google-site-verification=C_rXmwzhIbKm7ffq5MkVWFUQam5H0kk2mgHJLuASTQw
Tampilkan postingan dengan label pictures. Tampilkan semua postingan
Tampilkan postingan dengan label pictures. Tampilkan semua postingan

Kamis, 05 Maret 2015

Sony Xperia Z3 Tablet Compact review: light in the hand, heavy on the wallet

Sony Xperia Z3 Tablet Compact review: light in the hand, heavy on the wallet
Sony's consumer electronics division is in an ongoing state of flux. Having already given up on PCs and e-readers, the company recently pledged to make fewer TVs and smartphones in a bid to get its books back in the black. How Sony's strategizing will affect its output of tablets remains unclear, but no doubt a keen eye is being kept on the reception of its latest slate, the Xperia Z3 Tablet Compact (don't let that mouthful of a moniker fool you -- Sony only classes the 8-inch tablet as "compact" to differentiate it from its two previous 10.1-inch devices). The company is renowned for the quality of its premium products, and like the two smartphones that make up the rest of the Z3 family, its newest tablet is a testament to that legacy. Cutting to the chase, it's an elegant and powerful device, but with prices starting at $445/£300, those credentials might not be enough to make you choose Sony over the competition.
GALLERY|30 PHOTOS

Sony Xperia Z3 Tablet Compact review

  • + See all 30
74
Sony

Xperia Z3 Tablet Compact

PROS
  • Thin and light design
  • Stunning display
  • Fast performance
  • Long battery life
CONS
  • Expensive compared to similarly sized flagship tablets
  • Sony's Android skin feels dated
  • Poor camera
SUMMARY
Sony's Z3 Tablet Compact is a well-made, thin and light device with a stunning display, brisk performance and robust battery life. Still, it's difficult to recommend at this price ($445 and up) when there are other thin and light flagship tablets that cost less, many of which offer higher-resolution screens and more capable cameras.

    Hardware

    OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA
    Sony's experimented with quirky devices in the past, but these days it tends to take a distinctly no-nonsense approach to design. Similar to the other members of the Z3 range, the Tablet Compact has a deliberate, square profile, softened only by slight rounding of its corners and sides. Some might call it uninspiring or flat-out boring, but I regard it as stylishly simple. Where other manufacturers might use vibrant colors, clashing textures and a bit of imagination to attract buyers, Sony prefers an IP65/68 dustproof and waterproof rating alongside stainless steel corner guards for extra durability.
    That's not to say it's completely lacking in design accents. Sony's signature aluminum power key is in attendance, and a purely ornamental dark gray border (silver on the white version) around the perimeter of the device serves to break up the rubbery plastic and tempered glass that dominate the back and front, respectively. Dotted along the edges, you'll find a volume rocker next to the power key, a 3.5mm headphone jack, Sony's magnetic dock connector and a couple of sealed cubbyholes: one for the micro-USB port and another protecting the microSD and nano-SIM slots (the latter only being present on the LTE model, of course).
    The direction of the two silver Sony logos on either side of the tablet suggests it's meant to be used in portrait orientation. This is even clearer when you consider the high, central position of the main camera on the back of the device, as you have to be mindful of obstructing the lens when taking photos in landscape mode. Previous Z-series slates -- excluding the curious "tablet edition" of the Xperia Z Ultra -- have sported an almost symmetrical, picture-frame style of display bezel. With this new 8-inch effort, however, the left and right bezels are slim enough that I can grip the tablet firmly with just one hand. While that sounds convenient, it's actually more uncomfortable than it should be to use it this way.
    OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA
    The power key and volume rocker sit central on the tablet's right edge, and directly opposite is Sony's useless proprietary magnetic dock connector. When I'm grasping the slate with one hand, then, these features are in just the right spot to rub and scratch at my skin. Aside from this design oversight, the tablet is a joy to use, mostly because it's only 6.4mm thick (0.25 inch) and weighs 270g (9.5 ounces). That's even thinner and lighter than the latest iPad mini, which comes in at 7.5mm (0.29 inch) and 331g (11.7 ounces). The Z3 Compact is perfectly balanced and light enough that you can easily suspend it between your paws for extended periods of time without fatiguing; in fact, it's the only tablet I've used that hasn't had me wishing for a case to prop it up in right out of the box.
    An unavoidable side effect of being so thin and light is that the tablet also feels a tad...delicate. Now, the device does bow to my twisting and flexing tests a little more than I'd like, but even then, I'm content with the overall build quality. In other words, I wouldn't choose to make it sturdier at the expense of size or weight. Also, the Z3 Tablet Compactis fully waterproof, after all, so it's not like Sony's thrown this together using spare parts and a roll of duct tape.

