iPad Air 2 vs. Microsoft Surface Pro 3

compares the features and specs of the iPad Air 2 and Surface Pro 3

The iPad Air 2 is the best iPad yet (as the latest iPad always should be), but how does it compare to one of the leading laptop/tablet hybrids?

Laptop mode


If you aren't familiar with the Surface, it's a transforming 2-in-1. Its detachable keyboard cover and built-in kickstand let you quickly and easily switch between tablet and laptop modes.

That X under the iPad isn't entirely fair, since there are some great third-party keyboards that can transform the iPad into a faux laptop. Unlike the Surface's physical connection, though, iPad keyboards connect via Bluetooth.

And since the iPad doesn't have a kickstand (the mere mention must have Steve Jobs rolling in his grave), iPad keyboards also have to supply some means of standing the tablet up.
Size


The Surface Pro 3 is big enough to make the iPad Air look like an iPad mini. At 22 percent longer and 18 percent wider, the Surface makes for an enormous tablet. On the flip side, though, it works much better as a laptop than any previous Surface.

The Surface is very thin for a desktop PC, but it's still 49 percent thicker than the razor-thin iPad Air 2.
Weight


The Surface is also 83 percent heavier than the iPad. Add its keyboard cover, and it weighs 2.5x as much as the iPad.
Build


We're looking at an aluminum body for the iPad, and a magnesium construction for the Surface. Both have high-end aesthetics.
Colors


You only have one color option for the Surface, next to three for the iPad.
Display (size)


The Surface gives you 47 percent more screen than the iPad does. Again, this is great for laptop mode, but it might feel oversized for a tablet.
Display (resolution)


The iPad has a 22 percent sharper screen.
Display (type)


Both devices have IPS panels.
Anti-reflective display


Apple says that the iPad Air 2's display can cut down on glare by 56 percent.
Stylus


Microsoft's aluminum Surface Pen is included with the Pro 3. In addition to the things that styluses always do (more precision and control), it also lets you quickly launch Microsoft's OneNote app by clicking its back end.

You can buy iPad-friendly styluses, but they're passive styluses that merely simulate finger touches. The Surface's is a more sophisticated active-digitizer stylus, including hover pointing.
Fingerprint sensor


Apple's terrific Touch ID sensor makes its way to the iPad Air 2. It lets you easily secure your tablet, and skip a password in Touch ID-friendly apps.

The online portion of Apple Pay (the company's new in-store and online payment service) also works with the iPad Air 2.
Storage


The Surface is basically a laptop trapped in a tablet's body, so it naturally offers more laptop-like storage options.
MicroSD card


The Surface also has a microSD slot that lets you expand its internal storage.
Processor


Mobile processors are getting more and more like desktop processors, and Apple's blazing-fast 64-bit A8 and A8X chips are leading the charge.

Microsoft offers three different Intel Core (Haswell) processor tiers for the Surface.
RAM


Depending on which storage/processor configuration you choose, you'll get either 4 GB or 8 GB of RAM from the Surface.

The iPad Air 2 is the first (and so far only) iPad with 2 GB of RAM.
Battery


Apple estimates 10 hours of web use over Wi-Fi for the iPad. Microsoft says you'll get about an hour less than that on the Surface.
Cellular (LTE) option


You can pay an extra US$130 over the Wi-Fi only version to get an iPad that can use cellular data. No such luck for the Surface.
Cameras


The iPad Air 2 has an improved rear camera over last year's iPad Air.
Split-screen multitasking


Apple has yet to add side-by-side multitasking to the iPad. Windows supports this, both in desktop apps and using the Snap feature in Modern (Start Screen) apps.
Software


Speaking of software, we're looking at iOS 8.1 on the iPad Air and Windows 8.1 Pro on the Surface. And yes, this Surface runs legacy desktop apps.
Release


The Surface Pro 3 is already four months old. The iPad Air 2 is rolling out this week.
Starting price


If you want a device that's strictly a tablet, then you're much better off with the iPad. Not only is it lighter and thinner, with a much better selection of touch apps – but it's also $430 cheaper (there's no point in buying the Surface without also throwing in its keyboard cover).

