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Review

Meet the fake news of the online marketing world (that Google loves!): Review sites

by Loknath Das April 5, 2024

written by Loknath Das

A recent visit to TopSEOs.com revealed some amazing “facts” about online marketing vendors. Did you know, for example, that:

One of iProspect’s biggest clients is Circuit City (which went bankrupt in 2008)?
iCrossing’s annual revenue is between $1 million and $3 million?
Geary LSF (which closed in early 2016) currently has 93 employees and revenue of more than $10M. Oh, and they are the #59 best SEO agency in the US as of July 2017.
My company, 3Q Digital, also has revenue between $1 million and $3 million (wrong), has three founders (all of which founded an agency we acquired and only one of which has ever been part of my agency), is located in an office we haven’t rented for four years and is apparently the #7 best mobile marketing company in Australia (if only we had an Australian client).
An agency in Lehi, Utah, is ranked #1 in the US for search engine optimization, local SEO, remarketing, Facebook advertising, LinkedIn advertising, YouTube advertising, web design, web development, site audits, App Store Optimization, inbound marketing, infographic design, medical SEO, multilingual SEO, online marketing, video marketing, voice search optimization, and web marketing? They also rank highly in Canada and the UK. (I’m not providing a link here because I don’t want to help the organic results.)

So, um, yeah, it seems like a lot of the in-depth research on TopSEOs is at least 3 to 4 years old. I give them some credit, however, for updating the data they had in 2012, when they listed Google as being based in Seattle with annual revenue of $5 million to $10 million.

When top SEO rankings go to fake reviews sites

Now, you might be thinking: Why does this matter? There are plenty of junky pay-to-play review sites that exist entirely to drive leads to their sponsors. Here’s the rub: Google’s SEO algorithm apparently can’t separate the fake review sites from real content. To wit, I did a few Google searches and found TopSEOs highly ranked on numerous terms including:

#1 – Top SEO Agency
#2 – Best SEO Company
#3 – Top PPC Agency
#4 – SEO Agency
#5 – Best SEM Agency
#5 – PPC Agency

And then there’s Clutch.co — which happens to rank their sponsoring service-providers in the top spot for most categories — that is also doing smashingly in the organic results:

#1 – Best SEO Agency
#1 – Best SEO Company (right in front of TopSEOs)
#1 – Top PPC Agency
#1 – SEO Agency
#1 – PPC Agency
#2 – Top SEO Agency (right behind TopSEOs)
#3 – Best SEM Agency

It’s one thing for an agency to tout a bunch of fake rankings on their own website, but when Google is giving top SEO rankings to fake ranking sites, it gives these sites an aura of legitimacy that could lead businesses to trust the rankings.

Indeed, the agency that appears to be paying a ton of money to TopSEOs, and has been awarded top-ranking in the majority of categories, has a 1.5 out of 5 stars on Yelp and has received 12 negative reviews (none positive) on the Better Business Bureau’s website. (Snippets from the reviews include “in the end probably created more harm than good,” “they very obviously didn’t care about their work,” and “this is the most dishonest company I’ve ever dealt with.”)

I have a pretty simple theory as to why these review sites continue to impress Google’s algorithms. Every company that “wins” a high ranking promotes the ranking on their website, which means that the fake review sites are getting dozens of links from agencies. So Google’s algorithm sees a bunch of SEM and SEO agencies linking back to a site about “top SEM agencies” and concludes that this must be the most relevant site!

This is the same “link bombing” that resulted in George Bush showing up #1 for the term “miserable failure.” Google has developed algorithms in the past to fix egregious link bombing, so it’s a bit surprising that this problem still exists.

And even if the algorithm isn’t up to snuff, Google allegedly has 10,000 human reviewers who are on the look-out for bad and irrelevant content. It’s hard to believe that none of these folks have ever come across these fake review sites and imposed a ranking penalty.

I do have to give TopSEOs credit for one thing: making me laugh. They have a page about their testing facility that is fantastic, and I recommend reading the whole thing here. To give you a taste of its awesomeness, however, just check out this paragraph about their office, which uses high-falutin’ words to describe what appears to be a thermostat, desk lamps, computers with built-in speakers, nearby restaurants, and a hospital!

Our testing facility is outfitted with temperature control systems, audio capabilities, and automated lighting solutions to provide each team member with the optimal work environment. Our infrastructure makes communication convenient while the location of the testing facility ensures ease of access to products and services which team members may require for sustenance or medical concerns.

All joking aside, I’d like to see Google take their organic results a little more seriously and clean up the “fake news” that is no doubt misleading many businesses.

Some opinions expressed in this article may be those of a guest author and not necessarily Search Engine Land. Staff authors are listed here.

[“Source-searchengineland”]

April 5, 2024 0 comment

Tech Update

iBall Slide Brace-X1 4G Review

by Loknath Das April 5, 2024

written by Loknath Das

iBall Slide Brace-X1 4G Review

HIGHLIGHTS

The tablet runs on Remix OS, a fork of Android with a Windows-like UI
It is powered by an octa-core processor and has 2GB of RAM
The tablet shuts down abruptly when the battery level is low

The tablet market has’t found long-term traction, and we now see a lot of manufacturers shying away from this product category. There are still a few major players like Apple and Samsung showcasing products like the iPad Proand the Galaxy Tab S3, but the smaller manufacturers such as iBall, Micromax, and Intex that cater to the lower price segments have slowed down, releasing fewer new models than before. Today we have one such tablet from iBall, which claims to be different. The company says that it is designed for work as well as entertainment, and what’s also interesting is that it runs Remix OS, a fork of Android. Is this enough to make the iBall Slide Brace-X1 4G reinvigorate the tablet market? Let’s find out.

iBall Slide Brace-X1 4G look and feel

This iBall tablet looks like it was inspired heavily by the Lenovo Yoga Tab 3 and its siblings, so much so that it’s practically a knockoff. An original design might have been a better idea since the Yoga Tab 3 is available at roughly the same price. iBall has used plastic for the construction of this tablet and it does not feel premium. It has a cylindrical bulge on one side which houses a kickstand to keep the tablet upright when used in landscape mode.