    Display and audio

    The Xperia Z3 Tablet Compact is decked out with an 8-inch, 1,920 x 1,200 IPS LCD display (283 ppi). In simpler terms, that means it has a full HD (1080p) screen with a few pixels left over for accommodating the standard Android navigation keys. As is Sony's way, the tablet's graced with several of the company's display technologies, including Triluminos and X-Reality for richer colors and sharper images. Forgetting the trademarks, the panel is, quite simply, gorgeous. Colors are vivid; whites are accurate; and blacks are basically as good as they can be for an LCD display. Viewing angles are excellent, and the panel can also claim fantastic sunlight readability. On a nice day, you'll still get a modicum of glare coming off the glass, but the screen burns bright enough to be easily visible even in strong, direct sunlight.
    I didn't expect much from the tablet's stereo speakers. The only clues as to their whereabouts are two slivers of missing plastic above and below the display glass, and I can't say these narrow grilles look particularly functional. I guess it was inevitable that I would be pleasantly surprised, however, given my low expectations. Sound is well-defined, even if it is restricted to the middle and top end, and the speakers kick out more than enough volume to annoy everyone in your train carriage. At approximately 75 percent of maximum volume, though, the tablet begins to vibrate and audio loses all sense of clarity as distortion takes hold. The speakers could be way better, and any semblance of bass whatsoever would be appreciated, but there are also worse ways to watch an episode of your favorite show in bed.
    Having had the pleasure of reviewing the excellent Xperia Z3 Compact, I had a hunch the Tablet Compact would be a different animal once a set of headphones was plugged in; and I wasn't wrong. Through headphones, audio is crisp and perfectly balanced, with a healthy bass range to get your head bobbing. There's all manner of technology working away in the background to make sound output as good as it is, such as an audio-resolution upscaling engine, but all you need to concern yourself with is what you want to watch or listen to next. The tablet supports several high-resolution audio formats, too, if you happen to have a particularly fancy digital music catalog.

    Software

    OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA
    The Z3 Tablet Compact is running Android 4.4.4 KitKat for now, but Sony expects to upgrade the slate to Lollipop (Android version 5.0) in early 2015. Hopefully it won't just be an under-the-hood upgrade, as the company's custom skin could do with an overhaul, too. It's familiar and comfortable enough, as it doesn't stray too far from the stock Android experience, but it could use refining in the same way Z-series hardware has been subtly nipped and tucked over the generations. At this point, it's almost toocolorful and cartoony, given the business-like appearance of Sony's devices themselves.
    The firm has something of an ongoing love affair with bloatware that could do with being scaled back, for example. Out of the box, you need to spend a moment clearing the Z3 Tablet Compact's home screen panels of unwanted widgets and shortcuts, before setting it up how you actually want it. The overly cluttered app drawer? Well, that's something you just kinda have to put up with, which isn't a huge deal if you make good use of the home screen carousel. Still, having several different gallery apps and various music and movie players could easily be avoided. You can forgive Sony for preloading its own tablet with homegrown services -- of which there are many -- like Video Unlimited, the Lifelog activity tracker and the PlayStation app. I'm less magnanimous, however, when it comes to more obvious bloatware like the OfficeSuite, AVG antivirus, Kobo, QR code reader and Garmin navigation apps. Thankfully, these are all uninstallable, so they can be easily purged if they're of no use.
    Beyond the general verdict that Sony's Android skin is at least intuitive to use, there are a couple of nifty features that also deserve a mention. The baked-in screen-recording function that's accessed via the "shutdown menu" (which pops up after holding down the power key for a second) is neat, even if you don't see yourself using it. Also, the Z3 Tablet Compact supports PS4 Remote Play, meaning you can use it as a wireless screen for your home console as long as both devices are connected to the same WiFi network. Both smartphones in the Z3 series are also capable of this, but it makes way more sense on the tablet due to its significantly larger display.

    Camera

    Sony's Xperia Z2 Tablet plays host to a pretty underwhelming pair of cameras, and unfortunately for those hoping for better this time around, the Z3 Tablet Compact is kitted out identically. I doubt you'll care much that Sony hasn't bothered upgrading the 2.2-megapixel front-facing shooter. I've made many a Skype call on the device with no complaints regarding picture quality from the other end, and I guess if you absolutelyhave to take that opportunistic selfie, you'll just be glad to have a shooter on hand. I understand that cameras just aren't a priority for tablet makers. The smartphone photographer is a much more demanding breed of user, whereas a tablet camera is more of a functional asset -- it's there for when you need it. Still, the quality of the 8.1-megapixel camera with its Exmor RS backside-illuminated sensor on the Z3 Tablet Compact is almost inexcusable, especially as Sony expects you to spend the better part of 500 bucks for the privilege.
    GALLERY|24 PHOTOS