But if you want a device that can serve as both laptop and tablet – and do a pretty damn good job at both – then you might find that the Surface is worth the extra cash. iPad apps are having more overlap than ever with desktop apps, but I still couldn't use an iPad for my main work machine ... even with a keyboard cover.

iPhone 6 Plus vs. Nexus 6

Gizmag compares the features and specs of the Google/Motorola Nexus 6 (left) and Apple iPhone 6 Plus.

The Motorola/Google Nexus 6 is just one of several huge phones that could be worth a look this holiday season. Let's line it up next to Apple Iphone 6 Plus , to see how their features and specs compare.

Size


Both phones are huge, but, as we'll see in a minute, the Nexus 6 makes more economical use of its front face with a much larger screen.

The Nexus measures 1 percent taller, 6 percent wider and 42 percent thicker than the iPhone 6 Plus. As many great things as Motorola did with the new Nexus, it didn't make a particularly thin phone.
Weight


The iPhone 6 Plus is 7 percent lighter than the Nexus. Considering the screen size difference (we're getting there, I promise), that's a pretty minor discrepancy on the scales.
Build


The Nexus 6 should feel more premium than all-plastic phones, as it has a metal band running around its edge. That might not sound like a big deal, but a similar approach in the Galaxy Note 4 did wonders for making the phone feel more high-end.
Colors


You have two color options to choose from for the Nexus 6, and three choices for the iPhone.
Display (size)


See what I mean about a more economical front face? Despite only being a hair taller and a little wider, the Nexus gives you 18 percent more screen area.

If you don't care about thinness, and want not just a huge screen – but the biggest damn screen you can possibly put on something that isn't a tablet – then the Nexus could be just the phone you're looking for.
Display (resolution)


The Nexus 6's Quad HD display has it coming out 23 percent sharper than the iPhone.

The iPhone's screen excels in other ways, though: terrific color range and accuracy, excellent contrast and viewing angles ... it's hard to find anything to fault there.
Display (type)


The Nexus 6 has an AMOLED screen, which has blacker blacks and (often) higher contrast and richer colors. Again, though, the iPhone is already doing quite well in those areas.
Fingerprint sensor


Apple's Touch ID sensor is the best in the business. And with iOS 8, it doesn't just let you easily secure your phone – it also plays nicely with third-party apps. Password managers are an especially great fit for the sensor.
NFC payments


Google gave it the old college try with Google Wallet, but it never came remotely close to taking off.

Apple has the best chance of putting NFC-based ("tap and pay") payments on the map with Apple Pay (branded as Pay). It integrates with Touch ID to make the checkout process as simple as holding your finger over the sensor while holding your iPhone near the terminal.

The biggest obstacle to Pay taking off may be getting retailers onboard. It launched this week with a solid list (including McDonald's, Subway and the Apple Store), but you won't be able to leave your wallet at home until that list gets much longer.
One-handed mode


Most likely, you'll use either phablet with two hands most of the time. But for those times when you need to do something with only one hand free, the iPhone 6 Plus has a big advantage. Apple's Reachability lets you slide top-level content to the bottom half of the screen, by lightly double-tapping the Touch ID sensor.
Camera (megapixels)


We haven't yet put the Nexus 6 through the paces, but the iPhone's camera is going to be tough to beat. It takes excellent shots, and is even great in low-lit conditions. Consider its (240 fps at 720p) slow-motion video the icing on the cake.
Camera (aperture)


This could bode well for the Nexus' main camera, though, as it has a slightly wider aperture than the iPhone does.
OIS


Both handsets have Optical Image Stabilization (OIS) onboard, which can help to offset the effects of shaky hands. This is one of the few differences between the iPhones 6 and 6 Plus (well, apart from size).
Dual LED flash


Both phones also have dual LED flashes, which help you to take better (more colorful and evenly-lit) flash shots.
Battery


This is another incomplete for the Nexus 6. The iPhone had very good (but not quite the best) battery life when we ran it through our battery benchmark.
Fast charging


Google says that you can get the Nexus 6 up to a level with "hours of battery life" after just 15 minutes of charging. This only applies when its battery is almost dead, though.

