Uniben Admission Screening Exercise 2016/2017

Application Start Date:     14/06/2016 12:05:00
Application Closing Date:     22/06/2016 23:59:59

The University of Benin (UNIBEN) ADMISSION Screening Exercise for 2016/2017 Academic Session will take place between 27th June, 2016 and 9th, July 2016 in designated centres within Ugbowo Campus of the University.
The Screening Exercise shall be Computer Based.
All candidates are expected to be seated, latest one hour before the stipulated time for the screening exercise.

PLEASE NOTE: Only candidates who applied through JAMB for UTME Admission and chose University of Benin as First Choice and scored 200 and above are eligible for this Screening Exercise.

METHOD OF APPLICATION
All applications should be done between 7.00am 14th June, 2016 and Midnight 22nd June, 2016.
The procedure for the 2016/2017 Admission Screening application is as follows:

Candidates are advised to have a valid e-mail account before starting the application process.

1.     Visit www.uniben.edu Click on Student Portal
2.     Click on UNIBEN ADMISSION SCREENING 2016/2017
3.     Click on Register for application at the top left of the displayed page to proceed.
4.     Enter your Surname Exactly as written on the JAMB Registration slip, and JAMB Registration    number. Immediately, your ID and Password will be displayed on the browser
5.     Back On uniben.waeup.org click on 'Login' (top right of the front page).
6.     Enter your username and the password to login.
7.     To start the application process, please click on 'Application record' and provide all required information and upload your passport photograph.
8.     Upload a Recent and clear 1” x 1” COLOURED passport photograph with red background in JPEG format only. NOTE that the photograph uploaded will be the only valid ID for all admitted candidates throughout their stay in the University of Benin. FAILURE TO UPLOAD THE SPECIFIED PASSPORT PHOTOGRAPH WILL LEAD TO DISQUALIFICATION and failure/forfeitures of admission.
9.     To pay for the Application, click on “Add online payment ticket” at the bottom of the page, then click on “College Pay” on the top left corner of the page, follow the instruction to pay the application fee of N 2,000:00; (The fee excludes other charges), the admission screening exercise past questions for N1,000:00 (optional); excluding Interswitch and Portal Services charges with an ATM-Enabled Verve or Master Card from any Commercial Bank
10.     A link is displayed 'Download past questions to practice'
11.     Preview and confirm your information before submitting your application on-line.(No correction will be accepted after the closing date)
12.     Print out an acknowledgement slip that contains the screening schedule.

Candidate are to come to the screening centres with the following:

Candidates should go back on-line on 25th June, 2016 to check for the Day, Venue and Time for the Screening

Acknowledgement slip that contains the screening schedule
Four figure table (where applicable)
Writing materials (HB pencil and Eraser).

UNIBEN DIPLOMA IN MARITA

Diploma in Maritime and ICT Programmes 2016/2017
Application Start Date: 03/05/2016 18:30:00
Application Closing Date: 30/07/2016 23:59:59

APPLICATION FOR DIPLOMA IN MARITIME STUDIES, INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY PROGRAMME FOR 2016 / 2017 is now open.

Please check www.uniben. edu FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.
Applications are invited from suitably qualified candidates for admission into the Diploma in Maritime Studies, of the University of Benin.
Closing Date - 30th July 2016

Note that: Application fee is N 10.000 while Processing fee is N 550
Instructions
Please Download and go through the advert at the bottom of this page to ensure proper guidance in the choice of Programme of Study.
Click on 'Register for application' at the top left of the displayed page to proceed.
Provide all necessary information. Note that * means compulsory fields.
Click on 'Get login credentials' .
An immediate mail will be send to the provided email address (ps your email not the cybercafe's mail).
Open your mail to get your system generated id and password that you will use to login.
On the https://uniben-kofa.waeup.org click on 'Login' (top right of front page).
Enter your user name and the password from the mail to login.
To start the application process, please click on 'Edit application record' and provide all required information and upload your red background passport photograph.
You can view your entries before downloading the application slip.
To make payment login and click 'Edit application record'.
At the bottom of the page click on 'Add online payment ticket'.
On the displayed page top left click on 'College Pay' to start payment by ATM or Cash Card.
Please do not delete any unsuccessful payment rather query it before initiating another payment.