    Sony Xperia Z3 Tablet Compact sample shots


    Whether you're using the manual or "Superior auto" setting, which, incidentally, restricts image resolution to six megapixels, photos rarely come out how you want them to. All cameras typically do their best work in situations with plenty of natural light, but even under these conditions, images from the Tablet Compact are frequently washed out, overexposed and lacking realistic color representation. Every now and again, you'll be surprised by the quality of a picture, but only because the previous five have been a disappointment. If there's one compliment you can bestow on the Z2 Tablet's camera, it's that it isn't as bad as the one on the Z3 Tablet Compact. Since they use the same hardware, I can only conclude that the sensor hasn't been calibrated properly in the newer slate.
    It simply can't deal with artificial light, with the auto-white balance setting struggling the most. Low-light performance is a little better. Sometimes images are knowingly overexposed to jack the brightness up a tad at the expense of contrast and color, which isn't unusual in mobile devices. When this doesn't occur, though, you're left with a dark, grainy image -- the kind you won't care to share unless filtered and hashtagged accordingly. As you'd expect, video performance isn't markedly different, with 1080p clips suffering in the same way stills do. The autoexposure setting tends to be commendably consistent, but focus often stutters and the quality of the video itself is lacking. And that's when you're framing a static shot; start panning around and it's like watching a flipbook your eyes can't keep up with.
    I'm certain I could've achieved better quality photos more consistently had I begun digging into the endless menus of Sony's camera app, but that's just not my style. Out of all camera software, that's why I prefer the stock Android app. It takes care of everything for you, and though you could argue Sony's "Superior auto" mode is comparable, the fact that I have the option to tweak settings means I'm always mindful I could be squeezing something better out of the lens. I flat-out dislike Sony's take on the camera app due to the infinite number of settings available. I imagine even a pro photographer would quickly tire of the cumbersome, disjointed menu system, regardless of the deep level of control it seems to offer.
    Alongside the manual and "Superior auto" modes, there are various other camera "apps" available on the device and to download. Some are potentially useful, like the YouTube live-broadcasting mode, Evernote plug-in and "Timeshift burst" feature, which lets you select from a set of images taken before and after you hit the shutter release. Others are there to inject a little fun into the proceedings, such as the augmented reality camera apps that overlay virtual objects and critters onto your images. And some of your photos are bound to be so bad that you'll want to hide them behind dinosaurs and ninjas.

    Performance and battery life

    OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA
    The Z3 Tablet Compact might look starkly different compared to last year's 10.1-inch Z2 Tablet, but hardly anything has changed when it comes to the key specs. You're still looking at 3GB of RAM and a quad-core Snapdragon 801 chipset with Adreno 330 GPU, albeit clocked at a slightly higher speed of 2.5GHz. There are a couple of reasons the core internals are nigh on identical. For one, Qualcomm's Snapdragon 801 SoC is basically as good as they come; and secondly, it's got more power than you realistically need in a tablet. Games like Asphalt 8: Airborne run dreamily on the highest graphics settings, so if you're partial to the odd session of [insert game of choice here], know that it'll run as well on the Tablet Compact as it would on any other top-tier device.
    It should go without saying, since the tablet handles processor-intensive 3D games without a hiccup, but if you need confirmation: The general user experience is super-slick, too. Whether you're swiping furiously through the home screen or app drawer panels, or taking care of the basics like checking email and browsing the web, the Tablet Compact never misses a beat. It's a high-end device with a price to match, and that's most certainly reflected in the performance stakes.
    When it comes to connection protocols, the Z3 Tablet Compact supports practically everything you can think of: dual-band WiFi (up to 802.11ac), Bluetooth 4.0 LE, NFC, GPS, GLONASS, BeiDou, ANT+, WiFi Direct, Miracast, MHL 3.0, DLNA and various other, more obscure acronyms. In addition to the two WiFi-only configurations with either 16GB or 32GB of onboard storage, there are two models with nano-SIM slots for tapping into Cat 4 LTE networks (maximum download speeds of 150 Mbps). I've been testing out the SGP621, which supports LTE Bands 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 13, 17 and 20. Thus, it's the model most suitable for European and North American markets (though it won't work on Sprint's 4G network), while SGP641 is the SKU for Asia, with support for LTE Bands 1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 28 and TD LTE Band 40. You're not limited to data traffic on the LTE variants, by the way, meaning you can use the Z3 Tablet Compact as a comically oversized phone if you're so inclined (or have no other choice).
    Battery life is easily one of the standout features of both the Xperia Z3 and its miniature counterpart. The Z3 Tablet Compact is no different. While the slate's 4,500mAh battery isn't oversized for an 8-inch tablet, it lasted between 13.5 and 14 hours in our standard looping-video rundown test from a full charge (I ran it a few times to be sure I was getting an accurate result). To put that into perspective, that's among the best results any tablet's ever achieved.
    In real life, you're looking at more like 10 hours of continuous use, since you'll be losing efficiency by doing more than simply watching a locally stored video for over half a day. Battery life drops dramatically if you're doing more processor-intensive tasks, of course. I used it frequently over the holiday period to Skype with relatives and friends, and I estimate you could stay on a call for around three to four hours from a full charge. If the slate is destined to sit on your coffee table for the majority of its tenure, though, it'll turn out to be one of those devices you forget to charge for days on end, because you simply don't need to.