When holding the iBall Slide Brace-X1 4G in portrait mode, it feels like you are holding a book with the pages folded back around the spine, which helps grip it better. There area speakers at either end, but this positioning means that audio isn’t directed towards the user. Also, the speakers aren’t very loud to start with which makes it harder to enjoy media.

iBall Slide Brace X1 4G Front NDTV iBall Slide Brace-X1 4G Review

The front of the tablet is dominated by a 10.1-inch display with a 5-megapixel selfie camera above it. On the top edge, you’ll find a DC power input, a 3.5mm audio socket, a Micro-USB port, a mic, the power button, and the volume buttons. With all the connection points at the top, the other sides are blank. Just like the Yoga Tab 3, iBall has positioned the SIM and the microSD slots behind the kickstand which acts like a cover of sorts. We found that the kickstand is made of metal and is a pain to use because you have to pry it open with your fingernails. There’s also an 8-megapixel rear camera with a single LED flash.

iBall Slide Brace-X1 4G specifications

The tablet’s 10.1-inch display sports a resolution of 1280×800 pixels and has decent viewing angles. While we found the big screen adequate for watching content on, the resolution could have been better. We have seen smaller tablets like the Xiaomi Mi Pad (Review) pack in a high-res display, which drastically improves the viewing experience. Powering the Brace-X1 4G is a MediaTek MT8783 octa-core processor which is clocked at 1.3GHz, with an integrated Mali-T720 GPU. The tablet also gets 2GB of RAM and 16GB of storage. The OS occupies close to 6GB leaving you with only about 10GB of space for all your stuff. Thankfully, storage is expandable and you can use a microSD card of up to 64GB.

The device has a single SIM slot and supports 4G and VoLTE. You can use a cellular data plan to access the Internet on the go, and you can also make voice calls using this tablet. As there is no earpiece you’ll need to use headphones, a Bluetooth accessory, or the main speakers.

iBall Slide Brace X1 4G Stand NDTV iBall Slide Brace X1 4G Review

iBall has provided a DC charger which keeps the Micro-USB port free. There’s also a USB-OTG adapter in the box so you can easily connect peripherals or storage devices. The tablet gets Bluetooth and Wi-Fi support but in terms of sensors, you’ll have to make do with only an accelerometer.

iBall Slide Brace-X1 4G software and performance

The iBall Slide Brace-X1 4G runs Remix OS which is based on Android Marshmallow. For starters, Remix OS feels like a mashup between Windows 10 and Android, as it has a Windows-like desktop rather than the usual homescreen. The traditional Android navigation buttons are found to the left of the taskbar, and there is a Start button which displays all the apps installed on the device. Icons for installed apps are also available on the desktop. The navigation buttons still perform the same functions as they do on any Android device, and long-pressing the Overview button displays a list of open apps.

When apps are launched, each one runs in its own window, which lets you have multiple apps visible simultaneously. Remix OS also adds icons of these apps to the taskbar just like Windows and you can switch between them by tapping on their icons. Closing apps requires you to drag the icon upwards from the taskbar.

iBall Slide Brace X1 Remix NDTV iBall Slide Brace X1 4G Remix Review

Notifications are done differently as well. You don’t have the traditional notifications shade anymore. Instead, like Windows 10, you get notifications tucked away in the rightmost corner of the taskbar. This also means that there are no quick settings, so you’ll have to hop over to the Settings app to do most things. Only brightness, volume and Wi-Fi controls are available in the taskbar, and this took us time to get used to.

There are quite a few preinstalled social networking apps such as WhatsApp and Facebook, as well as Dailyhunt, BeautyPlus Me and games like Bubble Bash 3, Midnight Pool and Modern Combat 4. While they take up some space you can uninstall all of them. Remix OS also has its own app store called Remix Central which lists app recommendations from Remix. Thankfully, the Google Play store is also available.

Remix OS tries to deliver a PC-esque experience on top of Android, which makes it interesting.

iBall Slide Brace X1 Notification NDTV iBall Slide Brace X1 4G Remix Review

In terms of performance, the Brace-X1 4G is reasonably capable. We did not face lags while using the device and it could run a few apps simultaneously. However, we noticed that the tablet would get warm while playing games. It also shut down without warning a few times when the battery level was low.

We ran benchmarks and got 34,270 in Antutu, and 536 and 1,781 in Geekbench’s single and multi-core tests. The tablet also managed 9 hours, 23 minutes in our HD video loop test. This means that you can binge watch a couple of movies or episodes of your favourite TV series. We found that it lasted for close to a day and a half of manual usage. In real-world terms people don’t usually use tablets continuously like they do with smartphones, meaning it’s possible to stretch this out longer. However, we did also find that the Brace X1-4G’s battery level drops significantly even when it is left in standby. When the battery finally wears down, it does take time to charge it up using the supplied adapter.

iBall Slide Brace-X1 4G cameras

Taking photos with this tablet feels quite awkward because of its size, shape and weight. It sports an 8-megapixel camera with a single LED flash at the back, and a 5-megapixel selfie camera on the front. The stock Android camera app is used, and it doesn’t seem to be optimised for bigger screens. Icons appear huge, and going through the menu while holding the tablet with one hand is inconvenient.

We also saw that the buttons are positioned towards the top of the device when holding it in portrait mode which isn’t comfortable to use. The camera takes quite some time to focus and may need multiple taps on the screen at times, which can be annoying. Photos weren’t sharp, and most of them lacked detail.