ADMISSION
Admission into the programmes will be based on the general requirements approved by the Senate.

GLO CHEAP DATA SUBSCRIPTION

Glo has finally introduced the cheapest data subscription rate and value in the history of Nigeria. .
Glo current data subscription rate and value
1. N1000·2GB 30Days
2. N2000·6GB 30Days
3. N2500·10GB 30Days
4. N3000·12GB 30Days
5. N4000·18GB 30Days
6. N5000·24GB 30Days
7. N8000·48GB 30Days

To subscribe to any of the cheap Monthly data plans from Glo just Dial *777# and follow the prompts.

TOP SIX HACKING APPS FOR ANDROID

Android phones are most popular because of the availability of millions of apps in market. As we already listed best android apps which every phone must have to install. Android devices are famous due to their amazing features at low cost. Android is an open source platform and we can easily access multiple hidden features. Like we can easily change our device design by installing android custom roms. But to do that you need to root android phone.
Android market having various different purpose apps but few of our geek lovers always wait few tricky apps. Google play store don’t let you list fully hâckïng based apps. But their are some ethical hâckïng apps for android. That means they can only be used for networking and programming tricky purpose with another devices without physically disturbing it. Ethical hâckïng Android Apps also provide security against malicious internet users. With the help of ethical hâckïng apps we can change MAC address, control another device, disconnect net of another device, enter into a secured network etc. If you are fond of these type of working ethical hâckïng android apps. Then hear we are going to listed out some best hâckïng Apps For Android. Which are only for fun purpose.

1. Kill WIFI

Kill WIFI is most popular Ethical hâckïng App. It is an open source ethical hâckïng App which is available on Google Play store for free. With the help of this App we can cut the WiFi of other people. This App is similar to net cut app is Windows expect that this work for a WiFi Network. This App provide you simple to use tools and attractive interface. It also kill our WiFi after a specified time to safe our phone battery. Approximately 500000 people install this App.







 2. WiFI Mac Changer

Wireless Mac Address is another popular Android App which is available on Google play store for free. This App require the rooted Android phone. This App can change your MAC address for temporary so that no one can track your physical device address. This provide two main functions one is simple way change that will no reflect your change address in WiFi settings. Second is Hard way change this will allow you to enter in password protected Apps and reflect your changed address in WiFi settings.


3. Hackcode

Hackcode is another popular Android hâckïng App which is Available on Google Play store for free.It is a toolbox for penetration tester, Cyber security professionals and IT administrator to perform various tasks like reconnaissance, scanning etc. This App contain tools like Google hâckïng,Google Dorks, Whois, Ping, Traceroute etc. This App provide easy to use tool and attractive interface. Approximately 300000 to 500000 people install this App.


4. Shark For Root

Shark for Root is another Android Ethical hâckïng App which is available on Google play store for free. Approximate 200000 to 400000 user install this App. It is a traffic sniffer, that woks on 3G and WiFi network. To open dump root use this App and to preview dump on phone use Shark Reader App. This App provide easy to use tools and user guidelines for use with Attractive interface. It is a light weight App of 433 KB easy to install and provide you a new experience.


5. nMapper (Paid)
 

mMapper is an Unofficial port of nMap. It is a port and network scanner which works on WiFi or a cell connection. It provide you the pictorial view of network structure and you can use this information for the network analysis. It provide support from Gingerbread to Jellybean version of Android. It provide simple and attractive interface. It is available on Google play store with little cost.Approximately 1000 user install this App.



6. SSHdroid

SSHdroid is another popular Android app which is available on Google play-store for free. SSH is short for secure shell. SSHdroid is a SHH server implementation for Android device. This Application allow you to connect to your Android device with a PC and control your device with the PC. Windows user can control their device using FTP protocol. Another feature of this app include Extended notification control, WiFi control, Shared-key authentication, Lock screen widget. Approximately 1000000 user install this App.

So these are some best hâckïng apps for android which are ethical to use and available in google playstore.


Credit goes to DETROIT

Postgraduate Programmes 2016/2017

Application Start Date:     08/04/2016 11:00:00
Application Closing Date:     30/05/2016 23:00:00

Application for various Post Graduate Programmes for 2016/2017 is now open. Admission into some of the programmes shall be through entrance examination to be conducted on date to be announced later. Please check www.uniben. edu and your Application Record for details as from 25th May 2016.

