Storage Made Easy, the Cloud Data Broker company, announced it had done a major update of its Android Unified Cloud File Manager and made the App free on the Google Play Store and Amazon App Store for a limited time.

The App enables users to add multiple public, private file clouds and manage and interact with them from a single App and a single interface. It features secure managed business file sharing as well as features such as cross cloud search of documents and files, and gives the ability to keep folders in sync from different clouds directly with the device, including an ability to set up a scheduled auto-sync.

The free App provides 5GB free that is hosted on Amazon S3 and also gives the ability to add up to 3 other Cloud Providers. Personal and Business cloud packages remove this limit enabling up to 30 Clouds to be added.

Business Cloud File Server packages are built for teams and provide integration with Active Directory, file locking and permissions, in addition to collaboration, event auditing and user governance features, that work above any mapped cloud.

The service can also be hosted entirely on-premise on a companies own infrastructure. – www.storagemadeeasy.com

Huawei, has launched the smartphone with the largest screen in the world, the HUAWEI Ascend Mate, at the 2013 Consumer Electronics Show (CES). The HUAWEI Ascend Mate features a huge 6.1-inch HD display, a 1.5 GHz Hi-Silicon quad-core processor and a 4050 mAh battery. Together with Huawei’s proprietary Quick Power Control (QPC) and Automated Discontinuous Reception (ADRX) battery efficiency technology and fast sharing technology, the HUAWEI Ascend Mate is proof that bigger is better.

“The HUAWEI Ascend Mate breaks barriers to deliver a supercharged entertainment, communication and creative experience for all your personal and professional needs,” said Richard Yu, CEO, Huawei Consumer Business Group. “The HUAWEI Ascend Mate is an industry-leading smartphone and showcases our innovation as we continue to make great technology available to more people globally.”

HUAWEI Ascend Mate has a screen-to-body ratio of 73% – the highest in the industry – which maximises your viewing pleasure for emails, documents, video or games. The 6.1-inch HD IPS+ LCD screen has a resolution of 1280 x 720 for unsurpassed clarity and colour accuracy, and ‘Magic Touch’ which provides enhanced screen responsiveness even with gloves. The Ascend Mate is slim and stylish, designed to fit comfortably in a single hand at just 6.5mm thin at its narrowest part.

HUAWEI Ascend Mate features a 4050 mAh battery and Huawei’s Hi-Silicon 1.5 GHz quad-core processor. With Huawei’s QPC and ADRX smart power-saving technology, the smartphone provides up to two days of ordinary useage on a single charge. It has the fastest battery charging capability of smartphones in its range, which saves over 30% of battery charging time.

Together with global roaming functionality, the HUAWEI Ascend Mate supports five frequency bands making this smartphone perfect for international travellers. Its dual-antenna design supports high power data transmission and is optimised with maximum ratio combining method, to increase network reception by up to 2.5dB and providing an increase of 20 to 30% of overall network coverage.

Operating on Android 4.1 and featuring an 8.0-megapixel AF rear-facing camera with HDR and 1.0-megapixel HD front-facing camera, HUAWEI Ascend Mate also provides dual MIC noise reduction technology, Dolby® sound system and stereo recording. HUAWEI Ascend Mate features an Augmented Reality navigation application to help reach your destination, ‘smart reading’ functionality allowing quick reference to dictionaries, Wikipedia and Google Search pages, and ‘swift sharing’ to upload pictures, videos and other files two- to three-times faster than other smartphone users in a Wi-Fi environment.

Available in crystal black and pure white, the HUAWEI Ascend Mate will be on sale in China in February 2013.

Canon U.S.A., Inc., announced the PowerShot ELPH 130 IS, A2600, and the A1400 digital cameras to capture emotions and memories to share in stunning quality. To give consumers a simple, yet enhanced image sharing experience, Canon’s built-in wireless1 functionality has evolved with new options that help make posting on social networking sites easy. Also for users who are constantly on the move, each of the new camera models are outfitted with ECO Mode, a new feature that provides approximately 30 percent longer battery life when enabled, allowing them to shoot more photos for a longer amount of time.

“Our new PowerShot models have advanced features that give photographers an enhanced high-quality imaging experience allowing them to fulfill their day-to-day photography needs, express their vision and tell their story with ease, at a great value,” said Yuichi Ishizuka, executive vice president and general manager, Imaging Technologies & Communication Group, Canon U.S.A.”