Tap to see full-sized iBall Slide Brace X1 4G camera samples

Verdict

While we see the popularity of tablets declining, we must say that this iBall tablet introduces something new in the segment. Remix OS tries to deliver a PC-like experience which some might find good for productivity and there’s definitely more flexibility than stock Android. For example, you can run more than two apps simultaneously and use the common keyboard shortcuts you’re used to. It might take some time to get used to, but it looks like iBall is clearly targeting people who want more than just a tablet for entertainment.

While the software was good we felt let down by the hardware. The display has a low resolution which is a major disappointment, and overall the specifications and quality of the Brace-X1 4G don’t live up to its asking price of Rs 15,999. Also, with the device shutting down abruptly it is quite hard for us to recommend it seriously.

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iBall Slide Brace-X1 4G

Rs. 15,999

Buy

REVIEW
KEY SPECS
NEWS

Design
Display
Software
Performance
Battery life
Camera
Value for money

Good
Remix OS makes multitasking easy
DC charging pin keeps the Micro-USB port free

Bad
Low display resolution
Switches off abruptly when battery is low
Camera performance is below average

Read detailed iBall Slide Brace-X1 4G review

BUY AT

IBall Slide Brace-X1 4G (Bronze Gold, 16GB, Wi-Fi + 4G VoLTE support + Voice Calling, 10.1 Inch) –
Rs. 15,999

[“Source-gadgets.ndtv”]

April 5, 2024 0 comment

Gadgets News

Sony MDR-XB950B1 Extra Bass Wireless Bluetooth Headphones Review

by Loknath Das April 5, 2024

written by Loknath Das

Sony MDR-XB950B1 Extra Bass Wireless Bluetooth Headphones Review

At CES 2017, Sony announced four new pairs of headphones in its Extra Bass line – including the wireless MDR-XB950B1. This NFC-enabled Bluetooth headset promises a bass-led sound, with aptX for clearer wireless audio, and a companion app that lets you choose between different EQ settings to personalise the sound.

At the time, Sony also released the MDR-XB950N1, which is pretty much the same thing, but with one additional feature: active noise cancellation. Unfortunately, we haven’t had a chance to get our hands on those cans yet, but we did get to try out the XB950B1, and used it for just under a week. According to the packaging, this headset is designed to be used with smartphones, and that’s how we used it the most, paired wirelessly.

The headset is bulky, but fairly comfortable, and the first impression it made was that the bass was overpowering everything else – which is something that more than a few cans in the XB family are guilty – or proud, depending on your perspective – of. We used it for a couple of days, finding the sweet spot, and after some time, we’ve formed a detailed impression of it. Read on to know more about whether or not the Sony MDR-XB950B1 is worth your time and money.

xb950 worn 053017 123039 8069 xb950

Sony MDR-XB950B1 design and features
As we stated above, this headset is pretty big and bulky. The MDR-XB line has some models that can be folded into a fairly small size, while others can only be laid flat. This one falls into the latter category. The earcups are huge and heavily padded, with a rubbery finish that looks like it could get really sweaty. However, the headset is actually fairly comfortable to wear when in use.

Wearing it around your neck while on the move is hugely uncomfortable though – either put it on, or slip it into your bag, if you know what’s good for you.

The rest of the design is very typical of Sony’s XB family, with the power and bass effect buttons on the left cup (along with the Micro-USB charging port and 3.5mm input), while volume and playback controls are on the right cup. There’s also a mic on the left cup for hands-free calls, if you want.

xb950 ports 053017 123039 8381 xb950

The Sony MDR-XB950B1 promises 18 hours of runtime after a 4-hour charge. There’s also an included audio cable that you can use if the battery runs out. Each driver is 40mm in size, and the frequency range is rated at 3Hz to 28,000Hz. Weighing in at 281g, this isn’t the lightest pair of headphones, but as we stated above, it feels comfortable enough. How it sounds is, well, a little more complicated.

Sony MDR-XB950B1 performance
Our first impression was that there’s way too much bass, and the sound isn’t very clear either. If you’re listening to pop tracks that have some amount of bass – think something by Arctic Monkeys, for example – then you’re definitely going to agree. Vocal-led tracks, such as songs by the Beatles, suffered greatly as well. But when we switched to hip-hop, things started to get better. We listened to a few Ludacris songs, and enjoyed the percussion, though other low notes were not very satisfying. Kanye West’s Black Skinhead on the other hand sounded great, which was unexpected.

The MDR-XB950B1 has a very specific sound. After listening to more Kanye and then some electronic music, we started to find a groove that works. We tend to overuse the phrase “it’s not for everyone,” but this is one place where it really applies. You get a ridiculous amount of bass, especially after you press the Bass Effect button, but although that’s important, you really do need to use your smartphone to drive these headphones, as we soon discovered.

xb950 full 053017 123038 6993 xb950

You see, the secret is the companion app, with its equaliser, which gives you a chance to actually make the MDR-XB950B1 sound good. You can set the amount of bass boost, and it’s a control you’ll be playing around with a lot to find the sweet spot for the songs you’re listening to. Surround sound settings can be tweaked as well. If there had been at least a few presets that you could change directly from the headphones it would have made this product a lot more versatile, but this is better than nothing, we guess.
With a little tweaking, the rest of the frequency sounds… fine. It’s not a sound that will blow you away, but the MDR-XB950B1 will not be a big letdown either. You definitely won’t see it used anywhere as a pair of reference headphones, but if you want a really specific sound for specific kinds of music, then it could be fun to own.

Surround sound is something this headset is pretty good at, by the way. Perhaps thanks to all that extra bass, spatial awareness is really good. The barbershop 3D sound demo was excellent. Isolation is also pretty decent, as expected thanks to the large earcups.

xb950 bulky 053017 123038 7617 xb950

Overall, we feel that the MDR XB-800 offers a much better tuned sound out of the box, but if you’re willing to play around with the app, the MDR-XB950B1 doesn’t disappoint either.

