The Galaxy S5's Camera Can Refocus After Taking A Picture.

Samsung has never been a leader when it comes to smartphone cameras but with the Galaxy S5, it's taken a step forward.
It has nothing to do with megapixels—instead it's all about that weird-sounding feature called "phase-detect" autofocus, which allows the camera to focus in just .3 seconds. Samsung claims that's the fastest in the world, and it could seriously change how you use the camera.
We've tested basically every smartphone camera, and it's astounding how quickly their quality has been improving over the years. Low-light quality has never been better, and in recent years, the megapixel counts have been soaring, without seeing any of the corresponding loss in image quality you'd expect.
One thing we haven't heard a lot of—but you can expect to now—is claims about how fast a camera is. Think about how important speed is. If your buddy slips and falls embarrassingly, you want to be able to whip out your camera and snap the picture as quickly as possible, before the shock leaves their faces and they've got time to recover. You want to get the hilarious agony of the moment.
The Samsung Galaxy S5 has a higher resolution camera 16 megapixel camera, but what's really important, is that as far as we can tell (tell us if we're wrong!), it's the first camera on a smartphone to use phase-detect autofocus. Traditionally, digital cameras that don't have a mirrorbox—IE, point-and-shoots and mirrorless cameras—use contrast detection autofocus. In this method, the contrast between nearby pixels is measured, and the camera's lens is adjusted until this contrast is maximized. This system has a lot of drawbacks: It's coarse, it's slow, and more importantly in situations where there's not a lot of contrast (or light) in a scene to begin with, it doesn't work very well.
Phase detection autofocus was commonly used on SLR cameras with mirrors, but it's only recently started trickling into mirroless cameras over the last couple of years, as part of the "hybrid" systems that enable shooters like the Sony A6000to focus crazy fast. The contrast detect autofocus gets you close, but the fine adjustment is performed by phase detection which compares the actual light received by the sensors, rather than just the contrast.
In the real-world, you can't underestimate the important of shooting with a fast AF system. It's one of the most important features we test when we're reviewing cameras. You're probably familiar with the experience of a camera that "hunts" for focus—moving in and out of clarity until it settles on the best spot You've also probably noticed the frustration that occurs when you've got an autofocus hunts and then settles on a spot that's totally wrong, as if it just gave up. The new phase detection will help remedy some of this frustration.
Or rather itshouldhelp, assuming it works properly. We'll have to wait and see how well this new phase detection works on the camera when we've had the chance to test it out in real life.

Original Story Found On Gizmodo

Robot cops rule! Humanoids take over streets of Kinshasa to tackle traffic chaos

How do you solve the problem of choking road traffic in one of the world's bustling megacities? You bring in the robot cops.
In Kinshasa, the sprawling capital of the Democratic Republic of Congo, two humanoid robots have been installed in high-traffic areas to regulate the flow of vehicles and help drivers and pedestrians traverse the roads safely.
Read this: The daily grind of commuting in Africa's economic hubs
The goal is to ease the traffic woes of commuters and cut the number of road accidents in the center of Kinshasa, a city of some 10 million people.
"It is an innovation about road safety," Vale Manga Wilma, president of the DRC's National Commission for Road Safety (Commission Nationale de Prevention Routiere), told CNN.
"The traffic is a big problem in the rush hours," he explained. "With the robots' policemen intelligence, the road safety in Kinshasa becomes very easy."
Read this: Megacity's ambitious plans
Standing eight feet tall, the robot traffic wardens are on duty 24 hours a day, their towering -- even scarecrow-like -- mass visible from afar. They are powered by solar panels and are equipped with rotating chests and surveillance cameras that record the flow of vehicles.
The humanoids, which are installed on Kinshasa's busy Triomphal and Lumumba intersections, are built of aluminum and stainless steel to endure the city's year-round hot climate.
Featuring green and red lights, Kinshasa's robot cops are designed to merge some of the functions of human officers and traffic lights. The anthropomorphic robots can raise or bend their arms to stop passing vehicles or let others pass, and are also programmed to speak, indicating to pedestrians when they can cross the roadManga Wilma said that this is a DRC-made technology, designed and built by a team of local engineers called WITECH ONG.
READ MORE: Africa's 'new cities' - Urban future or utopian fantasies?
READ MORE: Africa's giant infrastructure projects

Nokia Unveils Two New Androids.