Applications are invited from suitably qualified candidates for admission into the following Postgraduate programmes leading to the award of Postgraduate Diploma, Masters degree and Ph.D in the various Faculties/Schools/Institutes of the University of Benin. Closing Date - 30th May 2016

Note that: Application fee is N 11.500 while Processing fee is N 550

Instructions

1. Please Download and go through the advert at the bottom of this page to ensure proper guidance in the choice of Programme of Study.
2. Click on 'Register for application' at the top left of the displayed page to proceed.
3. Provide all necessary information. Note that * means compulsory fields.
4. Click on 'Get login credentials' .
5. An immediate mail will be send to the provided email address (ps your email not the cybercafe's mail).
6. Open your mail to get your system generated id and password that you will use to login.
7. On the https://uniben-kofa.waeup.org click on 'Login' (top right of front page).
8. Enter your user name and the password from the mail to login.
9. To start the application process, please click on 'Edit application record' and provide all required information and upload your red background passport photograph.
10. You can view your entries before downloading the application slip.
11. To make payment login and click 'Edit application record'.
12. At the bottom of the page click on 'Add online payment ticket'.
13. On the displayed page top left click on 'College Pay' to start payment by ATM or Cash Card.
14. Please do not delete any unsuccessful payment rather query it before initiating another payment.

ENTRANCE EXAMINATIONS
Admission into some programmes shall be through entrance examination to be conducted on 00th of XXXXXXX,2015 by 9 am at ugbowo campus.

However, there will be no Entrance Examinations for some programmes. Admission into such programmes will be based on the general requirements approved by the Senate.
 

Referee Form

The Advert

HOW TO USED USB OTG

First before i begin i need to ask this Question :
What is USB OTG?

USB OTG, can also be called USB On-The-Go or just OTG, is a specification first used in late 2001 that allows USB devices such as digital audio players or mobile phones to act as a host, allowing other USB devices like a USB flash drive, digital camera, mouse, or keyboard to be attached to them.
USB On-The-Go, an extension of the USB 2.0 specification for connecting peripheral devices to each other. USB OTG products can communicate with each other without the need to be connected to a PC. For example, a digital camera can connect to a PDA, or a mobile phone can connect to a printer or a scanner, as long as all the devices are USB OTG-compatible. USB OTG grew from the increasing need for portable devices to be able to communicate with each other as the culture of technology moves away from a PC-centric world.
One of the important features of USB OTG is that the standard does not require a host PC in order for the devices to communicate. USB OTG devices, known as dual-role peripherals, can act as limited hosts or peripherals themselves depending on how the cables are connected to the devices, and they also can connect to a host PC.

What can you do with it? A lot of stuff, For example, you can;

Connect Flash Drives and External Hard Drives


                                   

Obviously, external storage is at the top of this list. Just plug it in and you’ll be ready to go. USB drives are the easiest to connect, while external hard drives may or may not work. Portable hard drives that draw power from the Android won’t always work, but external drives with their own power source work just fine.
You’ll need these drives to be in FAT32 format, as NTFS doesn’t work perfectly every time. To quickly mount and unmount flash drives, download StickMount from the Play Store.

Play With Video Game Controllers             

The  Xbox360 controller and PlayStation pad works fantastically with Android devices with USB OTG. It’s literally as simple as plug-and-play to start gaming with a controller. Of course, you will need to be playing games that are made to be used with a controller, like the Asphalt 8: Airborne racing game or Modern Combat 5, which is an awesome paid game you can download for free.
If you have rooted your Android device, you can also connect a PlayStation 3 controller.

Print Directly from a Printer

 

Printers with a standard plug-and-play USB work well with Android devices, so you can start printing without requiring a wireless connection and without transferring anything to a PC first.
Weirdly, the “Mass Storage” mode didn’t work for me, but your mileage may vary. If you want to print photos and documents, you will have to switch to PTP (Photo to Photo) mode in your USB connection.

The USB OTG cable can be use for so many things this are just a few of them.