    The competition

    Right now, you can pick up a 16GB WiFi-only Xperia Z3 Tablet Compact in the US for $479 on Amazon, or £300 through Amazon's or Sony's online UK stores. It really isn't worth springing for the 32GB configuration at $500 or £349 when a 16GB microSD card can be found for significantly less than the mark-up, but if you require LTE connectivity, you're looking at roughly $545 or £399. It goes without saying, then, that this isn't exactly a cheap tablet, and it's hard to justify the price when you can find perfectly good products like Amazon's Fire HD 6 for $99/£79. The Z3 Tablet Compact is in a completely different league, of course, especially when it comes to computing power, but then it depends on what you're going to do with your slate. Plenty of folks would be better off choosing a much cheaper tablet if browsing, emails and social networking are their primary concerns.
    At the higher end of the spectrum, there haven't been too many notable releases since the Xperia Z2 Tablet was launched in early 2014. Of the devices that have comparable screen sizes to the 8-inch Tablet Compact, the strongest competition comes from Google's Nexus 9Apple's iPad mini 2 or 3 and Samsung's 8.4-inch Galaxy Tab S. The Nexus 9 is the newest of the trio, and runs Android 5.0 Lollipop out of the box. It's a tad heavy, but with a high-res display, decent battery life and excellent performance, it's not a bad device for the $399 asking price. The iPad mini 3 is also $399 for the 16GB configuration, and is a great little tablet all-round, though the $299 iPad mini 2 is arguably a much more attractive option if iOS is more your bag. The 8.4-inch Galaxy Tab S is currently selling for $340 at Expansys, making it the cheapest of the lot. It's thin, light, powerful and carries a gorgeous 2,560 x 1,600 display.
    If you haven't noticed the theme here, let me spell it out for you: The Xperia Z3 Tablet Compact is at least $80 more expensive than its closest competitors. And the real problem is that I wouldn't consider it to be necessarily better than any of the products mentioned. Each device has its flaws and killer features, so obviously personal preference comes into play when you're deciding what tablet's gonna suit your needs best. But, it's kinda hard to justify the extra expense when the Z3 Tablet Compact doesn't have an obvious edge.

    Wrap-up

    Sony's Xperia Z3 Tablet Compact is a lovely piece of hardware. It's light on flair, has a borderline-terrible camera, mediocre stereo speakers and a slightly tired Android build. On the flipside, though, it has a fantastic display (even if it is only a 1080p panel), outstanding performance and long battery life. Maybe I'm just boring, but the facet I like most is how thin and light the tablet is. I haven't really wanted for a new slate since I picked up a discounted OG iPad mini many moons ago. While I've been using the Z3 Tablet Compact, I've grown to adore how... compliant it is. For me, its size and weight are the most impactful features, but therein lies the problem.
    There are other thin and light tablets. Some have higher-resolution screens; others are beautifully designed; and all are cheaper than the $479 Z3 Tablet Compact. A high waterproof rating doesn't justify such a high price, and I shouldn't really be complaining about things like camera performance for that kind of dough, either. I've had the luxury of using the featherweight tablet for an extended period of time -- enough to fall in love with its petite profile -- but I haven't had to drop a cent for the pleasure. While I'd be happy to add one to my gadget repertoire, I simply can't bring myself to drop nearly 500 bones on a tablet that doesn't stand out enough from the crowd. If it were cheaper, maybe -- but for now, I'll stick with my two-year-old iPad mini, thanks.

    Rabu, 04 Maret 2015

    Jon Stewart Takes to WWE Ring, Kicks Wrestler in the Gonads


    Well, we now know what Jon Stewart will do after he leaves The Daily Show.
    And wrestlers around the WWE should be cowering in fear. Or at least covering their groin.
    The Comedy Central host appeared on Monday Night RAW last night, interrupting a segment titled "The Daily Show with Seth Rollins."
    Jon Stewart Kicks Seth Rollins in the Nuts
    It featured grappler Seth Rollins talking trash about Stewart and how he failed as an Oscars host and how he’s a “wuss and a phony" and how no one saw his directorial debut, Rosewater.
    Rollins then said he would force Stewart to “retire immediately” if he dared come into the ring because it’s “hard to host a phony news show with your jaw wired shut.”
    And then Stewart came into the ring! And he said he has something Rollins will never have: Respect.
    And then he kicked Rollins in the nuts! It was awesome!
    Stewart has referenced in the past how he watches WWE with his son and Rollins started this feud on February 16 when he told a crowd in Orlando that he could easily take over The Daily Show and make it "watchable."
    Stewart responded with a video in which he addressed the wrestler with the following taunt:
    “Seth Rollins, you’ve made a lot of mistakes in your life… but this is the biggest mistake you’ve ever made by coming after The Daily Show. You just stepped in a world of hurt my friend."
    How right Jon Stewart proved to be.

