RACHEL: Honey, did you know that according to Rabbi Rudi, "You can substitute matzo meal for the flour and the latkes will be just as delicious!" HERSCHEL: Of course! You can take his word for it!
Rudolph,
the Rab, knows grain dear!
Fresh Baked Goods
Laughzilla the Third (2012)
The Third Volume in the Funny Stuff Cartoon Book Collection Available Now.
Quip for Android has received a few updates today that the company says includes a number of “most-requested” features. With the release, the modern word processor app becomes more accessible in seven new app stores, removes the need for an account, lets you import documents, make background updates, and even import your contacts right from your phone.
Previously available in the Google Play app store in the US and in Europe, Quip is now branching out to allow users to take it out for a spin. Among the new markets include the Kindle Fire store, Yandex in Russia, and in 360 Mobile Assistant in China.
The next couple of updates are intended to bring Quip’s Android version up to parity with the rest of its platform. The first involves the removal of a restriction iOS app users have had for a while: no account is needed in order to use Quip.
With Quip for Android 1.6, you can start writing immediately without having to log in. And when you want to share a document and begin collaborating with others, the company says you only need to add your email address. We’re told that some users have expressed a desire to be able to have the freedom to create content without having the barrier to log in — adds a measure of complexity that you wouldn’t find in the Microsoft Word experience.
Users can also import notes and documents into Quip now. Like the iOS version, Quip for Android supports importing files from Microsoft Word, Dropbox, Google Drive, and Evernote.
Quip has also added a feature to its Android app that allows it to process updates in the background. The company says that you won’t need to mark your documents for offline access or even force it to sync — it’ll all be handled automatically.
Lastly, you can now import contacts from your phone, Yahoo, Google, and Outlook.com right into Quip. This was done to make it easier for users to have access to friends and co-workers quickly — if you’re working on a document and need to share it with someone, instead of going into your address book and searching for their email address, it can be done with a single click inside Quip. Of course, the company says that it will never email your contacts without your “explicit permission.”
Just six months after the Xperia Z1, Sony is back with another flagship Android smartphone. Given the short space of time that’s elapsed between the two announcements, it’s understandable that the Xperia Z2 offers small, understated improvements over its predecessor.
The 5.1-inch full HD (1080p) display is a fraction larger and brighter than the Xperia Z1, but the chassis that surrounds it looks almost identical. The new handset is a few millimeters taller and slightly thinner than its older brother, but in the hand these differences are barely noticeable. The Xperia Z2 offers the same ‘Omnibalance’ design found on the Xperia Z and from afar, it’s difficult to tell the two apart.
The formal, rectangular design isn’t particularly eye-catching, but it’s still attractive and comfortable to hold.
Instead, much of Sony’s focus has been directed at the components inside. The Xperia Z2 runs on a quad-core 2.3 GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 processor, which is an improvement over the Snapdragon 800 found in the Xperia Z1. The RAM has been bumped up from 2GB to 3GB and the battery has been increased to 3200 mAh. All of these changes make the Xperia Z2 an incredibly capable smartphone.
While I haven’t done any benchmarking, the Xperia Z2 feels fast. Swiping through the Android interface and alternating between apps is buttery smooth, and it handles intensive tasks without complaint. The gains in computational power are clearly diminishing each year, but it’s liberating to use nonetheless.
Camera
Sony unveiled the Xperia Z1 at IFA last year partly because of its upgraded rear-facing camera. The 13-megapixel sensor had been swapped out for a 20.1-megapixel version which often offered better photos by downsampling the original image to an 8.3-megapixel file.
Six months later, the Xperia Z1 still offers one of the best smartphone cameras on the market. The Xperia Z2, unsurprisingly, opts for the same sensor with a few noticeable improvements on the software side. Sony now offers a ‘Timeshift’ mode for slow-motion video clips, background defocus for photos with plenty of ‘bokeh’ and a shortcut to Vine’s own camera interface.