PowerShot ELPH 130 IS Digital Camera
The wireless functionality built into the PowerShot ELPH 130 IS digital camera is easy and intuitive and provides users with more connectivity options. With the download of the free Canon CameraWindow app2 from an Android™ or iOS® app store, users can connect to both iOS or AndroidTM smartphones and tablets3 to wirelessly transfer photos and videos from their camera to their device. This camera also has the ability to connect directly to social networking sites using Canon’s iMAGE GATEWAY4, making photos easily accessible and ready to share. In addition, the PowerShot ELPH 130 IS digital camera has the ability to connect to computers and select PowerShot cameras with wireless functionality, making it possible for images to be available in various locations. And for even more connectivity options, photos can be printed using PictBridge5 on select Canon printers, including the new PIXMA MG6320 or PIXMA MX922 Wireless Photo All-In-One printers.

To make connecting easy, a new wireless history menu lists the last three connections used for uploading and sharing images. For users who want to share their images with friends and family, the advanced wireless functionality with social networking sites such as Facebook, Twitter and YouTube lets users comment directly from the camera. In addition, users can share images and directly comment to Facebook groups, so the effort of first sending the images to a smartphone, and then posting to Facebook is no longer necessary.

Additionally, with features such as an ECO Mode to help conserve battery life, an 8x-Optical Zoom with 28mm wide-angle lens, and 16-megapixel sensor with a DIGIC 4 Processor, the PowerShot ELPH 130 IS digital camera is a stylish, versatile and easy-to-use camera with advanced technologies for a great shot any time. Adding to its appeal, the camera also features Smart AUTO, which provides an effortless way to get great images in many situations. The 3-inch LCD screen and Intelligent IS also makes photographing easy, with a compact and sleek design. The PowerShot ELPH 130 IS digital camera will be available in a variety of stylish colors: red, grey and silver and is scheduled to be available in February for an estimated retail price of $199.99.

PowerShot A2600 Digital Camera
The PowerShot A2600 digital camera is an ideal user-friendly camera that creates high-quality images. It features a 16-megapixel sensor and 5x-Optical Zoom 28mm wide-angle lens to capture memories that last a lifetime. To make shooting simple, Smart AUTO automatically recognizes and chooses the best settings for 32 common shooting scenarios. 720p HD video is also available with a dedicated movie button to make memories come alive in vivid, lifelike detail. For users that are accustomed to the hustle and bustle of daily life, but looking to treasure those busy moments, the PowerShot A2600 digital camera also comes equipped with a new ECO mode that assists with battery conservation by turning off the 3.0 inch LCD screen when idle. In addition, Digital IS reduces the effect of camera shake and subject movement to help produce crisp, clear images. The PowerShot A2600 digital camera is scheduled to be available in February in five color options: black, silver, red, blue and pink, for an estimated retail price of $149.99.

PowerShot A1400 Digital Camera
With an optical viewfinder, 16-megapixel sensor with a DIGIC 4 Processor, the PowerShot A1400 digital camera gives even the novice photographer the ability to capture spectacular images with ease. The 28mm wide-angle lens with 5x optical zoom aids in capturing great shots from a distance. The PowerShot A1400 digital camera is also equipped with HD Video, and ECO Mode that gives users a camera that is full of features, yet easy to use and economical, allowing for a high-quality imaging experience at a great value. In addition, the PowerShot A1400 digital camera is powered by two AA batteries, allowing for easy replacement whether you are away on an overseas vacation or spending the weekend camping. To make it possible to capture the most cherished moments, the PowerShot A1400 digital camera features Digital IS to help reduce the effects of camera shake and subject movement and a help button that gives users answers to common questions they may have about the camera’s many high-quality functions. For even more imaging options, the PowerShot A1400 digital camera includes scene modes such as fisheye effect, toy camera effect and monochrome that give users creative freedom. The PowerShot A1400 digital camera is scheduled to be available in February for an estimated retail price of $109.99.

For more information, and a full list of product specifications, visit www.usa.canon.com/powershot.

Preview: http://www.imaging-resource.com/PRODS/canon-a1400/canon-a1400A.HTM

Frank Zhou, inventor of the USB memory key and creator of the TransPhone – see www.TransPhoneInternational.com – goes from strength to strength. After selling out stocks of his proof-of-concept, entry-level TransPhone 1, Frank is now launching his company’s TransPhone 1 Pro with March/ April availability.

For those new to the hybrid scene, the 3G GSM unlocked TransPhone is the same kind of device as the Asus PadFone – but at less than half the cost. (In fact, TransPhone International owns the US patents – dating back to 2002 – for this new kind of device). In both cases, sliding the phone into what TransPhone International calls a “TransPad” converts the phone into a tablet.