    TUGAS PRAKTIKUM ALGORITMA DERET menggunakan bahasa pemograman c++

    #include<iostream.h>
    #include<conio.h>
    void main()
    {
     int n;
     char x;
     awal:
     clrscr();
     cout<<"****TUGAS PRAKTIKUM ALGORITMA****"<<endl<<endl;
     cout<<":::Masukkan ANGKA Pilihan(1/2):::"<<endl; cin>>n;
     if(n==1)
     {
     cout<<"A=54321"<<endl;
     }
     else
     if(n==2)
     {
     cout<<"B=12345"<<endl;
     }

     else
     cout<<"Masukkan Anda Salah, harusnya 1 atau 2!!"<<endl;
     getch();
     cout<<"Ulangi lagi (Y/t) :";
     cin>>x;
     if(x=='Y' || x=='y')
     goto awal;
     else
     cout<<endl;
     cout<<"Andik Hendrawan."<<endl;
     cout<<"NPM = 110403010015"<<endl;

     getch();

    }

    membuat formasi bintang menggunakan bahasa pemograman c++

    #include <iostream.h>
    #include <conio.h>

    int main()
    {
      int n, i, j;
      clrscr();

      cout<<"Inputkan Jumlah: ";
      cin>>n;

      for (i=1; i<=n; i++)
      {
     for (j=n; j>i; j--)
     {
     cout<<" ";
      }

      for (int k=1; k<=i; k++)
      {
     cout<<" *";
     }
     cout<<"\n";
      }
      getch();
    }

    Selasa, 03 Maret 2015

    The “Shark Tank” Effect On Apps


    Sitting at the top of the iTunes App Store for the fourth day in a row and counting is Scholly, another one of the many mobile applications that found its way onto the national stage by way of ABC’s popular TV pitch competition Shark Tank. The show now has a history of being able to move the market when it comes to turning apps that would otherwise be also-rans into mobile hits – at least in terms of visibility and downloads, if not user sentiment or long-term success.
    Scholly, for example, is being slammed by a number of one- and two-star reviews from consumers who downloaded the app because they saw it on TV and thought it would be useful – especially considering the fight it caused among Shark Tank investors, leading several to walk off the set. But many users soon discovered that the app still had a number of bugs and, in some cases, pointed to outdated information.
    In case you missed it, on the most recent episode of Shark Tank, co-founder Christopher Gray introduced his app Scholly as a way for prospective college students to seek out scholarships and grants. The app scours the web for this information and aggregates its results, though in a fairly unadorned user interface. Many complain that the app isn’t really offering much more information than a number of competing websites already do today, and, in fact, the limitations of a mobile interface is actually an inconvenience since the app doesn’t save your place, and you can’t open tabs like you could in a web browser.
    In other words, it’s clear that while Shark Tank can drive traffic in droves, it’s not a proven quality filter.
    More importantly, perhaps, the exposure that the show provides, while definitely resulting in a sizable bump in app downloads, doesn’t always mean the company will win in the long run.
    In fact, when looking back on a number of past apps that have popped up on the show over the years, it’s apparent the results from being on Shark Tank vary beyond their initial boost.

    Scan Hangs On Beyond Its Shark Tank Bump, Sells To Snapchat

    Scholly is hardly the first to reap the benefits of a national TV appearance on the show, which features investors Mark Cuban, Lori Greiner, Daymond John, Robert Herjavec, Kevin O’Leary and Barbara Corcoran listening to startup pitches and then choosing to pass or invest, often at steep prices.
    Following a 2013 appearance from a company called Scan, a QR code scanner, the app shot up to #1 on the App Store’s Utilities list, and climbed to #25 in Paid Apps on iTunes. Before the show, it was ranked #150 Overall, and #5 in Utilities.
    The app didn’t earn an investment on the show, but founder Garrett Gee enjoyed the exposure and he actually closed on $7 million the day before the episode aired. (Gee also cleverly “hacked” Shark Tank by using a QR code in his demo that sent users to his website.)
    Today, the app is still holding its own following its sale to Snapchat for $14 million in cash, $3 million in restricted stock units and $33 million in Class B common Snapchat stock. It remains a top 10 app in the Utilities category, over a year after its Shark Tankdebut. Though it has fallen further in the Overall rankings over the past several months, to keep a top 10 position in any iTunes category is a struggle that being on a TV show alone doesn’t solve.