HOW TO FIND OUT IF YOUR SIM CARD IS REGISTERED FOR ALL NETWORK

CODE FOR GLO
Type "Reg" in your message and send to 3456

CODE FOR MTN
Type "REG" in your message and send to "789"

CODE FOR ETISALAT
Dial *214#

CODE FOR AIRTEL
Dial *746#

How to Transfer Glo Credit and Change Password

Goto message on your phone and type:
ACT and send to 131
you will receive a reply with your default password

TO TRANSFER
dial *131*phone number*amount*password# the send e.g
dial *131*08053512399*500*12345# then send

TO CHANGE DEFAULT PASSWORD
dial *132*default password*new password*new password# then send e.g
dial *132*00000*12345*12345# then send

ADMISSION! ADMISSION!! (FCET, AKOKA PROGRAMMES IN AFFILIATION WITH UNIBEN)

FCET, Akoka Programmes 2015/2016

Application Start Date:          22/12/2015     11:00:00

Application Closing Date:     12/01/2016     23:00:00

The Federal College Of Education (Technical), Akoka in Affiliation with University Of Benin, Benin City, hereby invites application from candidates who have obtained the Cut Off Score of 200 marks and above in 2015 UTME for admission into the Bachelor of Science Education [B.Sc(Ed)] and Bachelor of Arts [B.A(Ed)] Degree Programmes.

The College conducts aptitude tests and interviews as part of screening exercise for all UTME candidates seeking admission into the College. Additionally, being an ICT–driven institution, prospective candidates must have the capacity to operate in an ICT environment.

The SCRRENING is for both UTME and Direct Entry candidates.
Candidates who did not choose the College initially are also eligible to apply and take part in the screening exercise.
Only candidates who applied through JAMB for UTME and D. E. Admission are eligible to apply.

DIRECT ENTRY PROGRAMME

• Holders of university degrees, HND, ND, NCE or equivalent qualifications may proceed from Part II.
• Only candidates with credit and merit grade at NCE, ND and HND level in relevant courses from reputable institutions are eligible to apply.

METHOD OF APPLICATION

All application should be done between 7.00am Wednesday 23rd December, 2015 and 12 midnight on Tuesday 12th January 2016.
The procedure for the 2015/2016 PUTME Entry Screening application is as follows:

1. Visit www.fcet-akoka.edu.ng
2. Click on POST-UTME Screening Test 2015/2016
3. Candidates are advised to have a valid e-mail account before starting the application process.
4. Click on Student Portal
5. Click on Register for application at the top left of the displayed page to proceed.
6. Enter your Surname Exactly as written on the JAMB Registration slip, and JAMB Registration number. Immediately, your ID and Password will be displayed on the browser
7. On uniben.waeup.org click on 'Login' (top right of the front page).
8. Enter your username and the password to login.
9. To start the application process, please click on 'Application record' and provide all required information and upload your passport photograph.
10. Upload a Recent and clear 1” x 1” COLOURED passport photograph with red background in JPEG format only. NOTE that the photograph uploaded will be the only valid ID for all admitted candidates throughout their stay in the University of Benin. FAILURE TO UPLOAD THE SPECIFIED PASSPORT PHOTOGRAPH WILL LEAD TO DISQUALIFICATION and failure/forfeitures of admission.
11. To pay for the Application, click on “Add online payment ticket” at the bottom of the page, then click on “College Pay” on the top left corner of the page, follow the instruction to pay the application fee with an ATM-Enabled Verve or Master Card from any commercial Bank.
12. A link is displayed 'Download past questions to practice'
13. Preview and confirm your information before submitting your application on-line.(No correction will be accepted after the closing date)
14. Print out an acknowledgement slip that contains the screening schedule.

Candidate are to come to the screening centres with the following:

• Acknowledgement slip that contains the screening schedule
• Four figure table (where applicable)
• Writing materials (HB pencil and Eraser).

All candidates are expected to be seated, latest one hour before the stipulated time for the screening exercise..

UNIBEN UPDATE

APPLICATION CONTINUES FOR ALL AVAILABLE PROGRAMMES IN PG, DIPLOMA AND PART TIME APPLICATIONS TILL 27TH OCTOBER 2015). SCREENING NOW TAKES PLACE FOR SELECTED COURSES ON 30TH AND 31ST OCTOBER 2015. PLEASE CHECK YOUR ONLINE APPLICATION RECORD FOR YOUR SCREENING STATUS AND DATE ON 28TH OCTOBER 2015.