As for calls, that side of things actually worked really well. We had some doubts about the microphone’s positioning, but it picked up audio clearly. With respect to the Bluetooth range, the headphones worked reliably even at distances of up to 10 feet – the distance you’d get while walking around in your bedroom or living room, for instance. However, there’s one catch – the mic only works in Bluetooth mode, so if your battery is down, you can’t use this as a hands-free headset.

Verdict
The XB family has been around for a while, and the MDR-XB950B1 looks a little dated. It’s also somewhat expensive for what you’re getting – but it’s definitely fun to listen to the right music with. It’s hard to say that this is a great pair of headphones. The audio isn’t perfect, the signature is definitely weird, and you’ll have to spend time tweaking the EQ. However, if you love trying out new headphones and want something that really stands out aurally, then this is certainly an interesting option.

xb950 with box 053017 123038 7305 xb950

On the other hand, if you’re investing in your first pair of earphones outside the entry level, then this isn’t the all-rounder you need to buy right now.

Price (MRP): Rs. 13,990

Pros

Comfortable and sturdy
Stands out, aurally
EQ is actually useful
Cons

Requires the EQ a lot
Expensive
Bulky, doesn’t fold
Ratings (Out of 5)

Design: 3
Performance: 3
Value for Money: 2.5
Overall: 3

[“source-gadgets.ndtv”]

April 5, 2024 0 comment

Gadgets News

Sound One SP-6 Review

by Loknath Das April 5, 2024

written by Loknath Das

Sound One SP-6 Review

Sound One, a Hong Kong-based company, recently launched a pair of budget wireless earphones called the SP-6. Although, it isn’t a household name in India YET, the company has been selling budget headphones and speakers for a while now through online channels.

The SP-6 is designed for active use, which would typically include gyming, running, or any sort of sports activity. At Rs. 1,999, they are quite affordable too as far as Bluetooth earphones go but are they really worth it? Let’s find out.

Sound One SP-6 design and features
The packaging of the SP-6 is very interesting as it resembles a hip-flask, it’s just a bit taller and without a nozzle on the top. The compartment that houses the earphone slides out from the top, which also has several different ear tips and a Micro-USB cable for charging.

SoundOne SP 6 ndtv (2) sound one sp-6

You get four sets of ear tips of which three sets are single flange in different sizes while the fourth is a bi-flange ear tip. The earphones are built entirely of plastic and have a sporty look, which seems appealing. However, upon closer inspection we felt that the build quality as well as the fit and finish could’ve been better. The rubberised cable connecting both the earbuds feels durable, however after using it for a few weeks, the cable that connects to the left earphone got a bit loose on our unit.

The earbuds are designed to slip into your ear canal when you wear them and to help it secure it in place; you get an oversized wing tip which slides outwards so you can adjust it according to the shape of your ear. The right earbud has three buttons for controlling your music, along with a Micro-USB port, a microphone, and a multi-coloured LED to assist when pairing the phone.

In terms of specifications, the Sound One SP-6 supports Bluetooth 4.1, a theoretical range of 10 meters and promises up to 6 hours of battery life. According to Sound One, the earbuds are sweat resistant too and are IPX4 rated. However, earphones that can supposedly withstand splashes of water and rain, the rubber cover for the Micro-USB port is extremely flimsy and doesn’t like it would last too long. The company also hasn’t mentioned any details about the size of the drivers or the supported frequency range.

SoundOne SP 6 ndtv (4) sound one sp-6

Sound One SP-6 performance and battery life
At first, It can be tricky to get a comfortable fit with the Sound One SP-6, but once you have the wing tip adjusted to the right level, the fit is pretty snug. They don’t move about even when you run, which is good. We didn’t like the texture of the rubber cable as it tends to stick to the skin on your neck, which in return tugs on the earbuds when you turn your head. The effect is worse when you’re sweating, and it can be very annoying.

To avoid this, Sound One has provided a rubber loop attached to the chord which lets you secure it closer to the back of your head, so it doesn’t dangle on your neck. The media control buttons feel a bit fiddly but the tactile response is decent and it’s easy to reach with your fingers when you’re on the move. The buttons that let you skip or go to the previous track can also be used to adjust the volume if you long press them.

SoundOne SP 6 ndtv (3) sound one sp-6

We tested the SP-6 primarily with a HTC 10, among other devices. The pairing process is pretty straight forward as you hold down the power button till the LED flashes red and blue. The earphones also have a voice prompt that tells you when they are powered on or off, when it’s connected to a device, or when the battery is running low. When streaming audio, we noticed the right side was always a bit louder than the left which made music sound a bit off-balance. At first we figured it was due to an improper seal from the ear tips but after trying all of them, we couldn’t seem to fix it.

Audio quality from the drivers is strictly average with the bass getting boomy even at moderate volumes. This is very noticeable in Zero 7’s Red Blue and Green, where the bass envelopes the finer nuances in the song. In vocal tracks like Pink Floyd’s Comfortably Numb, instrument separation isn’t very distinct and the overall sound stage is closed off. Mid-range frequencies feel flat and treble is often swallowed up by the other notes. Upbeat tracks like Mr. Blue Sky by Electric Light Orchestra sound a bit better but the frequencies still lack good definition, which makes for a very dull sonic signature.

SoundOne SP 6 ndtv (6) sound one sp-6

We also tested the SP-6 with videos streamed from Amazon Prime Video and YouTube. Audio quality is decent but the lower frequencies often overpower the rest and due to the lack of good instrument separation. Action sequences in movies can sound a bit jarring. We also had a poor experience with phone calls through the headset. The voice of the caller would keep cutting in and out and the person on the other end wasn’t able to hear us clearly all the time. Battery life is decent as we managed to get around 5-6 hours of continuous use.