Though it isn't something Apple is advertising, you can charge the iPhone 6 Plus faster by plugging it into an iPad charger.
Storage


The Nexus doubles the iPhone's storage in the entry-level tier, but once you get to the second tier, they level out.
MicroSD


Neither phone supports microSD cards.
Processor


Apple's A8 chip is a beast, matching up with the Apple-made phone to deliver some of the smoothest performance I've seen on a mobile device.
RAM


On paper, the iPhone is looking pretty dated here, but in experience, I've yet to notice any problems on this front.
Front-facing speakers


They probably won't be as wall-shaking as HTC's BoomSound speakers, but the Nexus 6 has a pair of front-facing speakers nonetheless.
Software


The iPhone 6 Plus currently runs iOS 8.1, while the Nexus 6 is launching with the new Android 5.0 "Lollipop."
Release


The iPhone 6 Plus has been around since September, but supplies are still constrained. The online US Apple Store is currently showing 3-4 week shipping estimates, and physical Apple Stores have been tight – if not completely depleted – on supplies since launch.
Starting price (full retail)


The Nexuses 4 and 5 both delivered fairly high-end specs for very aggressive prices, but Google is trying something new with the Nexus 6. It has flagship pricing, starting at the same US$650 as the iPhone 6 (4.7-in),HTC One (M8) and Galaxy S5.
Starting price (on-contract)


We still don't know what the Nexus 6 will retail for on-contract, but we do know that it will be sold on all of the big four US carriers.

World's Slimmest Smartphone- Gionee Elife S5.1

The Gionee Elife S5.5 has a 5 inch Super AMOLED touchscreen with full HD resolution. Like other Gionee smartphones, it too comes with Android-based Amigo OS which is a heavily customised version of Android. Unlike the orthodox Android user interface where there is a home screen and a menu screen, here there is only a home screen.




Gionee seems all set to launch its new 'slimmest smartphone in the world', dethroning its own current Elife S5.5 handset, if multiple Chinese reports and image leaks surrounding a handset named Elife S5.1 are to be given credence.

While we still wait for the official unveiling of Gionee's Elife S5.1, the smartphone has surfaced online in a bunch of images and the yet-to-be-announced handset's specifications have also been leaked ahead of the official launch.

Recently, Gionee teased what's expected to be world's new slimmest smartphone with a thickness of 5mm, the anticipated successor to the Gionee Elife S5.5 (Review | Pictures). Prior to this, a 5mm-thick Gionee handset was spotted at Tenaa, the China-equivalent of the FCC, with model name GN9005.

The unannounced Elife S5.1 has been leaked in multiple images by Chinese publication CNMO, which show the smartphone in its full glory. The Elife S5.1 as seen in leaked images seems very much like its predecessor, the Elife S5.5.

As per the leaked specifications, posted by a website claiming to have gotten its hands on the device, Zol.com, the Elife S5.1 measures 139.8x67.4x5.15mm, and features a 4.8-inch HD AMOLED display, which is smaller than the Elife S5.5 that sports a 5-inch Super AMOLED full-HD display. Other listed specifications include 1.2GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 (MSM8926) processor; Adreno 305 GPU; 1GB of RAM; Micro-SIM support; 8-megapixel rear camera; 5-megapixel front camera; 16GB inbuilt storage (non-expandable); 4G LTE support; 2100mAh battery, and Android 4.3 with Gionee's Amigo 2.0 interface laid on top.

In March, Gionee had launched the Elife S5.5 smartphone at Rs. 22,999 in India. Notably, the Elife S5.5 at present is the claimed to be the world's thinnest smartphone by Gionee, which beats the Vivo X3 at 5.75mm.

HTC's Selifie Phone - Desire Eye

HTC makes the Desire Eye to be the ultimate phone for selfie-takers





HTC may be trying to tap the eternally fickle teenage girl demographic with the Desire Eye

Selfie fans, HTC thinks it has the phone for you. The Desire Eye takes mobile self-portraits to a new extreme with a 13-megapixel front-facing camera.

Leading up to today's "Double Exposure" event, rumors were buzzing that the company might launch a new variant of the One M8 flagship with a higher-resolution rear camera. That isn't quite what we're looking at here, but this Selfie Phone is higher-end than you'd expect from the Desire brand, with a quad core Snapdragon 801 processor, 2 GB of RAM and a 5.2-in 1080p display (that's the same screen size and resolution as the new Moto X).