Uniben Clearance Update on Post Utme/Direct Entry Student

 

   

UNIVERSITY OF BENIN,
BENIN CITY

2015/2016 CLEARANCE EXERCISE FOR
UTME AND DIRECT ENTRY CANDIDATES

1. The UTME and Direct Entry Candidates admitted into University of Benin for 2015/2016 academic session are required to login at https://www.uniben.edu, click on student portal and login with the username and password used for their application and result checking.
 

2. Click on “Download application slip”. . Print it and take note of your ID. and Password. You will henceforth, use your ID and Password for subsequent login. Login and print your provisional admission letter.
 

3. ONLY CANDIDATES WITH THE RIGHT PASSPORT SIZE (1- inch X 1-inch) WITH RED BACKGROUND PHOTOGRAPH USED FOR THE SCREENING AND ALREADY EMBEDDED IN THEIR DOCUMENTS AND WITH REQUISITE RESULTS TO CLEAR SHOULD PROCEED TO PAY THE TOTAL AMOUNT OF NON-REFUNDABLE ACCEPTANCE FEE ITEMIZED BELOW.
 

College of Medical Sciences Candidates                                       Other Candidates
                                                     N                                                         N
Bank/Portal charges -             3000.00                                                     3000.00
Admission clearance -            20000.00                                                   20000.00
ICT Levy -                            6000.00                                                     6000.00
Development Levy -              15000.00                                                   15000.00
MTN NET Library -             1000.00                                                     1000.00
College Development fee -    20000.00 -
      TOTAL                          65000.00                                                   45000.00
 

Schools/Departments under College of Medical Sciences:
 Medicine
 Dentistry
 Anatomy
 Medical Biochemistry
 Medical Laboratory Science
 Nursing Science
 Physiology

4. Optional: You can change your password by clicking “change password” button and you can also change your email and phone number by using “Edit” button
 

5. On the Menu, click on “My data” select “Payment” option then click on “Add online payment ticket” button.
 

6. Select from the Payment Category, Acceptance Fee and click on “Create Ticket” button and then click the link under Payment ID.
 

7. Click on the “College Pay” button to view payment details and click the “Submit” button to proceed with the payment through Interswitch payment gateway.
 

8. Select your ATM Card type: Verve or Master Card and supply the card details (card number, expiration date, 4-digit PIN etc) as required.
 

9. Then click on “PAY” button.
 

10. If payment is successful, an acceptance slip will appear on the screen. Copy the “Clearance Activation Code” on the acceptance payment slip.
 

11. Click on “My Data” on the menu and select “Clearance data” option. Enter your “Clearance Activation Code” to open your Clearance/Eligibility form.
 

12. Fill the Clearance/Eligibility Form appropriately. Scan and upload the following documents:
a. “O‟ level Certificates and Statements of „O‟ level results from the schools
b. Birth Certificate or Declaration of Age
c. Acceptance Letter
d. Guarantor‟s Letter
e. Affidavit of Good Conduct
f. Affidavit of Non-Membership of Secret Cults
g. JAMB & UNIBEN offer of Provisional Admission slips
 

Please note

• Any affidavits sworn in any Court of Law in Nigeria are acceptable
• Payment of acceptance fee commences Monday 12th October , 2015

13. At the bottom of the Clearance/Eligibility Form, click on the “Save” button to return later and complete the form OR click on “Save and request clearance” button to finally submit your Clearance/Eligibility Form when you are done. You cannot edit the Clearance /Eligibility form after final submission!
 

14. Click on “Download clearance slip” button and print your Clearance/Eligibility slip. Present it with online payment receipt, six (6) copies each of the listed items a to g in item 12, including six coloured passport photographs with red background and WAEC/NECO Scratch Card for checking results online to the clearance officers. The original credentials are for sighting during the physical clearance.
Physical clearance commences Tuesday 20th October to Friday 4th December, 2015 at the University Auditorium, Monday to Friday from 9.00am to 5pm each day.