Verdict
The Sound One SP-6 might be inexpensive but this comes at the cost of audio quality and the build. The funky design looks good and they fit snugly in your ears, but the fit and finish of the plastics is quite average. We also didn’t like the volume imbalance between the two earbuds, which gets really annoying. Audio quality is below average too with the bass often overpowering the other frequencies and overall dull sonic signature.

We feel it’s ok to give this one a miss and put in a bit more money for something like the Brainwavs Blu-200.
Price (MRP): Rs. 1,999

Pros

Sporty design
Decent battery life

Cons

Questionable fit and finish
Dull sonic signature with boomy bass
Audio level imbalance across earbuds
Flimsy protective cover for USB port

Ratings (Out of 5)

Design: 3
Performance: 2.5
Value for money: 2.5
Overall: 2.5

[“source-gadgets.ndtv”]

April 5, 2024 0 comment

Gadgets News

Samsung Gear S3 Review

by Loknath Das April 5, 2024

written by Loknath Das

Samsung Gear S3 Review

The smartwatch market isn’t looking particularly hot right now. Pebble, a company that made a few exciting products, has been acquired by Fitbit and companies such as Motorola have delayed the launch of new models citing low demand. That leaves Samsung and Apple as the two big competitors in this segment, and the companies are taking different approaches to the same product.

The Apple Watch Series 2 focused on fitness, while the Samsung Gear S3 feels more like a general-purpose smartwatch. Samsung does address the fitness market with its Gear Fit 2, and while it is a great wearable, it isn’t a smartwatch. If you want a device that lets you quickly reply to notifications, you should look at the Samsung Gear S3 instead of the Fit 2. Let’s take a closer look at what it offers.

Samsung Gear S3 design and comfort

Surprisingly, the Samsung Gear S3 is quite bulky. Its predecessor, the Gear S2, was sleek and felt like a normal watch, but the Gear S3’s size means that we never really forgot that we were wearing the smartwatch. When we wore a jacket, it was hard to pull the sleeve back to get a look at the watch, and it even got caught on our backpack strap sometimes.

We really like the circular display on the Samsung Gear S3, and we think it looks better than the rectangular screen on the Apple Watch. However, we found the Apple Watch far more comfortable to wear, and that matters more. The Gear S3 will be too bulky for many people. It’s available only in one size so you might be forced to consider other products.

samsung gear s3 classic charger side gadgets 360 Samsung Gear S3

The Samsung Gear S3 retains the rotating bezel of its predecessor. You can twist it to scroll through a list of apps, read more text, or even to answer or reject a call. This definitely feels more intuitive than using a touchscreen on a smartwatch. Each small click on the bezel indicates that you’ve moved to the next widget or app.

However, we were unhappy with the Gear S3’s vibration mechanism. The Gear S3 uses vibration feedback to tell you when you get to the end of a list, for example, but it feels like two pieces of metal scratching each other. The vibration alerts for calls and messages are similarly annoying. If you’ve ever used an Apple Watch, you’ll probably never get used to the Gear S3’s mechanism. The Apple Watch produces subtle nudges for texts, and even the alert for calls feels like someone quietly tapping your wrist. That’s just not the case with the Gear S3.

The Samsung Gear S3 has two buttons – one serves as a home and back button, while the other is for selecting apps. The bezel and buttons are all metal. The base of the smartwatch is made of plastic and the strap is leather. All of these have been designed very well and lend the watch a premium feel.

The Gear S3 has GPS and Wi-Fi support, but the leather strap and its bulk made it uncomfortable to use when working out. It automatically counts your steps and detects exercise, which is a good thing, but we didn’t enjoy wearing it while running. The combination of a leather strap and a metal buckle was uncomfortable during a long run, so we just took it off midway. This smartwatch feels more suited for everyday use than for serious fitness enthusiasts. Despite its size, the Samsung Gear S3 wouldn’t look out of place with formal attire, making it a good wearable at the office and in meetings.

Samsung Gear S3 performance

We found the Gear S3’s step tracking to be reasonably accurate over the course of a week when we walked roughly 7,000 steps per day. We noted a deviation of around 10 percent against the step tracker on an iPhone 7, primarily because we didn’t always have the phone in our pocket when walking around the office or running quick errands. The Samsung Gear S3 runs Tizen, which means that it does not have the wide range of apps available for watchOS and Android Wear. Most of the “apps” at the top of the popularity chart are watchfaces. The watch can pair with both Android and iOS phones, but on Apple’s platform, the Gear S3 offers limited functionality. This isn’t Samsung’s fault since there are limitations in iOS that only the Apple Watch can get around. For example, you can’t reply to texts or do anything but dismiss most notifications when paired with an iPhone. You can answer calls via the Gear S3 and that works flawlessly.

You get the full range of features on Android, and we found that the watch made using our phone usage a lot more convenient. We didn’t need to take the phone out of a pocket or go to where it was lying in order to reply to a message on Facebook or WhatsApp.

Tizen runs smoothly on the Gear S3, but Samsung is yet to nail the companion app experience. When we attempted to download apps or watchfaces, the Gear S app on both platforms switched to Hindi. We couldn’t find a way to change it back to English or to any other language. If you can’t read Devanagari script, then you’re going to find this very hard to use.

Battery life on the Gear S3 is quite impressive. We managed to use it for well over two days on a single charge. The charging dock is also elegant, if a little bulky, and makes it very easy to charge the watch by just propping it up.

samsung gear s3 classic buttons gadgets 360 Samsung Gear S3

Verdict
Overall, the Gear S3 is a pretty impressive smartwatch, but it’s mainly for Android users, and iOS compatibility should be seen as just a bonus. We hope that Samsung makes its next model slimmer. We also hope that more apps are added to the Tizen ecosystem, but that will only happen if the Gear S3 sells well. Samsung needs to identify its target audience and market this watch well, because a lot of people seem to have decided that they don’t need a smartwatch at all.