Slow motion video worked beautifully and picking specific scenes to implement the effect was quick and intuitive. Most importantly, it doesn’t feel like a gimmick; I can see myself using it for all sorts of action shots, including the finish line at a bike race, a spectacular stage dive at a concert, or my baby cousin’s first steps. Although the feature isn’t unique – Apple offers slow-motion video with the iPhone 5s – I’m still impressed by the results.
In contrast, the background defocus effect was inconsistent. Perhaps it’ll be better suited to macro photography, but some brief test shots at Sony’s booth proved too much for this particular mode.
The Xperia Z2 also introduces ultra high definition (4K) video recording at 30 frames per second, with its SteadyShot image stabilization technology for smooth footage. A trade show booth isn’t the best place to test this feature, but all of the videos I shot were clear, detailed and with accurate color representation.
If you value the camera experience in an Android flagship, the Xperia Z2 appears to be an excellent choice.
Software
Elsewhere, Sony has kept the software experience fairly similar to the Xperia Z and Xperia Z1. Aside from the recent Motorola devices, it’s undoubtedly one the closest skins to stock Android – which is fantastic.
Sony offers a number of its own entertainment apps, including Music Unlimited, Video Unlimited and PlayStation Mobile, but they’re easy to ignore and pleasant enough if you want to switch across to its various digital storefronts.
There are some basic widgets that can be pulled out from the app switcher and there’s a new app called “What’s New” that suggests films, music, TV shows and video games you might want to check out. It can be launched with a long press on the home button – just as you would to open Google Now – and reinforces Sony’s focus on delivering and selling multimedia content.
If you want to shut out the masses on your daily commute, the Xperia Z2 is also equipped with digital noise cancelling (DNC) technology. It’s been optimized for Sony DNC headphones, although some third-party models will also be supported. The impact is immediate and should prove useful when you’re desperate for a little piece and quiet.
Wrap-up
The differences between the Xperia Z1 and Xperia Z2 are marginal. Nevertheless, this is one of the most impressive flagship Android smartphones that I’ve picked up this year – all of the core components have been improved and I was impressed both by the camera and the subtle software experience.
While I would have liked Sony to experiment more with the Xperia Z2′s industrial design, it’s still a nice looking piece of kit. If you’re a fan of the ‘Omnibalance’ aesthetic that Sony is always pushing, the Xperia Z2 looks to be another first-rate handset.
Just six months after the Xperia Z1, Sony is back with another flagship Android smartphone. Given the short space of time that’s elapsed between the two announcements, it’s understandable that the Xperia Z2 offers small, understated improvements over its predecessor.
The 5.1-inch full HD (1080p) display is a fraction larger and brighter than the Xperia Z1, but the chassis that surrounds it looks almost identical. The new handset is a few millimeters taller and slightly thinner than its older brother, but in the hand these differences are barely noticeable. The Xperia Z2 offers the same ‘Omnibalance’ design found on the Xperia Z and from afar, it’s difficult to tell the two apart.
The formal, rectangular design isn’t particularly eye-catching, but it’s still attractive and comfortable to hold.
Instead, much of Sony’s focus has been directed at the components inside. The Xperia Z2 runs on a quad-core 2.3 GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 processor, which is an improvement over the Snapdragon 800 found in the Xperia Z1. The RAM has been bumped up from 2GB to 3GB and the battery has been increased to 3200 mAh. All of these changes make the Xperia Z2 an incredibly capable smartphone.
While I haven’t done any benchmarking, the Xperia Z2 feels fast. Swiping through the Android interface and alternating between apps is buttery smooth, and it handles intensive tasks without complaint. The gains in computational power are clearly diminishing each year, but it’s liberating to use nonetheless.
Camera
Sony unveiled the Xperia Z1 at IFA last year partly because of its upgraded rear-facing camera. The 13-megapixel sensor had been swapped out for a 20.1-megapixel version which often offered better photos by downsampling the original image to an 8.3-megapixel file.
