virtually takes features from iOS and Android and calls them their own! Apple and Google  haven't even bothered to do anything about it because I think even they feel sorry for Blackberry's failed attempt. Blackberry 10 just feels like you living in 2008. The software has a good look to it but at the end of the day the features are outdated and aren't useful. An example is one of Blackberry 10's key features is Blackberry Remind which does what Apple's Reminders did in iOS 5 (in 2011)!

Photo Credit - BerryReview

BLACKBERRY BALANCE

Blackberry Balance is a feature that separates your work files from your personal files, which I think is an amazing feature. It works well and its definitely a feature I love in Blackberry 10. It really defines Blackberry as a work phone and a personal phone for real business people.  Its more features like these that I want to see.

BLACKBERRY HUB

Blackberry Hub allows you to have a peek at your notifications at a glance from any application by just swiping across the screen. The feature is similar to Android and iOS's Notifications but the layout is unique. It works fairly well, however I would have liked to see Blackberry allow you to reply to messages from Blackberry Hub. 

DOCS TO GO

Edit and write your own Microsoft Office Word, exel or powerpoint documents ,basically polaris with blackberry branding! Docs to go is really helpful as you can edit documents on the way to meeting on the streets of south africa and nobody will steal the phone because even thieves don't want blackberrys. Maybe that would be a good feature for blackberry to add to their brochures... You're welcome Blackberry! No seriously , Docs to go on the Q10 is hard to use due to the small screen , so I find it useless on the Q10 also getting the documents onto your PC can be a lengthy task. (installing unneeded software)

BLACKBERRY WORLD

Blackberry World would either make or brake Blackberry 10. It doesn't matter how bad the Operating system is, if Blackberry world had a good selection of apps then the software would be shadowed. Sadly thats not the case. I do commend Blackberry for trying - blackberry gave out several "Dev Alpha"devices to help developers get a feel of Blackberry 10 but few of them developed worth while applications and as a result, blackberry world isn't just okay, its scarce! Although Blackberry now allows you to port android applications they don't work that well or they don't work at all! On the Q10 you will hardly find android applications that will run on its unusual square screen, same goes with the Q5. Another thing Blackberry introduced is music and videos to the Blackberry World, which indeed opens new opportunities but why buy music on blackberry when you can buy it on Apple and listen to it on your computer and on your iPad/iPods where as you can only listen to Blackberry music on your Blackberry 10 Smartphone. (Blackberry "World" isn't available on previous Blackberry devices)

BLACKBERRY MESSENGER

Blackberry Messenger got a new blackberry 10 facelift however no matter how popular BBM is, i still think the platform is slow and that other platforms like ChatOn and whatsapp are the best messaging platforms. BBM was the major factor on previous Blackberry smart phones but with no BIS (Blackberry Internet Services) It just isn't needed. I have also found lately that there are more people using whatsapp than BBM. I just think BBM features are outdated and Blackberry just played attention on useless details instead of focusing on the bigger picture. I find myself hardly using features like BBM Voice and Video as their simple aren't enough people with Blackberry 10 smart phones.

SOFTWARE CONCLUSION

Overall I think Blackberry OS 10 is a really big improvement from Blackberry OS7. It has better graphics, a better layout and is faster but with dated features and annoying gestures this OS update just isn't enough to make people move from Android or iOS to Blackberry 10. From a Software standpoint, Blackberry 10 just seems confused! Is it a flagship device? Is it a Social phone? Is it a Blackberry? It just seems as though blackberry tried too hard. They were to busy trying to mimic their competition that they lost view of what Blackberry was really about, now it doesn't feel like im holding a Blackberry in my hands.

