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In todays smartphone wars there is a better camera phone coming out on a monthly basis. We are continuously hearing about phones with more megapixels, better lenses and deeper colors. However, you can get brilliant pictures out of your current camera phone too by following the golden rule of 'Manual Settings.' In times where DSLR cameras are replacing digicams and everyone is a budding photographer the one camera that is being ignored is the one always in your pocket, by applying a 10th of your knowledge of manual setting you can get brilliant images on your phone. However, the scope of this article is Android camera settings as the iphone does not let you configure manual settings, while the iphone can get great picture quality most of the times with the auto configured camera but with these manual settings on Android you will be surprised byhow AWESOME your 5 megapixel camera can be :)         

Clicked on my Galaxy Nexus

The settings below are as reflected on the SAMSUNG GALAXY NEXUS running on Android 4.01 Jelly Bean, the setting may wary on other Android Phones. 


1. WHITE BALANCE
This is one setting that can completely change the tone and colors of your photograph. By default it is set at AUTO which is the  phone’s best judgment to take the photo. The flash will go off depending on the situation, the shutter might go faster or slower, and the sensitivity of the sensor might change. Most users never change this setting and this is the biggest reason why the quality of your photos drops.

Below, is an explanation of the various modes available under White Balance and how to use them :-

a) INCANDESCENT: This is the mode that you should be using when your indoors and the dominant light in the room is yellow light being emitted by light bulbs. Switching to this mode will help your phone camera accordingly adjust to the surroundings for more natural colors.

b) DAYLIGHT: The name here is self explanatory, this mode works best when your clicking pictures outdoors in the day. The camera captures the most natural outdoor colors in this mode, you can get really good shots using this.

c) FLUORESCENT: We spoke about yellow light from bulbs in the first mode above. This mode is for a setting which has more white light, the kind that is emitted from tube lights or CFLs. Changing your camera to this mode will help it adapt to its white light surroundings and capture shots that make most of the white light.

d) CLOUDY: Rainy, dark cloudy days have a charm of their own, you can capture beautiful shots by switching your phone camera to this mode, it also works best for most evening shots just before the sun sets.


2. EXPOSURE

This is a setting that most new DSLR users love to play with, it helps you control the amount of light that falls on your camera lens accordingly making your picture brighter on darker. This setting is more complex and advanced on DSLRs but on your phone you can change it in one click. You can increase or decrease the exposure by upto 3 levels on your jelly bean phone. This setting is very useful for shots with low light where you do not want to use flash but want a more natural click, just increase the exposure to the amount that works best for your shot and capture the perfect non flash shot :-) 



3. SCENE MODE 

This setting helps your camera determine what surroundings are you in, it could be a party or enjoying a sunset at the beach. Just let your camera know where you are and it accordingly adapts.

a) AUTO: Most people leave this setting unchanged on their phones and it works fine as your phone automatically adapts to your surroundings, but just like manual setting do the magic in DSLR changing this setting can dramatically improve your shots.

Clicked on my Galaxy Nexus

b) ACTION: This mode is useful when you are clicking pictures of moving objects. It may be a running child, moving car or a football game. Changing your camera to this mode will help it understand that your trying to capture a moving object.

c) NIGHT: Again self explanatory, the GALAXY NEXUS has a camera optimized for low light photography and changing to this mode will give you really nice night shots.

d SUNSET: This is the mode to be in while strolling along a beach after a long day at work, it helps captures the last strokes of light as the sun sets far into the ocean .

e) PARTY: This mode is optimized for parties with a lot of disco lights throwing colors all around. Try it in your next night out :)

NOTE: 'SCENE MODE' AND 'WHITE BALANCE' CANNOT BE USED IN COMBINATION, CHANGING ONE WILL BLOCK YOU FROM CHANGING THE OTHER, USE AS PER YOUR JUDGEMENT AND LIGHT CONDITIONS. 

Lastly use flash wisely. Personally I hate pictures with flash and avoid using it whenever possible. With the manual settings explained above you can get beautiful shots without flash. 

