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Photos: iPad accessories, Android apps for business and Sony's S1 and S2 tablets

1 of 18 NEXT PREV
  • Google+ Sparks

    Google+ Sparks

    Photos of the month - July 2011

    One the most notable events in July came courtesy of Google, which made its most significant foray yet into the social arena with the launch of Google+.

    The social service remains in closed beta for now but silicon.com got its hands on a +1 and proceeded to have a poke around.

    Pictured above is Google+'s Sparks feature where G+ users can let the search behemoth know the kinds of topics that float their boat - and then get a pipeline of related content delivered to their Google+ Streams. Think of it as RSS for dummies.

    For more on Google+, see Inside Google+ - how to use Circles, Hangouts, Sparks and more.

    Published: August 2, 2011 -- 08:41 GMT (01:41 PDT)

    Photo by: Natasha Lomas/silicon.com

    Caption by: silicon.com staff

  • Mute-o-matic Android app

    Mute-o-matic Android app

    Google software was also under the spotlight in July as we rounded up 20 Android apps for business users.

    Among them is Mute-o-matic, an ingenious app that changes the call settings on your phone according to your planned meetings and events.

    By entering details of meetings to the app, you can programme your phone to switch itself to silent mode without having to remember to do it yourself. The app also enables you to set a standard reply message to anyone who might call while you're in that meeting.

    Mute-o-matic allows different settings to be applied to different callers, so you can set the phone to ring if the boss calls while keeping everyone else on silent.

    To find out which other apps made our top 20, see Top 10 BlackBerry PlayBook accessories for business.

    Published: August 2, 2011 -- 08:41 GMT (01:41 PDT)

    Photo by: YPB Development/Mute-o-matic

    Caption by: silicon.com staff

  • Notifications: iOS vs Android

    Notifications: iOS vs Android

    Android also appeared in another photo story, this time by sister site CNET, which examined the most prominent mobile OSes - Android, BlackBerry OS, iOS, webOS and Windows Phone 7 - to see how each platform's homescreen, notifications, multitasking, web browser and app store compare.

    Shown above is the notification system used by iOS and Android. The iPhone uses a push notification system that alerts you to new messages, voicemail and notifications from third-party apps through a series of alerts, sounds and badges. It's not very streamlined and can be pretty disruptive, especially if you have notifications enabled for a number of apps.

    Fortunately, the system is changing with iOS 5, which is due out this autumn. As shown here, you'll now be able to swipe down from the top of the screen and see all your notifications in one place.

    Google got notifications right from the get-go. The pull-down notifications tray was present on the very first Android device, the T-Mobile G1, and it's still present on all Android phones today. Small icons on the top toolbar give you visual cues to alert you to new messages, missed calls and so forth, at which point you can pull down the tray to get more info and launch the appropriate apps.

    For more head-to-head comparisons, see Mobile OS face-off - Android, BlackBerry, iOS, webOS and Windows Phone compared.

    Published: August 2, 2011 -- 08:41 GMT (01:41 PDT)

    Photo by: Kent German/Bonnie Cha/CNET

    Caption by: silicon.com staff

  • Sony S1 and S2 tablet

    Sony S1 and S2 tablet

    There was no shortage of tablets emerging in July, among them the Sony S1 and S2 devices.

    The two gadgets have a slightly different spin on the tablet form factor - the S1 has a wedge shape, while the S2 features a folding, clamshell design.

    For a closer look at the pair, see Sony's S1 and S2 Android tablets - a first look.

    Published: August 2, 2011 -- 08:41 GMT (01:41 PDT)

    Photo by: James Martin/CNET

    Caption by: silicon.com staff

  • the Fujitsu Stylistic Q550

    the Fujitsu Stylistic Q550

    silicon.com took a look at a more traditional tablet last month - the Fujitsu Stylistic Q550.

    The slate is aimed firmly at business users with a Microsoft infrastructure and runs Windows 7. In a nod to the heritage of the tablet, the Stylistic Q550 is designed to be used with a stylus.

    To get hands-on with the tablet, see Fujitsu's Q550 Windows 7 tablet goes back to the future with stylus.

    Published: August 2, 2011 -- 08:41 GMT (01:41 PDT)

    Photo by: Jo Best/silicon.com

    Caption by: silicon.com staff

  • International iPlayer iPad app genre menu

    International iPlayer iPad app genre menu

    If you're an iPad user and outside the UK, July brought some good news for you: BBC Worldwide announced the launch of an international iPlayer app for the Apple tablet.

    The app will initially be available in 11 Western European countries and includes current and archive BBC programming divided into eight genres as shown on the menu above.

    To find out what else iPlayer has in store for iPad users outside the UK, see BBC iPlayer iPad app goes international.

    Published: August 2, 2011 -- 08:41 GMT (01:41 PDT)

    Photo by: BBC

    Caption by: silicon.com staff

  • OtterBox PlayBook Defender Case

    OtterBox PlayBook Defender Case

    For those who've made the BlackBerry PlayBook their tablet of choice, silicon.com last month picked out the top 10 accessories for the RIM slate.