CONCLUSION

 I would firstly like to address a complaint that surfaced recently that said im against Blackberry, I am in no way against Blackberry, im fact I like blackberry's. There was just a unique feeling about using a Blackberry handset and being part of the Blackberry eco-system but that feeling truly lacks in OS 10. I feel as though Blackberry has done an amazing job on the Q10, its gorgeous and captures a see in it a slight hint of what blackberry was and what it wants to be, thats just it - Blackberry isn't there as yet and  I cant justify and I doubt anyone else would spend R8000 on the Q10 when you can get a higher specced Galaxy S4 for the same price. I keep telling myself that Blackberry can only improve from OS10 but at the same time I remind myself that Blackberry's time is limited and their funds are rapidly drying up. I Love Blackberrys and I hope blackberry will be continue but at this moment in time, Blackberry 10 is only appealing to SOME previous Blackberry Owners. Blackberry 10 just isn't good enough for the majority of tech users. With regards to the Q10 in particular, I believe Blackberry could have really made this a good phone as there are no QWERTY keyboard smart phones with these specs but the software lets it down and stops eager consumers from buying it. Blackberry 10 was suppose to be the rebirth or death of Blackberry but it really feels like Blackberry is just on "life Support" at the moment, neither here nor there. Blackberry is still in the game but they need to do something before funds deflate, time lapses and most importantly consumers loose interest... 

Basically everything boils down to us, we need to stop blaming blackberry. I am in no way saying you cant criticize them, im simply saying that you should give them a chance. You cant expect them to get better if they don't have customers to better the eco-sytem for. So for the final verdict - Should you buy a Q10 ? Yes and No. The Blackberry Q10 is a excellent work phone. It does will do what you need it to do on a daily basis but nothing more. Its a good phone for a person who wants just that but for the avid gamers, teen or even a app-lover I wouldn't recommend this phone. If you are adamant on getting a Blackberry 10 device, Id recommend waiting for the launch of the Blackberry A10 later this year or the iPhone 5S. In conclusion ... Blackberry's fruits may be dry but the Blackberry's seeds can always disperse to give life to new technology ... or Blackberry can stay Blackberry!


Thanks to Shailen Desai for this Review unit and thanks to all of you for reading this and supporting my blog. Please note,  The content of this Blog post belongs collectively to iGeekDroid, iBlogUnscripted and Mikail Jassat unless otherwise stated. Any use of this content is plagiarism unless prior permission is given my the author.

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RumourReady: What I want to See in The Galaxy Note 3

Photo Credit : Tech Expert

Its Christmas, Well not really but it is like Christmas for you Phablet loving freaks out there because Samsung is planning on launching the "Galaxy Note III" or several "Galaxy Note III"s - like they did with the Galaxy S4... The internet has been dominated by leaked pictures and rumored features of this device, so read on as we explore "What I want to see in the Galaxy Note 3"

3 Definite Features 

I would like to see a bigger 6" screen with a better resolution. A better Design that supports a thinner and lighter device. I want to see more premium materials used in the device. It should run Android 4.3 with an updated version of Touchwiz supporting features like multiple-users.

3 Possible Features

Samsung has been working on a button less phone and I actually think the best device to debut that technology on is the Note III , however it may be too early to debut it as it might still be in testing. A improved S-pen with better Application support. A 13 megapixel back-facing camera similar to the one on the S4. 

Photo Credit: The Tech Block

3 Un-likely Features

A completely metal design. With Samsung's record of plastic devices, this is highly unlikely and we know that this rumor isn't true as a Samsung Official stated that "Samsung's next phablet will have a thinner and lighter design." It is very unlikely that a metal phone would be lighter than the existing Note II. Some Rumors also state that the Note III will support the upcoming Android 5.0 "Key-lime Pie" but the software hasn't been announced and probably wont be until after the Note III's launch. The last unlikely feature is that the Note III will support a curved OLED Screen, although i'd love to see this technology on the Note III, its very unlikely that they will launch that technology this soon. 

The Possibility of 3 Versions

Samsung is likely to launch multiple-versions of the Galaxy Note III. We can probably expect a Waterproof Version, A Mini Version and version with a better camera. The "Zoom" version or the "Camera" version will probably have software and hardware updates to take on the recently launched Nokia Lumia 1020.  We aren't sure whether all versions will launch on the same day or whether they will launch at different events. The possibly of three versions of the Note III is very likely.