    But Even “Hot” Shark Tank App Companies Can Fade In Time

    Meanwhile, one of the more popular apps that proved the show’s abilities to push startups into the App Store stratosphere was Cycloramic, a sort of gimmicky but fun app that used the iPhone’s vibration function to turn itself around while taking a 360-degree photo.
    As soon as the segment aired, creator Bruno Francois said the app began seeing tens of thousands of downloads in a matter of minutes, and, within the hour, reached 100,000 new installs.
    Since its appearance on the tank a year ago, the company released a new versiondesigned for the iPhone 6 whose round edges made its earlier trick where it stood upright and rotated impossible. (The new app uses the iPhone charger for the base instead.
    Remarkably, the Shark Tank-promoted app still remains decently ranked, all things considered. It maintained a position in the top 50 “Photo & Video” category on the App Store all last year and in the beginning of 2015, only more recently dropping below the top 100.
    Unfortunately for Cycloramic, however, it seems that Shark Tank investors may have overvalued the company’s potential to move beyond what could end up being a one-hit wonder. Its latest version for the iPhone 6 is not doing as well, ranking #1315 in the “Photo & Video” category these days.
    In addition, the company’s spinoff into selfies, with selfie360, is faring little better. (#621 in Social Networking, and not ranked elsewhere – meaning it’s ranked lower than #1,500, according to App Annie’s data).
    When Shark Tank’s Bump Isn’t Enough
    Another app company that got a bump from the show was VerbalizeIt, a human-powered translation service that popped up on the show in spring 2013. 72 hours after its segment, the app had 20,000 new customers and daily revenue tripled. (The app said yes to an O’Leary investment on the show, but after airing turned him down.)
    However, co-founder Ryan Frankel told The WSJ in October 2014 that, despite the national visibility, the app still didn’t hit the numbers it needed to be a consumer success. It instead raised a seed round of $830,000 to move into the enterprise market, the paper noted.
    The app has since been pulled from the iTunes App Store. It’s dead.

    When Shark Tank Investors Pass, Bump Can Be Minimal

    For app makers going on Shark Tank, they don’t have to score a deal – or even be liked by investors – in order to get the initial App Store boost. But it may help sustain the boost, it seems.
    For instance, a personal security app called EmergenSee saw hundreds of thousands of downloads in the 12 hours after the show aired, and had to add extra servers to handle the traffic.
    The app hit #20 in the Lifestyle category following the show, but crashed in the rankings soon after – indicating that the show’s audience is at least somewhat influenced by investors’ opinion on the matter. While Scholly was fought over by investors, EmergenSee was dismissed – and App Store rankings reflect that sentiment in terms of consumer downloads, too.
    (With EmergenSee, investors didn’t care for the app’s business model, and weren’t thrilled with the company’s decision to use outsourced developers. Perhaps the audience agreed?)
    The EmergenSee app is today ranked lower than #1,500 in all categories, says App Annie. In other words, it’s also effectively dead.

    App Goes From Shark Tank To $14.5M Exit

    The biggest app success story from the show, however, is that of photo book maker Groovebook. The mobile app lets users build super-cheap photo books using photos stored on their mobile phone.
    After its TV appearance in January, the app grew to over a million downloads and saw more than 200 million photos uploaded. GrooveBook had acquired over 18,000 subscribers in the 8 months before the show, but then grew its business to 500,000 paid subscribers after the show aired, the company said in a later update.
    Groovebook then went on to make history as the first app appearing on Shark Tank to exit to a publicly traded company, when Shutterfly acquired it for $14.5 million in November 2014.
    While an exit like this is certainly notable, it’s worth pointing out that Groovebook’s app wasn’t entirely a runaway success. Its Shark Tank debut in January 2014 pushed it nearly into the top 5 in the hyper-competitive “Photo & Video” category on iTunes at first, but throughout the year, the app’s growth fluctuated wildly in the Overall rankings and it floated in and out of the top 100-150 in the “Photo & Video” section – a decent, but not breathtaking, showing.
    The above are only some of the many apps that have appeared on the show over the years. However, if there’s any larger takeaway from the results of this sampling it’s that the show’s ability to provide exposure is certainly beyond question, but its ability to transform apps from unknowns into lasting businesses is definitely not a given.

    Pebble Time Smashes Through $6.5M On Kickstarter In Half A Day


    Early this morning, we noted that the Pebble Time — Pebble’s new color e-ink 
    Early this morning, we noted that the Pebble Time — Pebble’s new color e-ink smartwatch — had smashed through its $500,000 goal in an absolutely preposterous seventeen minutes.