    The round-up featured the OtterBox PlayBook Defender Case, a rugged case for the tablet, made with a high-impact polycarbonate shell and a silicone skin with a clear membrane protecting the camera and screen.

    The case provides robust protection for the PlayBook - useful if the device is to be used by multiple people in an office or shop floor environment.

    To see more add-ons for your RIM tablet, check out Top 10 BlackBerry PlayBook accessories for business.

    Published: August 2, 2011 -- 08:41 GMT (01:41 PDT)

    Photo by: Amazon

    Caption by: silicon.com staff

  • iPad Hut's waterproof iPad case

    iPad Hut's waterproof iPad case

    For those who prefer their tablet Apple-flavoured, silicon.com rounded up the top 10 iPad accessories for business users.

    Pictured above is iPad Hut's waterproof iPad case, which becomes 100 per cent waterproof when sealed, ideal for protecting the iPad from knocked over cups of coffee at heated board meetings - or pints during 'off-site meetings'.

    To see which other extras made our list, read Top 10 iPad accessories for business users.

    Published: August 2, 2011 -- 08:41 GMT (01:41 PDT)

    Photo by: iPad Hut

    Caption by: silicon.com staff

  • apple MacBook air

    apple MacBook air

    iPads may be all the rage, but Apple hasn't left behind its Mac heritage with July seeing the launch of updated MacBook Airs.

    Apple unveiled the laptops - one 11-inch, one 13-inch - with new Intel Sandy Bridge CPU options, a data port for high-speed Thunderbolt peripherals and backlit keyboards.

    For a closer look at the laptops, see Apple's two new MacBook Air laptops.

    Published: August 2, 2011 -- 08:41 GMT (01:41 PDT)

    Photo by: CNET

    Caption by: silicon.com staff

  • Renault Frendzy rear interior seats down

    Renault Frendzy rear interior seats down

    With all of the buzz around tablet computing at the moment, car maker Renault has jumped on the bandwagon by integrating a BlackBerry Playbook tablet with its latest concept car.

    The Frendzy is designed to combine work with play and can be used as a delivery van or be converted to seat more people for more family-focused activities. It integrates a PlayBook so users can keep up to date with work using the device and also control the rather nifty video screen on the side of the car, as seen above.

    To find out the other clever ways in which the car makes use of technology, take a look at Renault Frendzy - the concept car for both work and PlayBook.

    Published: August 2, 2011 -- 08:41 GMT (01:41 PDT)

    Photo by: Renault

    Caption by: silicon.com staff

  • 3D chocolate printer

    3D chocolate printer

    Hardware of a very different stripe made our silicon.com photo stories with the news that the University of Exeter has created a machine that can print 3D objects - like the one above - in chocolate.

    The University's research team initially found chocolate a difficult medium to work with as it requires precise heating and cooling cycles that had to be integrated with flow rates for the 3D printing process. However, they successfully developed a temperature control system that enables chocolate to be printed by the machine.

    To find out how it works, see Come in Willy Wonka, your time is up - meet the printer that prints in chocolate.

    Published: August 2, 2011 -- 08:41 GMT (01:41 PDT)

    Photo by: David Martin/EPSRC

    Caption by: silicon.com staff

  • University of Leeds robot worm

    University of Leeds robot worm

    The University of Leeds, meanwhile, revealed its latest creation - a super-sized worm robot based on the C elegans nematode worm.

    The worm bot is the result of engineering fellow Dr Jordan Boyle's research into how the nervous system of the worm works to propel the creature along. Boyle envisages a developed version of his worm bot one day being used to locate and help victims of natural disasters.

    To learn what makes the worm bot different from other snake-like robots and how it could potentially be used in medicine, check out Giant robot worm to the rescue.

    Published: August 2, 2011 -- 08:41 GMT (01:41 PDT)

    Photo by: University of Leeds

    Caption by: silicon.com staff

  • Chikanta village chief

    Chikanta village chief

    Further afield, July saw silicon.com catching up with the progress of Computer Aid's Zubabox internet cafés.

    Computer Aid International has delivered three of these solar-powered cyber cafés housed in old shipping containers so far and is now appealing for organisations to sponsor 10 more to go to other rural communities in sub-Saharan Africa and to be used in disaster zones.

    Pictured above is the ZubaBox cyber café recently delivered to the village of Chikanta in Zambia.

    To learn more about the ZubaBoxes, see The solar-powered internet cafés connecting rural Africa.

    Published: August 2, 2011 -- 08:41 GMT (01:41 PDT)

    Photo by: Computer Aid International

    Caption by: silicon.com staff

  • Ofcom broadband UK speed map broaband take-up

    Ofcom broadband UK speed map broaband take-up

    silicon.com also took a look at the broadband situation closer to home last month when telecoms regulator Ofcom published an interactive map of the UK showing broadband data for each local authority.

    The city with the highest take-up of fixed broadband services is Brighton and Hove, with an 80 per cent take-up rate, according to Ofcom's report.