Nokia is officially launching its very first Android devices, known as the X and the X+, on stage at its annual Mobile World Congress press conference. We were all taken aback by the second ( and third) device (since only one leaked), but either way it's still incredible to see Nokia take this particular approach. The X will have a 4-inch, 840 x 480 IPS screen, 512MB RAM, 4GB of storage expandable storage via microSD slot and 3-megapixel camera, while the X+ sports the same specs but more RAM (768 MB) and an included 4GB microSD card. You won't be getting Google's apps or Play store, however as both handsets will be based on the forked AOSP Android OS. Nokia says that'll have the advantages of the Android ecosystem, but with a "differentiated experience." So far,Here Maps, MixRadio, Skype and Outlook are being featured on the Nokia Store.You can access the Nokia and third party stores using the devices, but not Google Play, obviously. We've heard SwiftKey will be available on the Nokia X range, as will BBM, which is also coming to Windows Phone sometime "this summer."
The new devices are featuring a ported version of FastLane for Asha devices, to give a similar experience as its other budget handsets. When you swipe across it, it'll bring up a sort of notification bar showing recently used apps, missed calls and texts and other activities. During the demo, Elop showed both the Nokia Store also Yandex, where he pulled down Aero Express, a Russian-flavored app. The X will be available immediately in growth markets (ie, not the US) and run 89 euros. The X+, meanwhile, will run 99 euros but won't arrive until sometime in Q2 this year.

Whatsapp Is Down, It's Not Just You. (UPDATED)

I thought it was just me but apparently it's a worldwide problem. It's been down for a few hours now causing mass hysteria (jk). So to avoid any confusion and MTN Customer Care calls they tweeted about it to let us know they were working on it( who knows? Maybe it's just Zuck messing with it) I'll update on it if anything comes up.

UPDATE: It's back, no questions answred, or explanations given.

No Cards? No Cash? You Can Still Get Cool Stuff. With Your Smartphone!

The aroma of rich coffee wafts through the air as Xolile Malindi leans behind the counter of House of Machines, a hip café in the heart of Cape Town. Opposite him, a young customer approaches the bar, taking his wallet out to pay for his double espresso made of organic Arabica beans.
"Have you ever heard of this program called the SnapScan?" Malindi, who is the coffee shop's day manager, asks quickly. "You pay with your phone," he continues. "A lot of places are using it in Cape Town -- it's quite amazing."
House of Machines is just one of dozens of stores here where customers can find SnapScan, an award-winning new digital mobile payment method developed in South Africa. The smartphone app, which is free to download, allows buyers to pay for goods using their phone, without having to worry about carrying cash or credit cards.
How it works
Each SnapScan-connected store has a unique code that is linked to their bank account.
When customers want to pay, they can scan the code with their SnapScan smartphone app, which then brings up the store where they are making the purchase.
"All you do is you type in the amount and punch in the PIN and press send and it's gone -- it's all done," explains Malindi. "You've got your secret code (four-digit PIN), so if your phone goes missing for example, you don't have to worry about people using your phone," he adds.
The transaction is complete with SnapScan charging the customer's debit or credit card for the amount they are paying -- similar to a normal card payment.
Cutting-edge
Using your phone to pay for goods and services is nothing new in Africa, a continent where there are more than 720 mobile phones. Services such as M-Pesa, the revolutionary Kenyan mobile payment system that allows people to bypass banks and pay bills, withdraw salaries and transfer cash electronically, have transformed the way people and business operateMeanwhile, Africa's smartphone market is expected to double over the following four years -- at the moment, South Africa is reportedly the biggest smartphone market in sub-Saharan Africa, with a 19% penetration.
And as smartphones increase, the paying methods are also becoming smarter.
"If you look at mobile payments specifically, Africa is actually one of the leaders in this space," says Kobus Ehlers, co-founder of the SnapScan app. "SnapScan was developed in South Africa for the African market, so we try to find really local and relevant solutions and I think it's going to get a massive uptake," he adds.
"Technology in general is going to get a massive uptake in Africa as we don't have those legacy systems," continues Ehlers. "People aren't used to using credit cards for example, they can skip right ahead and start using cutting-edge payment technology."
Cashless society
Right now, SnapScan is only available at formal merchants but the hope is that the e-currency could flow from the phones of customers to the accounts of informal merchants too. It can even be used to send remittances.
Ehlers says that the hope of a cashless society is possible for Africa.
"Quite a large portion of people have access to a smartphone and by leveraging that technology we can provide payments that were previously impossible," he says. "That really is an empowering thing for most people in Africa who haven't got access to formal infrastructure to provide those services."
John Campbell heads up the Beyond Payments division of Standard Bank, which partners with innovators such as SnapScan to create banking solutions. He says that lack of traditional infrastructure often leads to creative solutions.
"In other territories where that infrastructure was not available, that infrastructure has been leapfrogged by the use of mobile," explains Campbell. "M-Pesa in Kenya is a good example of that, where money goes straight to your mobile -- your mobile number almost becomes your account number, that's effectively what happens."Back in the House of Machines, Malindi keeps on introducing the new payment method to his customers.
"It's way better as opposed to using your credit card or cash," he says, adding that he was surprised to find out that SnapScan was a tech company that started in South Africa.
"I thought it's one of the things that we get from overseas," says Malindi. "When I found out this is African-launched I was 'wow, here we go Africa, here we come, we're rocking the world!'"