That's a solid-looking spec sheet, but the Desire Eye's killer feature is that front-facing camera. On most flagship phones, you'll see something around 2 MP in the front shooter (the One M8's 5 MP front cam was considered sharp when it launched earlier this year). But with a 13 MP front sensor, the Eye can take selfies that look as good as the rest of your shots.

That also includes a dual LED flash on the front. First seen in the iPhone 5s, flashes with two LEDs can take shots that look brighter, more colorful and less washed out than photos taken with single-LED flashes. You know, so you and your friends can snap better selfies in places like smoky nightclubs, dive bars and dark alleys.


HTC is adding some goodies on the software front as well, with a series of camera features dubbed the HTC Eye Experience. It includes face-tracking tech that can keep up to four people in focus at a time (HTC says it's great for Skype calls), as well as voice activated shooting (familiar to anyone who owns a Samsung Galaxy flagship), front/rear camera split shots (another Galaxy feature) and a mode that crops you from a front-facing shot and places you in the rear-facing shot.

These Eye Experience features will launch on the Desire Eye, but will be available "in the coming months" on the HTC One (M7), One (M8), One E8, One mini, One mini 2, One max, Desire 816, Desire 820 and Butterfly 2.

The Desire Eye will launch globally in October, and is set to be an AT&T exclusive in the US. No word yet on pricing.

Making money online

Check out the things


Its easy to earn in  online.

1. Become a Blogger

Blogger is an online blogging platform, just like WordPress, that can be used by anyone for free. You can even have your own domain name, but your domain will have an extension like this one, “domainname.blogspot.com”.


If you want to get the usual domain name without extension that is easier to remember and to type like my domain (“moneysavingdude.com”), then you’ve got to spend more or less $10 to get one.

Now, once you have sufficient content and get your site some visitors, you can monetize your site using Google Adsense. Adsense is also free just like Blogger, and they are both managed by Google. All you need for both is a Google account, and you must be at least 18 years old for you to get accepted in the Google Adsense program.

Your earning may vary depending on your niche, the number of people who visits your site, and how you place those ads on your website. You can easily get a hundred dollar earnings, which is the minimum payout, within a month if you’re site is receiving a reasonable number of visitors from search engines.

Oh. One more thing, I just want to tell you that blogging or creating your own website isn’t easy. If you want to earn money doing it, then there’s a possibility that you really have to spend your money for you to earn a good income out of it. It also takes time, a lot of time actually, so before you start blogging make sure that you’ve got the time, patience, and dedication to manage your own website.

2. Become An Affiliate and Sell Other People’s Products

Another thing that you can do to earn money online without investment is by selling other people’s products and/or services. You can sell those products and/or services on your website, your social networking accounts, or by sending emails to people you know, all depending on the terms given on the affiliate program that you choose.

You can earn anywhere between $0.01 to hundreds of dollars for every referral or purchases that people who used your link make. It may sound easy, but affiliate marketing also takes time just like blogging, some great strategic planning, and of course, a little bit of luck for you to earn a lot doing it.

3. Freelancer Work

If you’ve got skills in writing, editing, social marketing, web design or just about anything that can useful for someone online, then you can become a freelancer, and start earning money online by finishing different projects or tasks.

Becoming a freelancer is easy, all you got to do is sell yourself, or more specifically your skills, to other people. The hard part of becoming a freelancer is that there are already thousands of other freelancer today trying to earn money online.

The good thing about becoming a freelancer is that there are sites dedicated to help you. For you to increase your chances of scoring a gig, you can create your profile and post your resume on the following sites where most clients look when they need help on something:

o Odesk


o Elance


o People Per Hour


o Freelancer


As a beginner, you’re going to have a hard time finding clients, so building your reputation as a freelancer can be hard as well. Unless you got some connections that can get you customers, then you’ll have to find clients on your own. 

4. Do more rather than Adsense to your blog

If you have already tried blogging before, and you want to take it to the next level, then here are some tools and products that I believe can help you out in achieving your blogging goals and start making more money online ASAP.