Priced at Rs. 28,500 and featuring water and dust resistance, the Gear S3 is an interesting product. There aren’t many current-generation alternatives for Android users. However, on the iOS side, the Apple Watch Series 1 costs less and does most things better thanks to its tight integration with the ecosystem. If you’re an iPhone user and need your watch to be swim-proof, the Apple Watch Series 2 costs only Rs. 4,000 more than the Gear S3.

Pros

Good battery life
Easy to control with the rotating bezel
Smooth OS

Cons

Companion app could be better
Dry app ecosystem
Bulky

Ratings (out of 5)

Design: 3.5
Performance: 3.5
Value for money: 3
Overall: 3.5

[Source:- Gadgets360]

April 5, 2024 0 comment

Education

Clichéd teenage outcast becomes world-class assassin: the class book review

by Rajdeep April 5, 2024

written by Rajdeep

the cruelty, scott bergstrom, young adult, walker books, book review, spies

This tale of a teenage spy is full of suspense and drama, but ultimately unbelievable, our reviewers say

Title: The Cruelty
Author: Scott Bergstrom
Publisher: Walker Books

Teacher review

The Cruelty, a young-adult thriller, is the fictional debut of Scott Bergstrom.

17-year-old Gwendolyn Bloom has grown up a transient loner, thanks to her father’s job in the diplomatic service. Her circle of friends is small and her life in New York is insular, making her an outsider at her new school.

Her life is rather unremarkable, following the death of her mother at a young age, and she seems satisfied with that, until her father goes missing. At this point she discovers the truth: her father is a CIA agent. Over the next few days, it becomes apparent that there is unsurmountable evidence that he has turned against his country.

Refusing to believe this, and accept that her whole childhood and relationship with him has been founded on lies, Gwendolyn takes matters in to her own hands.

Creating a new identity for herself, Gwendolyn goes to Europe in search of her father. Through this journey, Gwendolyn’s character evolves as she finds herself in the seedy underworld, forced into situations beyond her imagination. Bergstrom draws on mature themes to create a dark and gritty world which gets the reader to question how far they would go for their love of someone, and if they can be the same person at the end of it.

the cruelty, scott bergstrom, young adult, ya, walker books, book review, spies

While it requires a suspension of disbelief that a 17-year-old high-school student could turn into a world-class assassin, Bergstrom crafts characters who are likable, and creates a sense of realism. Gwendolyn’s immediate appeal to the reader as a socially awkward loner gives us immediate access to the story, despite the all-too-common trope of American high-school outcast.

The plot is conventional enough, following similar story lines as other spy thrillers, but with the reversal of the usual father-daughter relationship adding a new dimension. I think it is great that the novel seeks to create a strong, courageous heroine who is every bit as strong as the cruel men that she faces, within a genre outside fantasy.

Well-crafted and with strong appeal to the YA target market, this book has already been optioned for film and, with its cinematic appeal and global settings, it’s easy to see why. While many readers may be slightly disappointed with an ending that leaves a few threads untied, I think it creates further intrigue. It also avoids the clichés of happy endings, and will hopefully lead to a sequel.

Rachael Wardle is assistant headteacher at Lymm High School, in Warrington.

Pupil reviews

‘A quick escape’

I wasn’t sure what to expect at first. “The girl hunted…becomes the woman who hunts” wraps round the front and back covers, so unsurprisingly I was intrigued.

The thing I liked most about The Cruelty was the relativity of it. Gwendolyn Bloom is a typical teenage outcast, the type you can find in almost any YA book ever. I do hate how unoriginal her character is, but can’t help love her nonetheless.

After what could be considered a slow start, all hell breaks loose, when innocent Gwen finds herself on a mission to find her father (still clichéd, I know). From here, however, the true (false) Gwen is born, and the action begins. As for the storyline, I was surprised at how down-to-earth it was, in a strange sort of way. Unlike some of the other YA books I’ve read, The Cruelty seems more realistic and raw, and less fantasised.

Until the ending, that is, which is mostly predictable. I would much rather the ending have been the beginning of the second book, but then also would have probably been more frustrated at not knowing.

The Cruelty may not be flawless, but with a fantastic selection of characters and a gripping plot, I’d recommend it to anyone looking for a quick escape.

Amber Heckstall-Smith, Year 10

‘Completely unrealistic and very gruesome’

Filled with action, The Cruelty is a book containing thrilling events throughout. As a reader, you are submerged into a world of secret underground criminals within some of Europe’s most well-known cities, and you experience the danger and way of life that these people face.

The book begins however very slow-paced and has a clichéd style, with the main character Gwendolyn Bloom as the social outcast at school. I found that it was quite laborious to be able to make a connection with her within the first few chapters of the book. Nevertheless, as the book progresses and we get to know her more as she develops into a strong, adamant young woman facing utter hardship to try and find her father, it is very easy to be able to take a liking to Gwen.

Unrealistic? Yes, there are many events which take place that appear to be completely unrealistic and are very gruesome, dealing with perhaps more adult-suited themes such as human trafficking. But they are real life issues, and I enjoyed reading a genre which I wouldn’t usually choose for myself.

Overall, The Cruelty is a dramatic thriller, ending with the possibility for a whole new series.

Jessica Baillie, Year 11

‘Tediously smothered with clichés’

Despite the slow start, which was tediously smothered with clichés, I found the plot very intriguing. With plenty of suspense, anticipation and many unanswered questions, The Cruelty certainly held my interest.

By following the protagonist Gwendolyn’s train of thought and witnessing everything through her, I found myself constantly asking questions. The various cliffhangers, which were cleverly placed throughout the book, also kept me thoroughly engrossed in reading.