Since the arrival of Android and the launch of budget handsets in India there has been rapid development of apps by Indian companies designed for Android users in India. This post is a documentation of the apps that I use on a regular basis and might be useful both for Indian's living in India or abroad. The app vary across different types from movies, navigation to ordering food from your phone.

All the apps mentioned in this post are FREE apart from the map my india app :-



MUSIC 

Listening to music on the cloud is one of the best inventions to have ever happened. The process of manually downloading and then transferring music to the phone is too cumbersome and I end up not doing it most of the time. The apps mentioned below have helped address this problem as they not only provide a repository of all the music you will every need but also have a section of weekly top hits to keep you updated with the latest in music.

Saavn: This is one app that I use almost everyday on my commute to work. Saavn gives me the latest of all hindi music in its weekly top hits, it also has a section on Tamil songs for those interested. It also has a good repository of older songs that you may want to listen to and can be found through the search box in the app.

Dhingana: A close competitor to Saavn, Dhingana also has a list of all the the latest in Hindi music. This app beautifully follows the overall ICS layout of swiping left and right and a swipe to the left or right can show you playlists or New releases.  It also has a social aspect and shows the number of likes that a song or album has got.

MOVIES 

Given the fact that India is a big market for entertainment , especially movies so geting an app to book your weekend movie fix was bound to happen. Now only if we could have a social layer that gives you reviews of movies by your friends :)

PVR: The leader in the multiplex space in India now also offers you the convenience to not only browse movie show timings and locations on your mobile but it also lets you book tickets on it. No more rushing to switch on your computer to book tickets for your favorite movie :)

DT: A close competitor to DT is also competing with them in the all important mobile space. You can use the DT app to do everything that the PVR app does and book tickets on the go. No more going through book my show to book your tickets.

FOOD 

Dominos: Have you ever wanted to get pass the rehearsed lines that domino's pizza greets you with and dreamt of ordering a pizza without them trying to up sell you everything from extra cheese to choco lava cake (okay, the choco lava cake is a good upsell :) Dominos India now has their very own Android app that can be used to order pizza from the convenience of your phone and a simple few actions on your screen. So go ahead order that Pizza you have been craving :)

NAVIGATION 

Map my India for Android: Your Android phone comes built in with Google maps, however for those who want a little extra and want to save on buying that GPS navigation system should buy the map my india app for Android. This app is not available on Google play, but can be directly downloaded from their website and is sold at a price of Rs 1990. A big saving as compared to buying their GPS device. The directions provided in this app are very accurate and this is the same software that is used in their GPS device. The only downside is that this app consumes a lot of battery and you would need a car charger connected while using it.


NEWS 

TOI: India's most read English newspaper (The Times of India) was quick to create an app for Android users that works great on all Android handsets. The App neatly consolidates the latest headlines for you across different sections and gets regular updates from the TOI website. The design is clean and articles can be viewed in full screen mode which provides a white background and text/pictures on it, this UI make reading a pleasure on the go. The App also has a section that shows news from all the major metros in India and you can choose the one of your choice.  A must have app to stay in touch with whats happening in the country whether living in India or abroad.

NDTV: A close competitor to the TOI app with a similar reading experience. The one feature that distinguishes this app from others is the live radio feature, which can be used to listen to all the latest news while on the go. Useful when your on the move and don't want to strain your eyes reading.

Currents: While the top publications have individual apps, most others can be found in a mobile friendly format on Google currents. I read Hindustan times, Mint and IBN live on Google Currents. Personally I prefer the layout that Mint offers as the news is clearly divided into sections along with relevant pictures and articles. This app is great for offline reading too as the news is cached to read at your convenience.


AIRLINE:

Indigo: With the airline industry going through bad times in India, there is one airline that is emerging as a clear winner - Indigo. They are an innovative company and are possibly the only Indian airline with an Android app. the Indigo app is a pleasure to use and has the capability to book tickets or to just browse through their inflight food menu before your flight. You can also use it to check in and block seats for your next flight. A very useful app to book tickets for that imprompto vacation or check whats on the fodo menu while at the airport. Must have for the frequent traveller.