Exactly Why Facebook Wants To Buy Whatsapp

Facebook has entered into an agreement to purchase WhatsApp, the massively popular messaging client, for $16 billion in cash and stock. A document filed with the SECtoday confirms the huge purchase.
As was the case with Instagram, the company says WhatsApp will continue to operate independently after the acquisition — separate from Facebook Messenger — but claims the deal "accelerates Facebook’s ability to bring connectivity and utility to the world." Facebook is also throwing in an extra $3 billion in restricted stock units that will go to WhatsApp’s employees; those will vest over a period of four years after the acquisition is finalized.
More than 450 million monthly users
In a press releaseannouncing the monumental buyout, CEO Mark Zuckerberg said, "WhatsApp is on a path to connect 1 billion people. The services that reach that milestone are all incredibly valuable." He also shared news of the deal on his personal Facebook page, saying, "WhatsApp will complement our existing chat and messaging services to provide new tools for our community." Over 450 million people use WhatsApp each month, according to statistics in the press release, with 70 percent of those users active on a given day. WhatsApp co-founder and CEO Jan Koum will join Facebook’s board of directors as part of the deal, but his team will remain stationed in Mountain View, California.
"Doing this will give WhatsApp the flexibility to grow and expand, while giving me, Brian, and the rest of our team more time to focus on building a communications service that’s as fast, affordable and personal as possible," he said in a blog post. According to Kuam, users don't need to worry about ads "interrupting your communication." "There would have been no partnership between our two companies if we had to compromise on the core principles that will always define our company, our vision and our product," he said.

The World's Largest Solar Plant Is Killing Birds: Strange

The world's largest solar plant is awesome—unless you're a bird like the one in this image published by the corporation BrightSource Energy. This bird flew over the plantand was killed by its deadly heat levels, which can reach 1,000 degrees Fahrenheit (537C). Apparently, this was expected.
The Wall Street Journaland a Ivanpah Solar Electric Generating System monthly compliance report (PDF)already pointed out that this was going to be one of the side-effects of the $2.2 billion 5-square-mile solar farm and its three 40-story-high towers southwest of Las Vegas.
When its 350,000 mirrors converge on the water boilers sitting atop the towers, they effectively turn into a gigantic death ray. Anything that goes through the concentrated light beams will be killed.
The California Energy Commission says that the loss of wildlife—and other severe environmental problems associated to it—is acceptable because "the benefits the project will provide override those impacts." According to them, the plant will be producing enough electricity to power 140,000 homes when running at maximum power with a reduced carbon footprint. Environmentalists claim that the benefits may not be that clear.
To add salt to the injury, biologists say that the birds may be confusing the sea of mirrors with a lake, which is attracting them to the deadly mirage.
The images of the birds come from a monthly compliance report.Eleven birds were found injured or dead during that period.

HTC To Release Their Next Flagship Phone Soon.