However, I struggled to connect with Gwendolyn. Even after seeing how she developed into a ruthless fighter, I still felt there was not much depth to her character. Her levels of maturity were constantly switching unrealistically. I also found that her startling intelligence made her unrelatable. It often felt as though the author had a checklist of traits that the main character should possess, or events that should happen to her. Then, once they were used, they were tossed away. This created an element of confusion and the sudden jumps throughout the book enhanced this feeling of disorientation.

Olivia Shackley, Year 11

‘Raw and honest’

This is not the type of book I normally read – I usually read history or fantasy books. But I gave it a go and I am so glad I did. I loved how you could really see how much Gwendolyn grew throughout the book.

I can’t say I was hooked from the very first page, but a few chapters in and I was gripped by the storyline. I think about it now and realise how raw and honest it actually was. It shows what the world would actually be like in that situation and said things you wouldn’t expect to be done and said in a book but are said across the world every day.

I admit it was a clichéd beginning: unique hard-done-to teenage girl finds a guy who likes her for herself. But one of my favourite parts of the book was when they make contact – I thought that was so cleverly done.

The story has great detail, and the characters are well-developed and change throughout the story. Unlike most books, it actually managed to make me feel Gwendolyn’s anger and frustration.

I highly recommend.

Harriet Priest, Year 10

[Source:- tes]

April 5, 2024 0 comment

Internet

Obama Orders Review of 2016 Election Cyber-Attacks

by Rajdeep April 4, 2024

written by Rajdeep

Obama Orders Review of 2016 Election Cyber-Attacks

US President Barack Obama has ordered intelligence agencies to review cyber-attacks and foreign intervention into the 2016 election and deliver a report before he leaves office on January 20, the White House said on Friday.

In October, the US government formally accused Russia of a campaign of cyber-attacks against Democratic Party organizations ahead of the November 8 presidential election, and Obama has said he warned Russian President Vladimir Putin about consequences for the attacks.

The review and its timeline are a signal that Obama wants the issue addressed before he hands power to President-elect Donald Trump, who cast doubt on Russia’s hacking role and praised Putin during the campaign.

Obama’s homeland security adviser, Lisa Monaco, told reporters the report’s results would be shared with lawmakers and others.

“The president has directed the intelligence community to conduct a full review of what happened during the 2016 election process … and to capture lessons learned from that and to report to a range of stakeholders, to include the Congress,” she said during an event hosted by the Christian Science Monitor.

White House spokesman Eric Schultz said the review would be a “deep dive” that would look for a pattern of such behaviour over several years during election time, dating as far back as the 2008 presidential election.

He noted that Obama wanted the review completed under his watch. “This is a major priority,” Schultz said.

During his campaign for the White House, Trump called on Russia to dig up missing emails from his opponent, Hillary Clinton, from her time as secretary of state under Obama, a fellow Democrat. That move prompted critics to accuse him of encouraging foreign actors to conduct espionage.

The New York businessman has said he is not convinced Russia was behind the attacks.

“I don’t believe they interfered,” Trump told Time magazine about Russia in an interview published this week. “That became a laughing point, not a talking point, a laughing point. Any time I do something, they say, ‘Oh, Russia interfered.'”

People Trump has nominated for top national security posts in his new administration have taken a harsher stance toward Moscow.

Russian officials have denied all accusations of interference in the US election.

Obama has come under pressure from Democratic lawmakers to declassify more intelligence on the alleged hackings.

A government source said the review was sparked in part to respond to those demands as well as to determine how much material related to the subject could be made public.

“Given President-elect Trump’s disturbing refusal to listen to our intelligence community and accept that the hacking was orchestrated by the Kremlin, there is an added urgency to the need for a thorough review before President Obama leaves office next month,” Rep. Adam Schiff of California, the senior Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, said in a statement.

Monaco said cyber-attacks were not new but might have crossed a “new threshold” this year.

When she was working as a senior Federal Bureau of Investigation official in 2008, she said, the agency alerted the presidential campaigns of then-Senator Obama and Republican Senator John McCain that China had infiltrated their respective systems.

“We’ve seen in 2008 and in this last election system malicious cyber activity,” Monaco said.

Asked if Trump’s transition team was not concerned enough about Russia’s influence on the election or about other threats to the United States such as infectious disease outbreaks, Monaco said it was too soon to say. She noted that she had not met with her successor because the Trump team had yet to name one.

[Source:- gadgets.ndtv]

April 4, 2024 0 comment

News Update

EaseUS data recovery on iPhone

by admin April 4, 2024

written by admin

The EaseUS MobiSaver Free is helpful software for partitioning purposes. It has a vast amount of partitioning capabilities. It offers basic partitioning features like creating a new partition, deleting a particular partition. It can merge different partitions. It has the ability to resize the different partitions. While moving or resizing a partition it does not provide a setup wizard for easing out the process. Additional portioning features are also present in the EaseUS .

recovery software It has the ability to clear and remove the data stored on the hard drives. It helps a provision for partitioning and activating a specific. The specific can also be hidden if you desire. When you have opted to hide the specific at that time it will not show up even in the control panel of the computer. Although it becomes invisible in the control panel, but you can see the accurate in the EaseUS software.

Data Loss and Recovery. An infographic by the team at Secure Data Recovery Services.

Infographic created and provided by EaseUS.

April 4, 2024 0 comment

Education

Delhi Governor Visit DTU To Review Its Functioning

by admin April 4, 2024

written by admin

According to sources Delhi Lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung, visited Delhi technological university to review its functioning. During his visit he had a brief meeting with the vice-chancellor and the chairman of the college, along with various department heads and the Dean.

Click here for DTU cut off marks

“I had a chat with them. I wanted to understand what the university is all about, that is it,” the LG said. The LG, who was vice-chancellor of Jamia Millia Islamia from September 2009 to July 2013, was on his first visit to DTU as the Lieutenant-Governor and Chancellor of the university.

He wanted to acquaint himself with the staff “and get to see face behind the names”, University Vice-Chancellor Pradeep Sharma said.

