The next time you want to send images from one smartphone to another, just bump your phones, make bird sounds, or slide them out of your phone. You won't look gaga, we promise ufffd with these apps, photo sharing gets rather quirky
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Smartphone technology has greatly improved over the past few years, but we hate to admit how regressive it is when it comes to sending information. Five years ago, any smartphone user could transfer information from their devices to another by simply using Bluetooth or in some cases, Infrared. Fast forward to today, and the same convenience no longer exists — devices running on iOS (iPhone, iPad), Windows Phone (Lumia series) and even some Android devices come with restrictions on Bluetooth transfers, which makes sending information from one device to another downright tedious - one can either upload content to the cloud or mail it across, both of which tend to be a bit time consuming.
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Fortunately, there are apps that can help your way around this by letting you send information from one device to another in ways that range from innovative to downright eccentric. You can send a picture from your phone to another by bumping the devices together, making your device emitting a chirping sound, or by even making a flicking gesture with your hand holding the phone and holding up another phone to “catch” it. And they are free to boot. Sounds too crazy to be true? Well, check these out for yourself:u00a0
Bump (iOS, Android)
Perhaps the most famous of the touch-to-send app brigade, Bump, as its name suggests, lets you send photographs and contact information from one device to another by just bumping them together. All you need to do is have an active Internet connection on both devices and have the app running on them simultaneously. Open the app, select the photo or contact you wish to send, and bump the devices together. If your Internet connection is quick enough, the information will be transferred in less than a minute. You can even transfer pictures from your device to a computer by launching the app on your device, going to https://bu.mp on your computer’s Web browser and tapping the space bar. Yes, it is that simple. And it actually works.
Available from: iTunes App Store, Google Play
Flick + Share (Windows Phone, iOS, Android)
The idea here is a whole lot simpler than even bump. Start the app, take or select a picture, and then simply move it off the screen of your device — drag it away using the finger. That’s it — the picture will then find its way on to all other devices running the application at the same time, be they Android, iOS or Windows Phone. Yes, it works only with pictures, and yes, just about anyone who has the app running at the time you decide to send out your picture will be able to get it, so you may want to be a tad discreet about sharing.u00a0
Available from: Windows Marketplace, iTunes App Store, Google Play
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Cardflick (iOS)
All right, this one is strictly for the card-swapping business community. Cardflick not only lets you generate a business card literally within seconds but also share it with other users by simply flicking it off the screen. Other users of the app will be able to receive your customised visiting card within seconds — with the option to reject it, if you have sent it by mistake — with minimum fuss. For good measure, you also have the option to send your card via e-mail, in case the app does not detect other users in the vicinity, which unfortunately does tend to happen a few times.
Available from: iTunes App Store
Chirp (iOS)
Imagine sending a picture to another device using a birdsong! Well, that is exactly what Chirp does. You select a picture, note or link you wish to send, and the app then emits a short, sharp tweeting sound — all devices that have the app running at that time will be able to hear it and download the picture. Again, security is not this app’s forte, as anyone running the app at the time you send out the chirp can get your picture. It gets full marks for convenience and has a certain “awww...” factor going for it, especially if you happen to like bird sounds. Currently it is available only on iOS devices but we know for sure that an Android version is in the works.
Available from: iTunes App Store
Hoccer (Android and iOS)
Seen that ad in which a Bollywood star just seems to ‘slide’ content from his tablet on to a televisions screen? Well, Hoccer does something similar. It lets you send pictures, notes, contacts and even audio clips from one device to another by either ‘sliding’ them from your device to another or by even just making a throwing gesture with your device while the receiver holds their up to ‘catch’ it. Honestly, the ‘throwing’ bit does not work as smoothly as the sliding one, but the app is handy for the sheer variety of content it lets you share sans hassle.
Available from: iTunes App Store, Google Play
Sony goes dual SIM too
Sony has joined the dual SIM smartphone bandwagon with its curiously named Xperia tipo Dual. The phone will support two SIM cards, and although it is unlikely to stop traffic with its looks (at 13mm, it is not on the slim side), certainly does deliver some very decent performance. It is powered by an 800 MHz Qualcomm Snapdragon processor, has a very decent 3.2 inch scratch-resistant display, a 3.2-megapixel camera and comes with connectivity options galore, including Bluetooth and Wi-Fi. Throw in the fact that it has a pretty big 1500 mAh battery and runs on Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich) and the Xperia tipo Dual does seem a very decent proposition at Rs 10,499.
Cricket on the streets, on the PS2
India might have been knocked out of the T20 World Cup but we doubt whether that will dent the appetite for the game in the nation. And whetting it is the second instalment of Street Cricket, an innovative look at the Gentleman’s Game with a distinctly gully cricket flavour. Teams are limited to five players but the action takes place in a variety of locations ranging from street corners to flyovers. It looks better than before and heck, even has the helicopter shot as an option. Yes, it does need a careful reading of the rules, but at Rs 699 for the PlayStation 2 and PSP, we think it is a deal for all ye seeking a doze of cricket gaming.
Who's got an Ultrabook? ME, says HCL
Ultrabook fans have another brand to choose from. HCL has launched its series of ultrabooks starting with the ME series 3074, replete with standard metallic grey looks and some impressive specs indeed. Not the least of these are a 14-inch display of 1366 x 768 resolution, 4GB RAM (expandable to 16 GB), Intel 3rd Generation Core i3 processors, upto 750 GB storage, two USB 3.0 ports, a card reader, integrated Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and battery life that the company claims will go up to seven hours. All this in a frame that tips the scales at a very Spartan 1.7 kg. And in best HCL tradition, the ME Series 3074 will not blow a hole in most pockets — its price starts at a very reasonable Rs 51,990.u00a0
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