I get all my domains at NameCheap, a place where you can get different types of domain names at a very cheap price, and also they give you a FREE WhoisGuard for one year, an item that can help protect your identity and keep your email address away from spammers.



Now, when it comes to web hosting, I only recommend the two best web hosting providers today that still offer their services for a very reasonable price: HostGator and BlueHost.


I personally use HostGator’s web hosting services because they have all I need when it comes to web hosting. I was also able to set up a website without any website experience and without exerting too much effort the first time I started blogging. They also have an awesome customer support, so whenever a problem arises you can contact them and get the problem resolved as soon as possible.


You can even try HostGator for a month for only $0.01!

If you don’t like it, which I don’t think will happen, then you can try another web host out. This trial wouldn’t even cost you a dollar.



As for BlueHost, I read a lot of positive reviews about them, and they are trusted by millions all over the world. If you’re the kind of person who is always looking for freebies, then BlueHost is the right web hosting for you because they give out a FREE domain name when you sign up. You can even host unlimited domains, get unlimited email accounts, and unlimited hosting space.

5. Try Fiverr

Fiverr is now the world’s largest marketplace for people to make money selling small services (known as ‘gigs’).


What you offer could be absolutely anything, from writing and translating,social media posting, playing pranks and teaching to creating music, voiceovers and short video clips for people all around the world!

The default price is $5 (hence Fiverr..), but you can attach extra services to gigs for more money. Whilst it might not seem like much, it can quickly add up and there are plenty of examples of people making a really good living from the site. The key is to get a system in place which minimises the time spent on each gig.

But there is another way to profit even more from Fiverr for potentially far less work. How? By simply reselling gigs elsewhere. For example, find a decent logo designer then reply to jobs on Elance or even local classifieds. A $5 spend can easily become $50+, and it’s repeatable!

If you’re not interested in selling at all there’s SO much good stuff you can get done for yourself. Have a browse and get inspired!

6. Buy and sell domain names

A domain name is just a website address (eg. ‘savethestudent.org’ or ‘mysite.co.uk’) and there are lots of extensions (.com, .net, .co.uk etc).

They cost as little as £1.99 to register with 123-reg.co.uk or GoDaddy.com yet premium domain names can fetch £1,000s if not millions when sold on. In 2007 VacationRentals.com went for a cool $35m!

Now you’re probably not going to come across anything like that, but you can still turn a quick profit with a bit of searching. The trick is to find available domain names which have some commercial value, snap them up and then list them for sale on a site like DomainLore.

7. Sell on your education!

Become a tutor to local GCSE or A-level students (find out more about tutoring here). There are now a few online tutor sites too, so you can go also global without too much hassle.


You may feel as if you aren’t qualified to be a tutor, but seeing as you are at university you will most likely have the qualifications to tutor for GCSE or even A-Level. Some parents may feel that their child will react better to a younger tutor, and it can be great experience, so why not give it a go?

You can advertise on SchoolsTrader or sign up withBright Young Things & UK Tutors. You can expect to earn around £10 an hour. However, make sure you don’t have to do too much tutoring around your exams!

7. Upload YouTube videos & gain

According to recent stats we now watch more videos on YouTube than searches on Google. And with the recently introducedYouTube Partner Program you can now profit from making and uploading videos. You will receive a percentage of the advertising revenue collected per 1,000 views.

Depending on how successful you are (virality, subscriber base and topic) you can make a lot of money, and there are plenty of stories every week of more and more YouTubers making it their career.

For more tips read our guide to making money from YouTube.

8. Network marketing

Also known as Multi-Level Marketing (MLM), this is a business model that allows you to generate ongoing income in two ways: by making a commission selling products and by recruiting other members who go on to sell. The later allows you to make money from the sales made by those you have recruited.

Importantly, this is not a pyramid scheme (they are illegal) because there is an end goal which involves a customer buying a product or service of value.

It’s also not a ‘get rich quick’ scheme. You will have to work I’m afraid! However with the growth of social media, network marketing is becoming easier and lots of people are now making a decent living from it.