Six months later, the Xperia Z1 still offers one of the best smartphone cameras on the market. The Xperia Z2, unsurprisingly, opts for the same sensor with a few noticeable improvements on the software side. Sony now offers a ‘Timeshift’ mode for slow-motion video clips, background defocus for photos with plenty of ‘bokeh’ and a shortcut to Vine’s own camera interface.
Slow motion video worked beautifully and picking specific scenes to implement the effect was quick and intuitive. Most importantly, it doesn’t feel like a gimmick; I can see myself using it for all sorts of action shots, including the finish line at a bike race, a spectacular stage dive at a concert, or my baby cousin’s first steps. Although the feature isn’t unique – Apple offers slow-motion video with the iPhone 5s – I’m still impressed by the results.
In contrast, the background defocus effect was inconsistent. Perhaps it’ll be better suited to macro photography, but some brief test shots at Sony’s booth proved too much for this particular mode.
The Xperia Z2 also introduces ultra high definition (4K) video recording at 30 frames per second, with its SteadyShot image stabilization technology for smooth footage. A trade show booth isn’t the best place to test this feature, but all of the videos I shot were clear, detailed and with accurate color representation.
If you value the camera experience in an Android flagship, the Xperia Z2 appears to be an excellent choice.
Software
Elsewhere, Sony has kept the software experience fairly similar to the Xperia Z and Xperia Z1. Aside from the recent Motorola devices, it’s undoubtedly one the closest skins to stock Android – which is fantastic.
Sony offers a number of its own entertainment apps, including Music Unlimited, Video Unlimited and PlayStation Mobile, but they’re easy to ignore and pleasant enough if you want to switch across to its various digital storefronts.
There are some basic widgets that can be pulled out from the app switcher and there’s a new app called “What’s New” that suggests films, music, TV shows and video games you might want to check out. It can be launched with a long press on the home button – just as you would to open Google Now – and reinforces Sony’s focus on delivering and selling multimedia content.
If you want to shut out the masses on your daily commute, the Xperia Z2 is also equipped with digital noise cancelling (DNC) technology. It’s been optimized for Sony DNC headphones, although some third-party models will also be supported. The impact is immediate and should prove useful when you’re desperate for a little piece and quiet.
Wrap-up
The differences between the Xperia Z1 and Xperia Z2 are marginal. Nevertheless, this is one of the most impressive flagship Android smartphones that I’ve picked up this year – all of the core components have been improved and I was impressed both by the camera and the subtle software experience.
While I would have liked Sony to experiment more with the Xperia Z2′s industrial design, it’s still a nice looking piece of kit. If you’re a fan of the ‘Omnibalance’ aesthetic that Sony is always pushing, the Xperia Z2 looks to be another first-rate handset.
Indeed, knowing who to ‘trust’ on Twitter when you’re new to the platform is a tough nut to crack, but it is one that typically happens over time. Understandably, many people don’t give something time if they can’t see any value in it, which is where PeerReach is hoping to help.
Founded in 2011 by Zlatan Menkovic and Nico Schoonderwoerd, PeerReach began as an index of content creators on social media networks such as Twitter. Now it’s moving beyond its business-focused roots and into the consumer realm with Current.ly, which promises to guide you towards the “most important discussions, virals and memes” happening on Twitter.
Yes, Current.ly wants to solve one of Twitter’s age-old issues of encouraging engagement among new users – discovery. Here’s a quick peek under the hood of the iOS app.
Current.ly: The lowdown
Current.ly is currently (ha!) tailored towards three locations only – the Netherlands, the UK and the US of A. Within each location, you’ll see a slew of hashtagged words representing what people are actually talking about on Twitter.
You can drill down into all the tweets, and see what some of the key movers and shakers are saying about that topic.
That’s pretty much Current.ly in a nutshell. But why would anyone wish to use this over the existing Discovery and Trending options within the main Twitter client itself?
Well, firstly Current.ly taps the data from its own PeerReach platform, which analyzes Twitter to see who’s an authority on any given subject. In other words, this doesn’t just display tweets from everyone who’s tweeting about it, and it doesn’t serve up tweets from celebrities just because they happen to mention a topic – it shows who’s knowledgeable and ‘worthy’ of your time. Well, in theory at least.
