Xiaomi-backed Black Shark is getting ready to unveil its first smartphone.
The eponymous device will be all about gaming, as Black Shark is meant to be a gaming-focused offshoot of the Chinese handset maker.
We've already seen the Black Shark in a couple of benchmarks, a live image, and not one, but two teasers.
Now though a hands-on video of the phone has been outed, and you can see it embedded below.
Sure, it's not the longest of videos - by any stretch of the imagination. Yet it does give us our first 360-degree view of the smartphone.
It looks pretty big and bulky, as you can see, but that may aid in handling, especially when holding it in landscape in order to enjoy a game or two. Or three.
Unlike the also gamer-focused Razer Phone, this one is much more curvy.
From previous leaks we've gathered that the Black Shark will have the Snapdragon 845 chipset, 8GB of RAM, at least 32GB of storage, and a 2,160x1,080 touchscreen with 18:9 aspect ratio. It may become official as soon as tomorrow.
Face recognition is becoming an increasingly common form of biometric unlocking of our smartphones. Samsung got the ball rolling with its iris scanner that evolved to a faster face recognition unlock from the ill-fated Galaxy Note 7 to the Galaxy S8, before combining the two on the Galaxy S9’s Intelligent Scan feature. Meanwhile, Apple has Face ID, which is touted as a more sophisticated facial recognition technology.
Naturally, we had one question to ask: which is the better face recognition unlock mechanism?
Meanwhile, Apple went out of its way to create the technology that enables Face ID. The module within the notch on the iPhone X’s display actually houses some very advanced hardware. There is a laser dot projector that illuminates a user’s face with 30000 dots that maps out a three-dimension model of the face. This model is cross-checked each time the user unlocks the phone, where the dot projector is switched on each time.
This means that Face ID should work in any lightning situation, and is more secure due to the sheer difficulty in replicating a 3D face model.
The Mechanics
We wanted to see which face recognition unlock method works best and most reliably in a variety of lighting conditions that a user would experience in day-to-day usage. As such, we used three devices: the Galaxy Note 8 (basic face recognition), the Galaxy S9+ (with Intelligent Scan), and the iPhone X (Face ID), and tested them out in four different scenarios: outdoors (broad daylight), outdoors with sunglasses, indoors (office environment), and in the dark.
Under each lighting scenario, we unlocked each of the three phones at least two times to make sure the results are consistent.
The Results
Outdoors (Broad Daylight)
All three phones have no issues unlocking with their specific face unlock modes. There is more than sufficient light for all three phones to easily detect faces almost immediately. One interesting observation here is the fact that the Galaxy Note 8 unlocks even faster than the Galaxy S9+, possibly due to the S9+’s additional iris scanning layer.
Outdoors (With Sunglasses)
Here’s where things get interesting. With a pair of sunglasses on under the hot sun, can the software on the three phones still unlock the phone? After all, this will be a common scenario for most users – and in the case of the iPhone X, there is no fallback unlock option besides the old PIN code.
But as it turns out, the iPhone X ran away as the clear winner in this one. The phone unlock seamlessly each time we tried it, which wasn’t the case for the Galaxy S9+ and the Galaxy Note 8. The Note 8 did not recognise my face at all with sunglasses on, while the Galaxy S9+’s iris scanner works…as long as you move the phone about 30cm in front of your face.
Indoors (Office Environment)
With plenty of fluorescent lighting in our office, all three phones again had no issues unlocking using face recognition. The Galaxy Note 8 is awfully fast here, beating even the Galaxy S9+ in terms of unlocking speed. The iPhone X, while unlocking without a fuss, requires the user to swipe up to enter the home screen (it’s a UI quirk that Apple calls “intention”, in case you’re not actually looking to unlock the phone.
In The Dark
Few of us would care to admit, but we definitely use our phones a lot at night before we sleep. But is it possible to unlock our phones in complete darkness with face recognition?
For the Galaxy Note 8, it’s a complete no-go. The lack of any substantial source of light means the front camera cannot “see” your face, rendering it unable to work. Meanwhile, Intelligent Scan on the Galaxy S9+ can and does unlock your phone in the dark – but with one very uncomfortable condition.
As our comparison video above shows, the screen lights up significantly brighter than usual to allow the front camera to locate your face. Then the iris scanner kicks in to unlock your phone. The entire process takes less than a second, but that initial flash of light is pretty painful for the eyes, and makes us wonder why would Samsung resort to such measures. Side note: Huawei’s P20 face unlock does this too in low-light situations.
Once again, Face ID on the iPhone X really proves its worth here. Not only does the phone unlock as quickly as it does in broad daylight, it does so without temporarily blinding the user. As the folks at Cupertino like to say: it just works.