“The whole point of this configuration,” Frank told us, “is that most people rarely need to use a tablet and a smartphone at the same time and that means they are spending quite a lot of money on duplicated processing, connectivity and storage electronics as well causing themselves additional hassle with two devices to manage and synch, and – if you want the tablet to have 3G – two SIM cards and extra contract hassles. When you add up all the unnecessary costs TransPhone eliminates, it wins Total Cost of Ownership wrestling matched by a wide margin.”

From the outside the TransPhone 1 Pro model looks identical to the original TransPhone but inside the case pretty well everything which matters has had a major upgraded.

TRANSPHONE ON STEROIDS
Android 4.0 ICS has replaced Android 2.3.5 Gingerbread used by the original version and with it, TransPhone becomes hot-pluggable. In the original TransPhone, docking or undocking the phone from the TransPad killed whatever work you were doing and you had to start again from scratch after the docking or undocking process was complete. Of course, you could continue a phone call during and after the docking or undocking process, but that was about all. With Android 4, those days are over and whatever you were doing before docking or undocking the phone just carries on from where you were when you started the docking or undocking process – much the same way at is does on the Asus PadFone.

The original 3.5″ TransPhone was using a 800 x 480 TFT screen and that now goes to 960 x 540 3.5″ TFT while the 7″ TransPad was running at 800 x 480 TFT and it too has had a resolution upgrade to 1024 x 600 TFT for the same 7″ screen size.

Better still, the 800 MHz Snapdragon processor has gone and in its place is a dual core MTK processor running at 1 GHz. RAM has gone from 512 MB to 1 GB and the processor upgrade has made it possible to increase on-board memory from 512MB (in the models tested by the press) to 4GB on board, while still keeping the 32 GB SD card support for a maximum of 36 GB at any one time.

“With this configuration, Frank told us, “TransPhone Pro can hold its own against mid-range products and even against some of those at the high end. But when it comes to screen area, TransPhone 1 Pro offers three to four times as much screen area as the most expensive smartphones on the market. TransPhone Pro can’t be beaten on price for its spec either when you add up the cost of a similar spec smartphone with the kind of phone screen resolution we offer and a similar spec 3G tablet.

TRANSPHONE PRO – $239.99 ON PRE-ORDER
“My philosophy always has been to give the user MORE for LESS. When I invented the USB memory key the objective was to give the user a lot more portable storage for a lot less money and that plan succeeded very well. More expensive floppy storage (which was the standard way of doing things when I invented the USB memory key) is in the museum today and the USB key is the new portable storage standard.

“TransPhone is on the way to doing the same thing with connected tablets. My philosophy is that a TransPhone is always going to cost you less to buy than the comparable quality of smartphone plus the comparable quality of connected tablet. It is also going to cost you a lot less to run and give you a lot less hassle. You’ll find out just how much less when you use one – as I do for most of my work.

“Generally speaking, smartphones are more powerful and have more bells and whistles than comparable tablets. Compare the specs of Google’s Nexus 4 phone and their Nexus 7 tablet for example, and you will see what I am talking about and it is the same for Samsung’s products too. Starting with TransPhone 1 Pro, you can be confident that TransPhones are going to give you more for less.”

“TransPhone Pro will retail at $299 – the same price as the much less powerful proof-of-concept TransPhone 1. But to give everyone a taste of what we can do, we are accepting pre-orders on our website www.TransphoneInternational.com at $239.99 (including shipping direct to your door from the factory by DHL) – essentially we are handing the retailer margin over to the user to say “thank you” for pre-ordering. We expect to be shipping in late March or early April. I think $239.99 for this spec of smartphone and 3G connected tablet is going to be hard to beat. ”

“At the same time we have also launched a 2.75G (Edge) TransPhone 1 model with all the same upgrades except that it has a 1 GHz single core MTK processor. This Edge model has been designed to keep the price at rock bottom for developing countries where the smartphone is often the only computer many people have. Transphone 1 Edge provides them with a pretty good smartphone and a pretty good connected tablet – a handheld connected computer in effect – at a retail price of around $190 for the pair. When the quantities get into the millions, we can probably shave that down further. Again, that is going to be hard to beat.

“I am certain that the TransPad concept is the way of the future – just as the USB key has turned out to be. TransPhone 1 Pro is the first of a several pleasant surprises our team is working on for the world’s smartphone users and the first quarter of next year is going to exciting for all of us.” – http://www.exotablet.com/