This is a serious way of making good money on your own terms and it’s well worth reading up on it. I recommend getting “The Business of the 21st Century” by Robert Kiyosaki.

9. Get cashback when shopping

This is not only a way to make money but also to save money as a student. If you look at it in a different way then you are making money with every purchase you would have made anyway, whether it be 10% or 0.5% cashback.

There are a number of cashback sites out there which pay you the commission they otherwise would have earned.

We recommend signing up with Quidco.com which is free and offer the best selection of retailers.

10. Sell your photo

Do you have a knack for photography? What about crafting? If you have unique images or homemade goods, there's an online market out there for you if you know where to look.

Two great photography sites to take a look at are Imagekind or FineArtAmerica. They both make it easy to upload your work and start making money.

Imagekind lets you set up three galleries for free. If you need more than that, you can upgrade to a Pro or Platinum account for an extra fee.

This site is great because it does a lot of the work you, including printing and framing images. The site charges customers a basic amount for each print, and then you get to mark up your work and keep the profits.

FineArtAmerica works in much the same way, but you can sell your original artwork 100 percent commission-free. It also offers prints, framing and other accessory options for an added fee. If you have a Premium account, you also make a five percent commission anytime someone purchases a frame with your print.

And if you take lots of high-quality images of everyday items and places, check out stock photo sites like iStockPhoto and Shutterstock. These sites sell your pictures to advertisers and businesses for you. The pay can vary, but you can expect to earn 15 to 60 percent of the sale.

If you're not a photographer, but have other hobbies like knitting or crafting, you can sell your goods on sites like Etsy or ArtFire. On Etsy, you can sell handmade or vintage items for 20 cents a posting, plus a 3.5 percent cut of the sale price. ArtFire is a better choice if you plan on selling a lot of items. The first month is free and then it's just $12 a month to keep your store going with no fees per sale.

Icon Unveiled its new Amphibian Aircraft

The first production version of the ICON A5 on display at EAA AirVenture this week 


Small amphibians are sort of the hot hatchbacks of the aviation world and one aimed at the beginner pilot is always worth a look see. At EAA AirVenture in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, Light Sport Aircraft (LSA) manufacturer ICON Aircraft debuted its first production A5 amphibious, folding-wing plane for the general public. Built in Tehachapi, California, a second is now under construction for structural testing later this year.




The ICON A5 is designed to be simple to fly with a special flapless wing, spin-resistant airframe, and Angle of Attack (AoA) instrument to prevent stalling. Inside the A5 is an cockpit with an intuitive, distinctly automotive layout marked by a mixture of analog and digital instruments.


Weighing in at 1510 lb (686.4 kg), the two-seater amphibian is equipped with both a carbon composite waterproof hull and optional retractable landing gear. Its 100 bhp Rotax 912 iS petrol engine gives the aircraft a top speed of 105 kts (120 mph, 194 km/h) and a range of 300 nautical miles (345 mi, 555.6 km). The 34 ft (10.36 m) wings are foldable for easy towing, and there’s even an optional complete airplane parachute for the safety conscious.





The aircraft unveiled at Oshkosh carries Engineering Serial Number 1 (ESN-1), rolled off assembly in June and made its first flight in July. According to the company, it’s one of the three aircraft needed to verify performance and complete FAA approval. The first customer delivery is scheduled for May of next year, and ICON says that when its new facilities are complete, it will be able to build 500 planes per year.


In addition to the unveiling, ICON announced that one of its first 100 production A5s will be auctioned off with part of the proceeds going to the Veterans Airlift Command, which uses a network of volunteer aircraft to provide free transportation to post 9/11 combat wounded and their families.





“This is one of the most significant milestones to date for ICON. It represents the culmination of years of research, design, engineering, and manufacturing dedication by an outstanding team,” says ICON Aircraft Founder and CEO Kirk Hawkins. “The A5 is no longer a prototype or concept aircraft; it’s a sophisticated, production-ready, consumer-focused aircraft. The entire ICON team is pouring its heart and soul into bringing the A5 to our customers, and it shows in the truly exceptional execution of the product. I couldn’t be prouder.”


The estimated price of the ICON A5 is US$189,000.


The video below details the first production ICON A5.


Source: ICON Aircraft