Final Words
After our quick testing, it is fair to say that Apple’s Face ID is the best form of face recognition unlock among the three phones that we tested. Given that almost every other Android smartphone uses the same form of face unlock as the Galaxy Note 8, we can with some confidence extrapolate this findings to those phones, too.
The Galaxy S9+ with Intelligent Scan definitely improves upon the the Note 8 by combining its iris scanner with the standard face recognition technology, offering more flexibility in the manner in which the phone can be unlocked. On top of that, there’s always the fingerprint scanner on both the Note 8 and S9+ as an option – something that the iPhone X does not have.
Nevertheless, Face ID on the iPhone X really is something else: the iPhone X unlocks in virtually any lighting situation without a hint of hesitation. But, having something that works this well does come at a cost – literally. The iPhone X is brutally expensive – even after the recent deals that saw a discount for the phone.
The technology behind Face ID has been touted to be two years ahead of the competition, and from this “face-off”, it certainly looks to be the case.
10 Typing tips every iPhone, iPad, and iPod user should know
1. Shake to undo
Most people usually find out about this feature when they
accidentally drop their phones. If you make a mistake or enter in
incorrect text, you can undo your typing by shaking your device.
When you shake your device the last entrance that you typed,
uninterrupted, will be erased. So whether you type one letter or one
sentence, the entire message will be undone. This comes in handy when
needing to delete large amounts of text instead of jabbing at the delete
button constantly.
2. Speedy Contractions
Contractions are created to combine two words and make it
shorter. But when you are typing a contraction on your iPhone it can
take longer than just typing he will if you miss the apostrophe. Instead
of hoping auto-correct knows you meant he’ll instead of hell, you can
actually type helll and auto-correct will add the apostrophe for you. Type “welll” and it will automatically jump to we’ll. This saves time and makes sure that you actually enter what you meant.
3. The domain shortcut
If you are using Safari on your iDevice you can skip typing the .com
domain into your URL. Instead, tap and hold the period key and box of
possible domains will appear. Tap on .com or .edu and head over to your
webpage.
If you use Google Chrome this option is built into their auto
suggestion. Since Apple’s predictive text is disabled in Safari and
other applications, it can’t offer the same. Apple should probably look
to add that in iOS 9.
4. Adding “Smart” quotes
I once had a job that forbid the use of “smart quotes” or the curved
variation of the standard quotation marks. The default quotes on your
iPhone, also known as dumb quotes, are straight not as sexy — IMO. To
input a smart quote, hold the quotation key to reveal the option in the
hovering menu.
5. Adding symbols and currency
Perhaps you are traveling in Europe or find that you need the cents
symbol for this really important text. Well you find it just by looking
at your iOS keyboard. Instead, tap and hold the $ sign to bring up
different currencies. You can also tap and hold, the exclamation mark,
period, comma, and more to bring up other symbols and options.
6. Starting a Sentence
You iOS 8 keyboard knows that most humans speak in complete
sentences. It has a handy feature that automatically adds a period and
space after each sentence. Whenever you type a sentence, double tap the spacebar
and period and space will be added allowing you to being a new sentence
more quickly. If for some reason this is not enabled by default, go to Settings -> General -> Keyboard and ensure that the “.” Shortcut is enabled.
7. Say it with an accent
While I did take three years of Spanish in high school, I’m still not
fluent enough to add the Spanish keyboard to my iPhone. But for certain
phrases or words, adding an accent might be necessary regardless of
fluency. To add an accent tap and hold the letter in question. Most
common letters with accents are vowels A, E, I, O, and U.
8. ALL CAPS
Yelling through text is made possible with all caps. Instead of
tapping the shift key for each letter you want to capitalize, just
double-tap the shift key to lock it on Caps mode. This way you can type
abbreviations like CIA or FBI without unnecessary extra taps.
THAT WAS SUPER HELPFUL RIGHT?
9. Entering Numbers and Punctuation
When you need to enter just one number or punctuation mark, you don’t
have to switch to the other keyboard. Instead, hold down the “123” key
and select the number or punctuation on the numerical keyboard. Once you
have made your selection release the key and it will automatically
return to the standard keyboard. Saves you a couple of seconds, which
really do add up eventually.
9. Hyphen vs em dash
Even if you are confused on the proper use of the em dash and hyphen,
you might as well know how to place in your text. On the numerical
keyboard, or using the speedy trick from number 8, hold the hyphen key
to bring up the option for en dash, em dash, and bullet point.
10. Adding third-party boards
These are all tips for the stock iOS 8 QuickType keyboard. However
there are many people who enjoy swiping to text or other features
offered in third-party keyboards. To add a third-party keyboard, go to Settings -> General -> Keyboards -> Keyboards -> Add New Keyboard.
I took a photography class back in high school and the teacher always stressed The Rule of Thirds.