    We don’t generally do play-by-play updates on Kickstarter campaigns, but this one is a bit too crazy not to note. The Pebble train just won’t stop.

    Nine hours after the launch of the campaign, Kickstarter is still vacuuming up cash at an absurd rate. It now sits at $6.5 million, earning it a spot in the Top 5 most funded projects to ever hit the site.

    The only projects that have pulled in more? The Ouya console ($8.5M), The Oatmeal’s Exploding Kittens card game ($8.7M), the original Pebble ($10.2M), and the Coolest cooler ($13.2M). All of those had a month-plus to earn their totals; the Pebble Time has joined their ranks in half a day.

    Pebble’s repeated success on the platform has started something of a debate, with some arguing that they’re too successful to turn to a crowdfunding site. “It’d be like watching Bill Gates, Mark Cuban and Warren Buffett panhandling on the streets of Seattle”, writes Daniel Cooper on Engadget.

    But is that really Kickstarter’s problem to solve? Where does one draw the line? What makes a company too successful for Kickstarter? Public perception? Should having a successful Kickstarter and going on to find retail success prevent you from returning to the well? Or should we let people vote with their wallets and stop romanticizing Kickstarter as something that it’s not?

    Samsung Galaxy S6


    It looks like Samsung is finally dispensing with its tradition of faux leather, plastic backs for its Galaxy S range.
    That’s according to the teaser image above from T-Mobile — spotted by The Verge — which gives us the clearest glimpse yet of the Galaxy S6, the phone that Samsung is expected to announce next weekend at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain.
    The Korean company has notably introduced two metallic-bodied devices this year — the Galaxy A3 and Galaxy A5 — so it wouldn’t be a huge surprise to see that part of the design make its way into its latest flagship. Certainly, the plastic backs have gained few supporters since they make the build of Samsung’s phones feel somewhat cheap.
    Samsung has already hinted that the Galaxy S6 will be curved, and that seems to be pretty certain at this point. This teaser again suggests that the model will take on the curved edge of the experimental Galaxy Note Edge, but on both sides of the phone. It isn’t clear whether a curved version will be offered alongside a regular version of the phone — as is the case with the Note 4/Note Edge — or whether this is the only version of the Galaxy S6.
    Two versions wouldn’t be a huge surprise, particularly given that there’s little evidence that curved screens are something that consumers particular want, or indeed need. Apple sells two different sized versions the iPhone 6, and Samsung has long released multiple versions of its phones to suit different tastes and budgets. The Galaxy S5, for example, is available in Active, Zoom, and Mini versions.

    Line Of Sight


    You’ve probably heard that the FAA proposed its rules for commercial drones last weekend. There’s some good and some bad in those rules. The good thing is that drone startups finally know what kind of rules they will operate under once they are codified in the next year or so. The bad: many of the most interesting use cases for drones, including drone delivery, will be unfeasible under these rules.
    The FAA rules are pretty lenient in that you only need to pass a knowledge test, register your drone and stay under 500 feet. The proposed fees are pretty reasonable, too. But — and this is the deal breaker for many: your drone can only fly within your line of sight (or that of an observer). Now you may think: what if I set up cameras and keep an eye on the drone that way? Well, that isn’t going to work either, because the FAA clearly states you (or your observer) have to be able to see the drone with your own eyes — not even binoculars are allowed. This means you can inspect an antenna tower with your drone, but there’s no way Amazon or Google can fly a delivery drone this way.
    Now the good thing is, as the FAA clarified later in the week, drones can to fly autonomously and that alone opens up lots of use cases in crop monitoring, surveying and other areas.
    The reaction from the drone industry to these new rules has been pretty positive overall. But not everybody agrees, of course. Amazon’s vice president of Global Public Policy Paul Misener told us last week that he believes that “the FAA needs to begin and expeditiously complete the formal process to address the needs of our business, and ultimately our customers.” Otherwise, he noted, Amazon is “prepared to deploy where we have the regulatory support we need.”
    One thing to remember is that the FAA is clearly aware that the line-of-sight rule isn’t ideal for many potential drone use cases. The agency argues that the safety concerns it has currently outweigh the benefits. Still, the FAA noted that these rules could change over time, especially as obstacle avoidance technology becomes more dependable.
    For now then, the FAA’s rules finally provide the industry with the certainty it needs to move forward. It’s not ideal, but it’s significantly better than many expected — just don’t expect a TacoCopter to deliver your favorite burrito to you within the next few years.