What are your favorite android apps in India? Please leave your comments below.

The iPad is considered to be the leader in the tablet space. While I really like the iPad and think its a great device - very good hardware and a nice collection of apps customized for the tablet user. However, I chose to use the Motorolla xoom as my primary tablet - the reason being that I consume a lot of video on my tablet and the xooms 10.1 inch screen is ideal for watching videos vs the iPads screen which seems to be better for reading. That being said the xoom is not far behind even on the reading front and is catching up fast with developers slowly porting tablet apps on Android. The post below is a consolidation of my favorite apps for Android Tablets that can be helpful for new or old tablet users  :-

READING APPS 

1. CNN for Android Tablets - Maybe one of the best apps available for Android tablets, it looks a lot like its iPad counterpart and  may outperform it in some areas. This app is designed for tablets and takes advantage of the larger screen that these devices offer. It offers news from all over the world and gives you the option to consume video or read through the news. A MUST HAVE APP FOR YOUR ANDROID TABLET. 

2. Pulse News reader: In todays day and age we all consume news from multiple sources and RSS feeds have become life savers. Personally I like to get my news aggregated from techcrunch, all things digital, Gizmodo and venture beat.  Pulse news reader displays news from all your feeds in a beautiful UI that updates automatically and provides you with your personalized news digest served fresh daily, hourly or whatever setting you may like. You can also create different tabs to see news from varied topics like tech, home etc.

3. Google Currents: Reading the web like a magazine has always been a dream. With Google Currents the dream become's reality and you get your favorite websites in a magazine format. With this app you can add your favorite websites and it will show their updated content in a magazine format which you can read at your convenience. The best part is that you can also use this app when your offline, perfect to catch up on reading while your on the plane.




VIDEO 

1. MX VIDEO PLAYER: If you are an iPad user then you know the pain of converting your videos to .mp4 before they run on your device or putting a paid app to run other formats and then going through the complicated process of transferring files to your ipad via itunes using the transfer option from within the apps section. With Android the only thing you need to install is the MX Video player free app and all your videos(.MKV, .AVI, .MPEG)  will play on your Android tablet. Its a super powerful app and has a variety of codes to support all your video needs. A must have for your Android Tablet.

2. YouTube: The Youtube app on Android is light years ahead of its iOS counterpart. It has a beautiful curved wall view of all your videos or the most popular one's whichever one you choose. You can also choose to a view for your account and see videos divided by your subscribed channel. One of the best ways to consume videos from the most popular Video site in the world.


VIDEO CALLING 

One of the advantages of a tablet is instant access to a video call and quick connection to your family and friends. While Apple does offer this via Facetime, however the limitation is that the other person also has to be using an apple device. Here are some Android apps that make video calling a brilliant experience :-

Gtalk: This app comes pre installed on all Android tablets and can be used to instantly connect with your friends/family who are also using Gtalk on any other device with a webcam. The flexibility of using gtalk across devices is a big plus.

Hangouts: As video calling technology advances, its not only about connecting with one friend but by talking to different friends spread across the globe. With hangouts on an Android tablet you can connect to up to 9 friends at the same time.

Skype: Skype is also a popular platform for video calling and is available on Android too. This app is across platform and can be used on your Android phone/tablet, iphone or ipad. Gets the job done well if your a Skype fan.





OTHERS 

1. HD Widgets: The joy of Android is the ability to customize and add your own widgets that make your tab personalized just the way you like it.  HD widgets has options specifically designed for tablets that fit the full screen and add beauty to your screen. This it the only paid app featured in this post and costs about $2 but is totally worth it.

2. Chrome: You love browsing the web on the fastest browser on your computer now its also available on your Android tablet. With Chrome for Android your life is always in sync it not only syncs all your bookmarks but it also all the tabs that you had open on your computer. Just leave anything on your computer and continue on the same from your tablet as all tabs are synced for you just the way you left it. The Internet synced for you. ALWAYS.