There are no launch dates or spec sheets that have surfaced as yet but be sure subscribe to us to find out more about the Note III and be one of the first to read about it once its launched.
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Blackberry To Launch A new Flagship Smartphone .... Haven't they tortured us enough!

Photo Credit - Qz

Blackberry is to 6 smart phones this year and we've seen 3 of those 6. Rumors have been flooding the internet that Blackberry is planning to release a new flagship smartphone to replace the current flagship , The Z10. Firstly I would like to commend Blackberry - It takes guts to understand that your product isn't good. The Smartphone is said to launch sometime later this year. This device is named the "A10" no other information has been given about this smartphone. I really like Blackberry. I think they are unique and I hope they show that in the A10 instead of trying to be something they are not (like they did with the Z10). Blackberry really needs to get to work making the best smartphone they can because right now they are dying financially and consumers are starting to loose interest....


WHAT DO I WANT TO SEE IN THE "A10"

Well One thing is certain, I don't want an iPhone replica with Blackberry branding and Android-like software. I want a Blackberry! A unique phone with a bigger screen and better resolution. A premium and lightweight design. Better Battery life. A Better Camera that can compete with the S4 or HTC One. Most of all , I want a upgraded version of Blackberry 10. I want to see better animations. Crisper design and much more features especially when it comes to Camera options - I want filters, Slow-motion video the works. I want to see software that defines Blackberry... 

SHOULD I BUY A Z10 WITH THE A10 COMING UP? 

I would suggest you do. The A10 will replace the Z10 which means it will have much more to offer from a hardware and software stand-point. What I suggest is that you wait for the A10 to release in your country and if you don't like the A10 the Z10 will be available and it will be cheaper than it was before the launch of the A10. 

I hope this post helped you and I wish Blackberry the best of luck as they design the A10. To keep up to date with all things techie, Subscribe to us and keep checking our site for more Blackberry 10 posts.

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Uncapped Internet and ways to manage your data usage...

Photo Credit - Pocket-Lint

Over the past few weeks I've suffered through something that really irritated me! I use Internet a lot in my daily life so Uncapped Internet is the only solution for me and that's just it- What Service providers tell you about Uncapped Internet is that you will get a certain Internet speed (The first lie) and that you will be able to use an unlimited amount of data (The second lie.) What they don't tell you is that once you hit a certain amount of data, the speed decreases to a slower speed, so the original Internet speed they told you about is gone before the first week into the month and once you hit about 50GBs of data, that's when the speed becomes so bad that In my experience its taken up to 10minutes to load a single web page! Although I understand that service providers only do this so that they can regain their loss on you using +50GB, it just isn't right! Closer to the end of the month , the Internet speed was so slow that my browser didn't even load the web page!! 

EXAMPLE

1 June 2013 - 437kbs
15 June 2013 - 106kbs
26 June 2013 - 0.7kbs
30 June 2013 - NA - because I could access the Internet to do a speed test!!

I'm extremely mad and all I've got to say to service providers everywhere is - Don't trick people into thinking they are getting 'Unlimited' Data, when you don't allow them to use the data once they've hit 50GB (even though I do admit 50GBs is a lot!)

My advice to you - stick to Capped data (it's faster and more reliable) and once you done with it, you can also revert to Free WiFi zones and stealing  Internet from the people living next to you...

HOW TO MANAGE YOUR DATA USAGE

In light of recent events I would like to give you guys some quick tips to managing your Data usage. With Consumers using up to R2000 worth of data on the Smart-phones in a month alone, Data overspending has become a huge problem but its not really that hard to manage your data usage. I plotted 5 really important Tips and Tricks when trying to save data.... 