Crucially, Current.ly isn’t trying to be another Twitter client. Indeed, it definitely isn’t a Twitter client – you can’t tweet from this or even sign-in with your Twitter credentials. This is entirely an account-free service that uses nothing but topics and location to try and sift through Twitter’s white noise.
Though Current.ly is an iOS-only affair for now, a Web-based incarnation will be landing shortly. And we’re told Android is in their thoughts too, though there’s no time-frame at present.
Current.ly is an interesting use of PeerReach’s own data and tools, and helps test it out on a consumer-focused public forum. But when all is said and done, it’s perhaps not something that will see success among its professed target audience – Twitter noobs. Indeed, if someone isn’t quite ‘getting’ the whole Twitter buzz, it’s unlikely they’re going to go searching for a third-party tool to make it more appealing and relevant.
And what about other non-noob users? Well, would you really want to switch between two apps – your main Twitter client and Current.ly? Indeed, it’s difficult to see how this will fit within any user-base.
Indeed, knowing who to ‘trust’ on Twitter when you’re new to the platform is a tough nut to crack, but it is one that typically happens over time. Understandably, many people don’t give something time if they can’t see any value in it, which is where PeerReach is hoping to help.
Founded in 2011 by Zlatan Menkovic and Nico Schoonderwoerd, PeerReach began as an index of content creators on social media networks such as Twitter. Now it’s moving beyond its business-focused roots and into the consumer realm with Current.ly, which promises to guide you towards the “most important discussions, virals and memes” happening on Twitter.
Yes, Current.ly wants to solve one of Twitter’s age-old issues of encouraging engagement among new users – discovery. Here’s a quick peek under the hood of the iOS app.
Current.ly: The lowdown
Current.ly is currently (ha!) tailored towards three locations only – the Netherlands, the UK and the US of A. Within each location, you’ll see a slew of hashtagged words representing what people are actually talking about on Twitter.
You can drill down into all the tweets, and see what some of the key movers and shakers are saying about that topic.
That’s pretty much Current.ly in a nutshell. But why would anyone wish to use this over the existing Discovery and Trending options within the main Twitter client itself?
Well, firstly Current.ly taps the data from its own PeerReach platform, which analyzes Twitter to see who’s an authority on any given subject. In other words, this doesn’t just display tweets from everyone who’s tweeting about it, and it doesn’t serve up tweets from celebrities just because they happen to mention a topic – it shows who’s knowledgeable and ‘worthy’ of your time. Well, in theory at least.
Crucially, Current.ly isn’t trying to be another Twitter client. Indeed, it definitely isn’t a Twitter client – you can’t tweet from this or even sign-in with your Twitter credentials. This is entirely an account-free service that uses nothing but topics and location to try and sift through Twitter’s white noise.
Though Current.ly is an iOS-only affair for now, a Web-based incarnation will be landing shortly. And we’re told Android is in their thoughts too, though there’s no time-frame at present.
Current.ly is an interesting use of PeerReach’s own data and tools, and helps test it out on a consumer-focused public forum. But when all is said and done, it’s perhaps not something that will see success among its professed target audience – Twitter noobs. Indeed, if someone isn’t quite ‘getting’ the whole Twitter buzz, it’s unlikely they’re going to go searching for a third-party tool to make it more appealing and relevant.
And what about other non-noob users? Well, would you really want to switch between two apps – your main Twitter client and Current.ly? Indeed, it’s difficult to see how this will fit within any user-base.
Previously available in the Google Play app store in the US and in Europe, Quip is now branching out to allow users to take it out for a spin. Among the new markets include the Kindle Fire store, Yandex in Russia, and in 360 Mobile Assistant in China.
Users can also import notes and documents into Quip now. Like the iOS version, Quip for Android supports importing files from Microsoft Word, Dropbox, Google Drive, and Evernote.