“This was an informal meeting in a formal way. Basic discussion was with the faculty, he wanted to know what they are doing, what their roles are, what deficiency they feel. He took stock of the situation.

During his visit he raised some issues related to infrastructure, particularly shortage of hostels which were brought up by the faculty, which he said he would address. He said he could not commit but he will see what can be done.

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April 4, 2024 0 comment

Education

Diamond review: Loans ‘should replace’ tuition fees grant

by Rajdeep April 4, 2024

written by Rajdeep

A grant covering Welsh students’ tuition fees should be replaced with support for living costs instead, a review of university finance has said.

All students would receive £1,000 a year before a means tested grant, according to an expert panel led by Prof Sir Ian Diamond.

A student from a family on average income could receive £7,000 a year.

But the current £5,100 grant towards tuition fees would be replaced by loans.

The proposals mean:

All students would receive a minimum £1,000 a year before a means tested grant in then awarded
At its maximum level, £9,113 a year, this would cover the term-time living costs of eligible students from the lowest income households, equivalent to the National Living Wage
The student from an average income family could receive £7,000 a year
The maximum level of grant would be available to students from households earning less than £20,000 a year
Students from families earning more than £80,000 would eligible only for the basic £1,000 a year
Instead of getting £5,100 in a grant towards tuition fees – this would be scrapped and instead students would take out a loan

Education Secretary Kirsty Williams said she endorsed the underlying principles and will now look into the detail of how they can be implemented.

No date has been given as to when new arrangements would start from although it is thought that the earliest they could be introduced is 2018/19.

The changes come amid concerns the current system is unaffordable.

Prof Diamond said higher education funding needed to be a “partnership between wider society and the individual”.

He added: “In contrast to England, where maintenance support for students will be based on loans, we propose a significant universal element of maintenance support for full-time students.”

Prof Diamond, vice-chancellor of the University of Aberdeen, said it would mean students from Wales would face a “significantly lower average level of debt on leaving university than those from England.”

Ministers have maintained that living costs rather than fees – which can be paid back over time after students start work – are a bigger barrier to poorer students going to university.

Ms Williams said: “We want to make sure that those who wish to go on to university are able to.

“The fear of not being able to meet the cost of living on a daily basis puts many off, not the prospect of paying back loans after they are in work.

“This system addresses that issue head on, but will also mean making tough decisions to make sure the system is sustainable in the long-term.”

Welsh students currently leave university with less debt on average than their English counterparts.

Figures from the Student Loans Company show that the average loan balance for Welsh students who started repayments in 2015/16 was £16,120 – much lower than the £24,640 for English students.

Since 2012, a significant portion of Welsh students’ fees have been paid for by the Welsh government, wherever they study in the UK.

Universities can charge a maximum of £9,000 for a full-time undergraduate course but Welsh students only cover the first £3,900.

The rest has been paid for by the taxpayer – at a cost of £237m in 2015-16.

Universities have argued that Welsh higher education loses out on tens of millions of pounds in grants paid to English universities, through the fees of students who go over the border to study.

They had called for the tuition fee grant to be scrapped, and subsidies focused on the poorest students.

The National Union of Students (NUS) in Wales said: “We are sure that doing more to support people to get into university by helping with their immediate costs is a positive step forward”.

Universities Wales, which represents higher education institutions, said it would also allow universities to be sustainable into the future, including funding for higher cost subjects like medicine and for research.

Wales would also be the first UK nation to offer maintenance and tuition fee support for students right though into post graduate study.

“That’s extremely progressive and a unique opportunity for Wales,” Universities Wales chairman Prof Colin Riordan said.

The policy as a whole is thought to be cost neutral compared to the current system, but the changes in undergraduate study could save the Welsh Government around £100m a year.

STUDENT FINANCE: CRIB SHEET

Name: Leah Williams

Age: 19

Where are you from? Cardigan

What year and what are you studying? Second year politics and international relations, Cardiff University

How are your tuition fees paid for – do you get a grant and have you taken out a tuition fees loan too? I received a grant and I’ve taken out a loan. I certainly would not have gone to university without the grant from the Welsh Government.

Do you receive a maintenance loan towards living costs? Yes

How much do you pay in rent a term? £1,020

Do you have a part-time job? Yes

If so, what is it – and roughly how much does it pay? I have two jobs – one pays £5.20 an hour and the other is £7 an hour. Living cost is a big deal. I had to pay nearly £1,000 rent over the summer, I had to work and budget because I had rent to pay.

Have you received help from your family in the last 12 months? Yes, help with my summer rent.

If so, is it a regular amount? No

Do you run a car? No

Is there anything you can’t afford but wish you could at the moment? No

Have you an estimate at how much you think you will owe in student loans by the end of your course? £20,000

All parts of the UK have different systems of student support:

English students do not get a grant towards their tuition fees
Scottish students who study in Scotland do not pay any fees
In Northern Ireland students pay reduced fees if they study at a home university.

University and College Union general secretary Sally Hunt said she was pleased with the proposed improvements in maintenance support.

“It is however a shame that fees are likely to rise will rise and result in increased debts for students on graduating,” she added.

The Welsh Conservatives said they have “always believed that support should be targeted at those who need it most to ensure that everyone can aspire to a university education, no matter what their background”.

UKIP’s Mark Reckless, whose party went into the election promising to keep tuition fee grants for students who study in Wales, expressed concerns that the new system for undergraduates would not be affordable.

“While we welcome appropriate support for students, and a more generous system than is on offer in England, we would question whether it’s affordable to fund maintenance grants on such a basis going so far up the income scale paid by people who are much poorer,” he said.

Ahead of the publication of the report, Plaid Cymru said it was confident that Prof Diamond would come to the conclusion that the system was “unsustainable and needs to be replaced”.

[Source:- BBC]

April 4, 2024 0 comment