1. Install a Data Usage checker. Phones like the Samsung Galaxy S3/S4 have one built into the settings. However if your smartphone or PC doesn't, you can always check it from your Service providers themselves by means of their Application suite (e.g "MyMTN") and you can also check your usage on your PC by signing into your broadband account (if you are with broadband.) This will allow you to keep an eye on your Data usage frequently. 
2. By Means of #1 you can now check your data whenever you want. If you see your data usage going VERY high then you should turn off your mobile data immediately on the phone, this will mean you will not use any more data however you will not be able to use the internet. 
3. You can save data by using WiFi whenever you have the chance. Use FREE WiFi in shopping malls and restaurants.
4. Do all your major downloading with the FREE wifi at your work place or school. 
5. Control your urges to download Apps!

How these Top Tips and Tricks helped. 

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Ramadan Mubarak ...

iBlogUnscripted wishes all of our Muslim readers Ramadan Mubarak. May your have a prosperous and happy month and may you reap your rewards in the hereafter. Aameen...

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Samsung Galaxy S4 (Unboxing in Pictures)

The Galaxy S4 is an obvious choice for many. An unbeatable Spec sheet and an iconic design. So I thought I'd share with you pictures as I unboxed the phone, so that you know what comes in the box of your Galaxy S4. This is NOT a full review, it is just a detailed unboxing of the Black Mist Galaxy S4, to make you feel as though the phone is right in front of you... 

Lets get to the packaging, The S4 is enclosed in a typical Samsung Clam-Shell box. The box has this nice Wood grain effect on it and this box is made of recycled paper and printed with soy-ink. It has a little gap in the middle to show you wether it is the Black Mist version or the White frost version. I have the Black Mist option (obviously). 

Lets take a quick tour of the box. On the front you'll find the Samsung S4 branding, you'll find that on the left hand side too. On the Right hand side is a little message telling you more about the recycled and nature friendly material used in this packaging. On the back you'll find the specs of the phone as well as the model number and capacity. 

The first thing that meets the eye is this gorgeous Black Mist Samsung Galaxy S4.  Beautiful and lightweight. smooth and grippable. Premium and durable. This is a handset that I would keep for a 2 year contract. Im not going to go into too much detail with the device, ill leave that for the Review, all im going to say is - the S4 is amazing...

The Black Mist Galaxy S4 oddly comes with white exesories just like the white version. The Samsung branded headphones are average and aren't as good as Apple Ear pods. 

The Galaxy S4 box includes the Phone all covered in plastic. The Quick-start guide and manuals, A USB Charger, A Wall adapter and a set of earphones. The Charger is nice shiny and durable as well as he USB charger. 

The Pictures above all belong jointly to iBlogUnscripted and Mikail Jassat. Use of these pictures without the author's prior permission is plagiarism!

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The Q5 is now Available!

The Q5 is the phone for the many people out there who want to experience Blackberry 10 but don't want to spend that much. The Q5 enters the south African market with a stylish design, the iconic Blackberry QWERTY keyboard and pretty impressive specs! The Q5 has an amazing 5MP rear-facing camera and Blackberry 10.1. As of right now, the Q5 is available on MTN, CellC and Vodacom! 

Buy it From CELLC -  Contract Options -> Click here

Buy it From Vodacom - Contract Options -> Click Here

Buy it From MTN - Contract option -> Click Here                   

WHY BUY THE Q5

I am a not a fan of Blackberry, however I think Blackberry has been working hard to make the Blackberry eco system better and I believe that preservation is what will keep Blackberry afloat. Things like bringing BBM (Blackberry Messaging) to multiple platforms. Blackberry has also promised support for Android Jelly Bean Applications on Blackberry 10.2! That will bring the games you all love to your Blackberry. I am exited to see what Blackberry has planned and I think it is the perfect time to buy the Q5 (if you are a fan of Blackberry). For others like myself, I don't really understand why you should buy the Q5 when you can buy a S3 mini for the same price. Personally I would buy the Q5 because I believe in Blackberry and I think Blackberry is a unique company and the Q5 is a complete reflection of the company. Theres just something about the Q5 that I love. Its something that I cant explain, its just so lovable! Dare I say it but the Q5 is better than the SIII Mini and would more apps and little improvements to Blackberry 10 here and there, it could be the number one mid-range phone on the market. So what are you waiting for ... Get buying!