The HTC One was one of our favorite smartphones of 2013, so naturally we're incredibly curious to see its inevitable successor, codenamed M8. According to an invite that just landed in our mailbox, we'll likely get that opportunity on March 25th at a launch event taking place simultaneously in New York and London( but of course we won't). While the invite doesn't call out the phone by name, this falls in line with HTC Chairperson Cher Wang's promise that we'd see invitations for this specific event before February 24th. We aren't in the dark about what it'll look like, if prior leaks prove accurate, but there's still no word on its official name; we just hope it isn't called the HTC One Two

Twitter bios: Don't be a 'rock star guru'

If you're a "zombie aficionado," a "Web marketing guru" or a "social media evangelist," you may be doing Twitter wrong.
The 160-character Twitter bio, your introduction to the site's nearly 250 million active users, has been called a "postmodern art form" by The New York Times.
But for most of us, it's a bit simpler than that. It's a digital calling card, a way to sum up our very essence within Twitter's 160-character limit and, presumably, tell people why they might want to follow us.
So how did there end up being so many self-proclaimed ninjas, mavens, rock stars, gurus and experts on the site?
Those terms, often delivered in a series of short, punchy sentences, have become copycat cliches in the Twitter age. And as Josh Schultz sees it, they're worthy of parody.
"I'd noticed that a lot of Twitter bios tended to be pretty samey," said Schultz, a Web developer and creator of the Twitter Bio Generator. "When that occurred to me, I crawled the bios of all my Twitter acquaintances and saw that ... yep ... some patterns were used a lot."
His generator is a jokey tool that mashes together a bunch of overused words and phrases, creating bios that will look impressively familiar to most Twitter users: "Professional zombie geek." "Unapologetic Internet maven." "Social media evangelist." "Coffee guru."
It's no accident that a lot of the phrases come off as blatantly self-promotional.
"This was early Twitter days, when it seemed like half the folks using the service were self-described 'social media experts,' " Schultz said. "Plenty of the rest of us were of the opinion that those folks might benefit from taking themselves a bit less seriously. So if the generator came across as poking a little fun at them, I'd be OK with that."
Schultz isn't the only one who thought that overdone bio style needed a little skewering. This month, digital media marketing publication Digiday worked up a similar, if significantly more profane, version called "What the F--- is my Twitter Bio?". (Fair warning: Lots of profanity. As if the name didn't give that away.)The idea was meant to be a way for people to realize the ridiculous lengths others -- and, alas, themselves -- go to to craft their Twitter bio as neatly and perfectly as a Wes Andersen movie," Digiday staffer Jack Marshall said in a blog post.
Digiday's combination of about 300 words and phrases renders bios largely similar to Schultz's generator: "Bluetooth pundit." "Tech warlock." "Interwebz scholar." Some tweak another bio that's become commonplace: A series of factual information followed by a final zinger to show that you're a serious person -- just not *that* serious.
If users don't like the result, they can click a reliably foul-mouthed link to try again.
Some of the results also play on Twitter users' seemingly limitless fondness for bacon and booze in their bios.
So, if being a bacon buff or beer trailblazer won't necessarily make for a great bio, what will? Schultz says just be yourself.
"It's an honest reflection of what you're going to be tweeting about," he said. "For some people, that will be the sort of straightforward list thing the Twitter Bio Generator pokes a little fun at. For others, it'll be something more abstract or poetic. Maybe they're more abstract or poetic people, harder to pin down."
Writing for Mashable, a CNN content partner, Amy-Mae Elliott offered a few suggestions of her own.
-- Your bio is searchable, so make sure it includes keywords about what you tweet about.
-- Avoid those generator-style cliches.
-- Double-check your spelling and grammar.-- Look at other bios and imitate the style of the ones you like.
"Most importantly," she wrote, "use your bio to let people know what you're going to bring to their Twitter streams -- how following you is going to enrich

Nokia's Android May Be Released Before The End Of The Month.

If you're eager to get an officially sanctioned glimpse at Nokia's rumored Android cellphone, you may not have to wait long. Sources speaking to theWall Street Journal claimthat Nokia will unveil the low-end handset, currently nicknamed Normandy, at Mobile World Congress later this month. The tipsters haven't shed new light on the hardware itself, but they support beliefs that the device's customized interface will revolve around Microsoft and Nokia services while stripping out Google content. If the leak is accurate, Microsoft may be in an awkward position once it closes its acquisition of Nokia's phone business-- it might have to sell a phone using the very platform it has been trying to destroy.