Basically you want to imagine your space as 9 equal parts, where your
main image or focus is placed on the intersections of a vertical and
horizontal line. Explaining it is complicated, but showing it is a lot
easier. Here is where using the grid function, Settings -> Photos & Camera -> Grid, is essential. Image from insights.elearningnetwork.org
2. Keep it simple
Trying to capture too much in one shot will leave you with a poorly
focused image. Instead, focus on one or two items and keep them in
proper framing. This will lead to a substantially more powerful and
professional looking photo. Shot by Jirasak P.
3. Try a lower angle
Shooting from a low angle will help achieve a unique
vantage point. Instead of shooting a subject at the same level, shooting
from a low angle brings a different focus to the subject and instantly
makes it more interesting and more compelling. Image from iphonephotographyschool.com
4. Use Burst Mode
If you are moving or trying to capture a moving object Burst Mode is
the best way to get a great, or a bunch of great shots. On your iPhone,
hold down the capture button and it will take a rapid succession of
photos until you release the capture button. You can select the best
photo or create a cool sequencing collage of them all.
5. Use the Camera shortcut
To quickly access the camera, slide up from the Camera icon on the
lock screen. Sometimes all it takes is a few seconds and you can miss
the chance to capture a really great shot. Using the Camera shortcut
makes it super easy and quick to take a photo.
6. Say no to flash
The “flash” on your iPhone is sub par at best. The flash on a real
camera may suffice to create enough light to improve the image quality
in a poorly lit situation, but the iPhone LED flash is small and weak
and won’t get you what you are looking for. Instead, try to use natural
lighting or room lighting whenever possible. If there is a lamp, fire,
or sunlight use it to your advantage and you’ll be surprised at some of
the cool photos you will create.
7. Tap to focus
If you are trying to focus on something in your photo you can tap on
the screen to auto focus on that area. A yellow square will appear
wherever you tap, signifying the area of focus. You can also slide the
sun icon up and down to adjust the brightness.
8. Avoid zoom
Pinching in on the screen with your fingers will Zoom. Zooming in on
an image does bring it closer but it also reduces the quality of the
image. Rather than pinching to zoom, move as close as possible to the
subject. Now, if you are taking pictures of lions you can crop the image
after the fact to make it appear larger.
9. Volume button
I would also recommend using the volume up button instead of the
digital shutter button in the Camera app as that can end up shaking
or blurring photos.
10. Use your Apple headphones
If you have a pair of iPhone headphones equipped with volume controls
you can use the Volume up or Volume down buttons to snap a photo. Your
headphones do need to be plugged in for this to work. This method is
great for taking selfies or when using a tripod or stand.
11. Use HDR when appropriate
HDR stands for High Dynamic Range. Essentially,
your iPhone takes three photos, each with a different exposure and
focus on the shadows and the lighted areas of the image. It will then
automatically produce a single photo that it believes captures the right
range of light and dark exposure.
You should use the HDR function when you are taking an image of
landscapes, have different lighting across your subject, or are in
low-light. The built-in HDR is okay, but if you really want to see what
HDR can do, you’ll want to try Pro HDR or apps similar to it.
12. Use third-party apps
There are so many third-party applications for your iPhone camera
that I could write a whole other article about them. While your iPhone
camera is good, there are apps available that will greatly improve your
photo game. Check out, Over, VSCO Cam, AfterFocus, and Hipstamatic for just a few essential third-party iPhone camera apps.
These tips will help keep you at the top of your iPhone photography
game. There are endless ways to create the perfect picture, but these 12
tips will help even the most novice iPhone user take higher quality
photos.
3. From your PC, send an email to yourself (your own email). Make sure you upload (attach) OVPN files and send the email to yourself.
4. You need an email application in your iphone as well. For example, I use YahooMail as my email. So, I need to install YahooMail app from App Store.
5. After that, open your email and find the email that you send to yourself.
6. Open the email and you should see the OVPN config files like this. [see Pic 2]
Pic 2
7. Click on one of the OVPN config file and something like this will pop out. [see Pic 3]
Pic 3
8. Click Open In and something like this will appear. [see Pic 4]
Pic 4
8. Click Open in OpenVPN. Now it will OpenVPN app and it will appears like the picture below. [see Pic 5]
9. Click the + (plus) button and enter your username and password.
10. Click Save password if you want.
11. Now click Connect.
12. You are now connected to VPN now. Enjoy.
TUTORIAL 2
1. Download UC Browser from App Store.
2. Open UC Browser.
3. Open your VPN provide website and download the OVPN config files.
4. Open the download section in UC Browser and click on the one of the OVPN file.
5. Now follow steps number 7 until steps number 12 from TUTORIAL 1 above.
6. You are now connected to VPN now. Enjoy.
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