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Introducing... Gaming Guru

Lately I have really explored the Gaming field. "Gaming Guru"is a new section on my blog for you gamers out there! you will be able to read reviews of gaming consoles and games,  gaming news and guides. My hope is to deliver intuitive, in-depth and honest opinions that you cant get anywhere else. Gaming Guru will come to iBlogUnscripted which is another reason to subscribe to us,
So keep it Connected!

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What's On My Homepage! (iOS Edition) EP1

There a Millions of apps out there on multiple platforms, there are apps that can be useful and others that can be a waste of Space on your Device. Its become insane with Developers even designing apps for your Cats! So how do you know what to download and what not to? In this post i'm going to explore the vast iOS App Store to find the best Apps for you to download....

HEADS UP 

Heads up is my favorite party game on the App Store. Its amazing to play with friends with guaranteed roll on the floor laughing! This game is inspired by Ellen Degeneres's Game "Celebrity" which features on her talk show. You can choose between many categories including "Accents" (A personal favorite) ; "Act it out" ; "Animal Sounds" and "Icons,legends & Stars. The Game displays a word or name on the screen and gives you an allocated time to get another person to guess the word. Front-Facing camera support means you can capture the funniest reactions and share them with the world! (Which is very funny.) Watch Ellen as she does a Tutorial... Available for iPhone and iPad

STAMPSY

Social Media Apps are booming, with hundreds of Facebook want-to-be's im really exited to see something totally unique and original. Stampsy is a platform to share your media content be it a photo , artwork or writing, this app showcases you work in a form called "Stamps."Stamps really bring your content to life. Stampsy is easier to use, with palettes of colours and a grid to help plan out your stamps. After you publish it your stamp gets its own unique URL code which you can share with people. Publish yourself with Stampsy.                                                                           

MUSYC

Don't read music note, but love music? This is the app for you! No knowledge of music needed. All you do is drag your finger across the screen to make music. Different in-app purchases means you can spend hours not to mention many dollars on this app. Musyc is a original and unique app that is perfect for any music lover. Creating music has never been this easy. Its seems almost 'magical' the way the songs come together. When you are done recording it there are multiple sharing options including iTunes, Drop-box or Sound Cloud. 

MINECRAFT - POCKET EDITION 

Build your own virtual world by day , fight the monsters by night. Minecraft is the ultimate way to show off your creative side. Place Blocks and create your virtual kingdom. Minecraft offers 3 settings, Survival, Creative and Hardcore mode. In Survival mode, you can need to eat and keep yourself safe from monsters. Collect blocks and save them in your inventory. In Creative mode you get unlimited blocks and you can fly. Available for iPhone and iPad

ASPHALT 7 : HEAT

Asphalt by Game loft comes back with "Asphalt 7: Heat" a more graphically intensive game with circuits that look very true to reality. The game is my favorite Street-Racing game available on the app store with over 60 different cars. However, I do warn you that the game is VERY heavy on RAM so I advise you to close all background applications before hitting the circuit. The improved multiplayer feature makes it easier to race with your friends and family. Asphalt 7 is the best Asphalt yet!
Available for iPhone and iPad

IMOVIE

Tired of movie editors that are complicated and hard to use? Aren't we all! Make your home movies worthy of the red carpet with Apple's Mac software now available on the App Store, so you can edit your movie on the plane ride home and show it to your family immediately. It is simple and easy to use. With easy theme settings and controls that are adapted to touch screens. iMovie is perfect to use, whether you are an aspiring Videographer, an actor or even a avid traveller wanting to share your video diaries or snapshots. Available for iPhone and iPad

Thanks for Reading
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Introduction : Mid-Range Smartphones Series

Recently I've noticed that when buying phones consumers only really notice the high end flagship smartphones but often smartphones like these can be too expensive. So this week in going to look into many Mid-range smartphones that have features and specs that are not only light on your wallet but are perfect for you and your everyday usage...