    Gemalto Claims Its Products Are ‘Secure’ In Response To Reported NSA Hack


    Gemalto, the SIM card maker that reportedly had its encryption keys stolen by the NSA and GCHQ, has claimed that its products are secure, despite apparent leaked NSA documents suggesting otherwise.
    The Amsterdam-based company is putting on a brave, if defiant, face. In a statement issued today, it said initial investigations showed its products to be secure:
    Initial conclusions already indicate that Gemalto SIM products (as well as banking cards, passports and other products and platforms) are secure and the Company doesn’t expect to endure a significant financial prejudice.
    We’ll know more about those exact findings on Wednesday. The company has scheduled a press conference in Paris starting at 10:30 am local time that day, at which it will discuss its full investigation in more detail.
    Gemalto reportedly produces over 2 billion SIM cards per year and works with more than 600 operators worldwide. The company admitted last week that it was unaware that British and U.S. spying agencies had penetrated its encryption, potentially allowing them to access information from millions of mobile users who have its SIM cards in their phones.
    The Intercept, the news organization run by Glenn Greenwald and backed by Pierre Omidyar’s First Look Media, broke the news last week based on leaks from NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden.
    The report, and others that followed it, prompted a backlash from Dutch PMs, who demanded further details, while privacy advocates weighed in on the importance of the leak.
    Speaking to TechCrunch last week, the Electronic Frontier Foundations’ Mark Rumold said the disclosure was “incredibly significant.”
    “NSA and GCHQ basically have the keys to decyrpting mobile communications anywhere in the world, even without the participation of local communication carriers (which, even if not much, acts as some check on intelligence agency behavior). It’s the equivalent of these agencies having printed doorkeys for the front doors to millions or even billions of homes around the world, just in case they one day decided they needed to get in. Frankly, people should have no faith in the security of global mobile communications,” he added.
    Gemalto may want to believe it can move on, but its business is already showing signs of issues. Australia’s telecom operators are investigating the revelations, and may order a mass recall of SIM cards in response to security concerns.
    Mud sticks, and you’d imagine that it will take more than a self-prescribed ‘all clear’ from the company’s internal report to remove the doubt that will exist in the minds of the industry and consumers.

    Main Street Hub Lands $20M To Bring Social Media Marketing To Small Business


    Main Street Hub, a company that helps mom and pop businesses run social media marketing, customer relationship management (CRM) and marketing automation recently announced it has received $20M in debt financing from Silicon Valley Bank.
    The company has raised a total of $40M. The most recent funding before this announcement was $14M in Series B in January, 2014. It has 6000 subscribers who are paying an average of $350 per month using a tiered pricing model, according to company officials.
    Most small business owners are swamped just trying to keep their businesses running. They have little time to deal with modern online marketing or monitoring their Yelp page reviews. That’s where Main Street Hub comes in.
    For a monthly fee, Matt Stuart, co-CEO at Main Street Hub says his company does all the heavy lifting across online channels for these businesses. “We deliver a combined product using existing communication channels including marketing automation, CRM, social media, reputation management and mobile, web and email marketing,” Stuart explained.
    main street hub mobile
    Stuart likens his company to the old Yellow Pages customer representative, who used to call on the store owner and handle all their marketing through a Yellow Pages ad. Today, potential customers are online and Main Street Hub is trying to help get those customers into the store, just as the Yellow Pages did back in the day.
    Using a combination of data, content and human customer support, Main Street Hub works directly with subscribers to help bring people into their shops, the goal of every small business owner. They describe their content library that the company has built up over the last five years as “informative, funny or engaging in some way.”
    “We help you acquire new customers by reaching out to nearby consumers who are expressing a need online for something you offer,” Andrew Allison, the other co-CEO told TechCrunch.
    As Allison points out, a lot of small business web sites are dated and not terribly useful. Main Street Hub sends potential customers to a modern looking landing page. For instance, if someone expresses a desire for a local restaurant for lunch on Twitter, Main Street Hub is watching and will respond with a link to the business website, tuned for whatever device the person happens to be using.
    If the customer checks in, leaves a review on Yelp or a comment on Twitter (or takes another online action), it sees that too and may respond on behalf of the business, as appropriate.
    Main Street Analytics
    There are marketing automation tools like Marketo and Eloqua, but these tend focus on larger businesses, whereas Main Street Hub is entirely focused on small ones. It does count chains and franchises among its clients, but even then the focus is at the store level, Stuart explained.
    The founders began what became Main Street Hub when they were students at Stanford Business School. The original business helped people find local car mechanics online, before they pivoted to Main Street Hub. They ran the business for a year from 2010 to 2011 in San Francisco before moving to the current headquarters in Austin. At the time of the move, the company had 11 employees. Today it has 470.
    Main Street Hub hopes to use the big influx of money to continue to expand the business, and is looking to add 300 people to the Austin and New York City offices in the next year, including tripling the size of the engineering and product teams.
    Product photos courtesy of Main Street Hub.

    Twitter Delicious Facebook Digg Stumbleupon Favorites More

     
    Design by Free WordPress Themes | Bloggerized by Lasantha - Premium Blogger Themes | Hostgator Discount Code