    To see more maps showing how broadband coverage differs in the UK, click Broadband Britain mapped - the high-speed and the not-spots revealed.

    Published: August 2, 2011 -- 08:41 GMT (01:41 PDT)

    Photo by: Ofcom/Google/Tele Atlas

    Caption by: silicon.com staff

  • BT Red Phone Box Defibrillator

    BT Red Phone Box Defibrillator

    Also making an appearance last month was a former BT Red Phone Box which has had a makeover after a community adopted the box under the telco's £1 adoption scheme.

    Instead of a phone, the kiosk now contains a defibrillator machine, pictured above, which the rural village of Lower Slaughter in Gloucestershire hopes could prove a lifesaver if a member of the community suffers a heart attack.

    For more on the new kiosk, see BT red phone boxes get heart-starting makeover.

    Published: August 2, 2011 -- 08:41 GMT (01:41 PDT)

    Photo by: BT

    Caption by: silicon.com staff

  • Datacentre roof air conditioning

    Datacentre roof air conditioning

    silicon.com found more technology cropping up in interesting places in July. Interxion's City of London datacentre, nestled alongside curry houses and fabric merchants in the capital's famous Brick Lane, was recently extended. silicon.com got some behind-the-scenes pics showing how the facility fits in with its urban surroundings.

    Shown above is the datacentre's heat exchange units which help cool the facility. They're located on the roof of the datacentre and are protected from lightning strikes by the metal rods above.

    To take a tour of Interxion's City of London facility, check out The mantrapped datacentre in the heart of Brick Lane.

    Published: August 2, 2011 -- 08:41 GMT (01:41 PDT)

    Photo by: Interxion

    Caption by: silicon.com staff

  • Autonomy augmented reality app on newspaper ad

    Autonomy augmented reality app on newspaper ad

    Mashing up enterprise and consumer tech was also something of a theme in July. Autonomy's Aurasma augmented reality smartphone app is now being used as a marketing tool by a number of companies including media agency Mediacom and luxury yacht maker Wally.

    Shown above is the app being used on a newspaper advert for Wally in which it overlays the ad with a video trailer related to the company's nautical products.

    To find out how else Aurasma is being used, check out From yachts to shoes and movies - how marketers are using augmented reality.

    Published: August 2, 2011 -- 08:41 GMT (01:41 PDT)

    Photo by: Autonomy

    Caption by: silicon.com staff

  • Google Map displayed within SAP BusinessObjects as it appears on an iPad

    Google Map displayed within SAP BusinessObjects as it appears on an iPad

    Tech giants Google and SAP teamed up to make business intelligence a little more visual in July. Google Maps and Google Earth are being incorporated into SAP's BI software so users can make quicker decisions based on the data presented in geographical terms.

    Shown above is a Google Earth image within a SAP application related to freight operations at Frankfurt airport. The application shows aircraft hangars and warehouses and the number of parcels that have arrived or are waiting to be despatched.

    To see how else the Google software is being used in SAP's products, take a look at Google Maps gives SAP's business intelligence a new direction.

    Published: August 2, 2011 -- 08:41 GMT (01:41 PDT)

    Photo by: SAP

    Caption by: silicon.com staff

1 of 18 NEXT PREV
silicon.com staff

By silicon.com staff | August 2, 2011 -- 08:41 GMT (01:41 PDT) | Topic: Developer

  • Google+ Sparks
  • Mute-o-matic Android app
  • Notifications: iOS vs Android
  • Sony S1 and S2 tablet
  • the Fujitsu Stylistic Q550
  • International iPlayer iPad app genre menu
  • OtterBox PlayBook Defender Case
  • iPad Hut's waterproof iPad case
  • apple MacBook air
  • Renault Frendzy rear interior seats down
  • 3D chocolate printer
  • University of Leeds robot worm
  • Chikanta village chief
  • Ofcom broadband UK speed map broaband take-up
  • BT Red Phone Box Defibrillator
  • Datacentre roof air conditioning
  • Autonomy augmented reality app on newspaper ad
  • Google Map displayed within SAP BusinessObjects as it appears on an iPad

Photos of the month - July 2011

Read More Read Less

Google+ Sparks

Photos of the month - July 2011

One the most notable events in July came courtesy of Google, which made its most significant foray yet into the social arena with the launch of Google+.

The social service remains in closed beta for now but silicon.com got its hands on a +1 and proceeded to have a poke around.

Pictured above is Google+'s Sparks feature where G+ users can let the search behemoth know the kinds of topics that float their boat - and then get a pipeline of related content delivered to their Google+ Streams. Think of it as RSS for dummies.

For more on Google+, see Inside Google+ - how to use Circles, Hangouts, Sparks and more.

Published: August 2, 2011 -- 08:41 GMT (01:41 PDT)

Caption by: silicon.com staff

1 of 18 NEXT PREV

Related Topics:

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silicon.com staff

By silicon.com staff | August 2, 2011 -- 08:41 GMT (01:41 PDT) | Topic: Developer

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