This week I'm going to look at the:

Sony Xperia V
Samsung Galaxy S4 mini
Nokia Lumia 720

To make your life easier we will also include links to other pages on our blog that may help you as well as prices of the device from your network, be it Vodacom, MTN , CellC or Tellcom Mobile (previously known as 8ta).

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(Mid Range Smart phones) Under R200/month on an MTN 24 month contract.

It can be difficult to find a good phone at an even better price but MTN has amazing deals for you. I've searched for the best deals under R200 for your liking. These prices are subject to availability and change and are exclusive to MTN stores through out South Africa. Below you shall find a guide to these phones and a short description of the phones and the deal you are getting (i.e Airtime, no. of messages, data.) I am in no way promoting MTN (South Africa) nor its services, I am just trying to give you (my readers) the best deals possible. If you aren't with MTN, do not fear I will have breakdowns of Vodacom, CellC and Tellcom Mobile (previously known as 8ta). So if you are looking to upgrade your current phone - i've got the deals that you want in one place!

Photo Credit- Pocket-lint

SAMSUNG GALAXY SIII MINI - The Galaxy SIII Mini is a really amazing phone, at just R199/ month , the SIII Mini is a smaller (4 inch) version of the larger (4.8 inch) Galaxy S3. It supports Android Jelly bean 4.1 with Samsung's Touchwiz Nature UX Overlay. A 4 inch Super AMOLED screen. 5MP Camera and a fast dual-core processor! The SIII Mini's screen is the same size as the iPhone 5's screen so the SIII Mini might make a better phone for people who are still getting used to bigger phones like the Galaxy Note with a massive 5.5 inch screen! This deal also includes R100 Airtime Value (incl. VAT), 25 SMSs and 150MB of data. However if you are a person who wants the latest tech, i'd wait for the Samsung Galaxy S4 mini to come to MTN. The price of the S3 mini may drop after the South African release of the Galaxy S4 mini, so look out for deals.

Photo Credit - Technocrates

SONY XPERIA J- Its the ultimate social phone, the Xperia J's glass bezel (located at the bottom of the phone) lights up to alert you that you have a notification. The Xperia J has amazing sound quality, Android Ice Cream Sandwich 4.0 with Sony's Overlay, amazing Apps available from the Play Store and an amazing 5MP back facing camera as well as a front-facing camera all for just R189/month. The high resolution 4 inch screen comes from the same people who brought you Sony Bravia which results in crisp images. With the Xperia you can expect amazing overall performance and up to date software. This deal includes R100 airtime per month, 25 SMSs and 150MB of data.

Photo Credit - PCpro

NOKIA LUMIA 520- So you like Windows 8 on your PC , be prepared to love it on your next smartphone, the Nokia lumia 520 is a great way to enter the wide-range of Windows 8 Phone devices at R149/month. Get all of the information you need on your home page with Windows LiveTiles. View and edit your Microsoft Office documents using Office 2013. HERE drive gives you turn by turn navigation and van even guide you through bus stops.  It supports Windows Phone 8, a Qualcomm SnapDragon S4 processor, A 4 inch 235ppi screen which are good specs for the price it is being offered at. You receive R100 airtime, 25 SMSs and 150MB of data.

Photo Credit- Yugatech

SONY XPERIA GO-  The Sony Xperia go is one of my personal favorites, its a affordable yet convenient phone at R149/month! The Xperia Go is for adventure addicts or even an everyday office worker who wants a phone that is durable and durable is exactly what the Experia is! It is completely water and dust resistant! Whether you want to check your mail in the midst of a sand-storm or just in the shower, the Go will survive. It supports Android Jellybean 4.1 with Sony's Overlay. 5MP camera, 3.5 inch screen. The deal includes R100 airtime, 25 SMSs and 75MB of data.

Be sure to subscribe and comment below if you have any questions. Look out for more posts and reviews coming soon...

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