Iris is a great app for all Android phones and it does everything that Siri does on an iphone 4s (well almost , it can't set your alarm yet :-) However, its a great user experience and given the fact that Android has better voice recognition skills. (The voice action technology used in this app can be configured to use the default Android voice recognition while answers are powered by Chacha which has an excellent database.) Apple fans might not like the Siri rip off but as Steve jobs once said "Good artists copy but great artists steal."

I've been using Iris for about 6 months now and its great to use to check the weather, do a quick search or check for unread messages - it gets these task done really well and displays them on a beautiful UI within the app. Most of these things are possible through the Google search box on any Android phone but Iris displays it in a different UI, satisfying your desire for a personal assistant on your phone. While most people would only use this feature while showing off features to their friends, but it is useful when your in a quiet environment and too lazy to type. I often use it to find out meanings Eg: {What is the meaning of kleptomania?} or to quickly compose an email - [Send email to < recipient name>]. Iris can be incredibly useful based on how much of a fan you are of AI, the best part being that you can try it on a cheap $200 Android phone as compared to buying a $800 iphone. Below, is a video from Youtube comparing Iris to Siri - watch it to find out the winner :-)





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We got our hands on a new Acer Iconia 7 inch Tablet. It ships with Android 3.2 honey comb, has front and rear Cameras, GPS, a microSD car slot for extra storage, 8 gigs of internal memory, blue tooth, wifi, HDMI and mini USB 2 port. The display is a 7-inch Multi-Touch capacitive screen, with 1024 x 600 resolution. The processor is a Nvidia® Tegra 2 Dual Core, running at 1 GHZ. Battery life is about 4 and a half hours.

What we liked: 

The tablet seems very speedy, the small form factor is nice, and the multi-touch display is very responsive and clear. The built in rear-facing camera is 5 megapixels with an LED flash that comes on in dim light (photos are fine but don't expect DSLR quality). Taking photos with the tablet does not seem as awkward or as ridiculous as with the bigger screen ones. The built-in microphone is very responsive when calling up your favorite websites (hands free, no typing!). The built in GPS is useful for car, walking or bike travel. Overall we found the tablet very easy to use. The fit and finish is very high quality, typical Acer. The included microSD card slot allows cards up to 32 gigs, making it a very versatile content player (you can load up with eBooks, PDF documents, movies, music and videos; as well as Apps). The front facing camera is a 2 megapixel, perfect for Skype video calling. We did not get a chance to test the mini USB 2 port, but apparently, it can take thumb drives and USB media readers.

What we didn't liked: 

At a retail price of about $259-$280, it cost more than our favorite cheapie tablet, the iview 760TPC (see our review on the site), and also more than the Kindle Fire. It is about $100 dollars cheaper than the ipad2 as of this writing; making it a little hard to choose if you are torn between size, capability, functionality and price. Battery life is somewhat meager, averaging about 4 and a half hours per charge. Daily charging is probably a must, sometimes you might have to charge at home and at work for your commute return. For it's size the tablet is a bit on the heavy side.

Conclusion: 

Overall, we loved the speediness of the tablet, the fit and finish is excellent, it's a quality made product. The tablet feels responsive and quick for most tasks. Most games and apps run without issues. The built in GPS works great. And the built in 2 cameras work terrifically well. This tablet is perfect for those who do not want a big full size tablet and want something with more flexibility than the Kindle Fire. The tablet works right out of the box without any tech requirements or updates. Our favorite function is the ability to recall web searches by speaking into the built in microphone, it basically eliminates the need to type your searches.


Full specs are as follows:

• Android 3.2 Honeycomb OS

· Size and weight: 0.5" deep x 4.6" w x 7" high, 14.7 oz.

· Processor: NVIDIA Tegra 2, 1 GHz

· Battery: 2-cell Lithium Polymer (Li-Polymer)

• Screen: 7 inch, TFT-LCD 1024x600 high-definition multitouch, auto rotate, capacitive screen

• Memory: 1G Ram, DDR2

· Internal Storage: 8GB

· Front Facing Webcam Pixels: 2.0MP

· Digital Camera Pixels: 5.0MP

· Wi-Fi Built In

· Bluetooth

· Speakers

· 1 USB 2.0 Port

· HDMI port