15. ONLY CANDIDATES SCHEDULED FOR CLEARANCE PER DAY WILL BE ATTENDED TO. CHECK YOUR CLEARANCE DATE IN YOUR ONLINE PROFILE AND PRINT OUT YOUR INVITATION LETTER.
 

16. Prohibition of Financial Transactions at Clearance Venue: There shall be no financial transactions in whatever form at the Main Auditorium Clearance Venue. Consequently, sales of Faculty Prospectus, Collection of dues, levies and other forms of Payment and Purchases are strictly prohibited. The release of completed and signed Clearance/eligibility form to student should not be tied to any other payment other than the fund paid for clearance.
 

17. Upon successful physical clearance, proceed to pay you School Fee/Charges. Please note that you are not allowed into the lecture halls and to proceed with any other activity without evidence of payment of fees
 

18. On the Menu, click on “My data”. select “Payment” option then click on
 “Add online payment ticket” button
 Select from the Payment Category, “School Fee” and click on “Create Ticket” button and then click the link under Payment ID
 Click on the “College Pay” button to view payment details and click the “Submit” button to proceed with the payment through Interswitch payment gateway
 Select your ATM Card type: Verve or Master Card and supply the card details (card number, expiration date, 4 digit PIN etc) as required.
 Then click on “PAY” button.

 

 

Five(5) Best Android Phones

Smart Phones

How to know which one is right for you. The latest Android operating system, Android 6.0 Marshmallow, has begun shipping on Google’s Nexus devices. It should begin arriving on other makers’ handsets soon, too.

 Samsung Galaxy S6

The Sharpest Shooter

As we make ever fewer phone calls on our smartphones, the importance of things like cellular antennas go down. But we’re taking more digital photos than ever, so all the camera bits, from lenses to image sensors, matter much more. Proving megapixels aren’t everything, the Samsung Galaxy has a relatively unimpressive-sounding 16 megapixel rear-facing camera. But it’s optics that matter most, and this quick shooter can snap off a pic in under a second, simply by double-tapping on the home button to pull up the camera. A motion tracking auto-focus feature helps photographers lock in on moving targets.

But the real magic inside this shooter is a larger aperture that lets in 34% more light, an improvement that makes the Samsung Galaxy S6 a great shot in darker spaces. So if you take a lot of smartphone photos at night or in dimly lit conditions, this could be the phone for you.

Motorola Moto G

Teen Choice Award

Kids want the latest and greatest in order to stay connected to (and keep up with) their friends, but often times they literally can’t handle an expensive handset. Drops, spills, and scratches kill many a teenager’s phone, so taking a value approach to an Android handset is ideal for youngsters. Starting at $179, this water-resistant, Gorilla Glass-fronted phone can take a splash and keep on streaming.

Fully customizable through the online Moto Maker program, the 5-inch handset can sport a range of back, front, and accent colors. You can even engrave a name or a phrase on it, to help make sure no one accidentally lifts it from the locker room. And when it comes to software, social media savvy features like the Moto G’s “quick capture” gesture score big with the young set. Using it, a simple twist of the wrist launches the phone’s camera quickly—a great way to capture those did-you-see-that moments your teen’s friends would never believe.

Google Nexus 6P

Best Android Experience

Made by Huawei, Google’s newest flagship phone accompanied the company’s rollout of Marshmallow. For Android aficionados, the phone’s dense 5.7-inch, 518 pixel-per-inch AMOLED display is a window into the best Android experience available. That means, from Chrome to Photos, it comes with all of Google’s great apps, right out of the box.

But beyond Marshmallow, the 6P has introduced several new features to the Nexus line that will be big parts of Android moving forward. For instance, Nexus Imprint, a fingerprint sensor located on the phone’s back side, unlocks apps and mobile payments with just a touch. Another hardware improvement is the phone’s addition of a USB-C charging and data port. At last, Android users can rid themselves of the chance that they’ll be inserting their charger the wrong way into their phone. Oddly enough, while there’s only a 50/50 chance of that occurring, it seems to happen 100% of the time.

LG G4

Road Warrior Weapon

On many critic’s list as the best smartphone camera due to its 16 megapixel rear shooter with excellent manual controls, the the 5.5-inch LG G4 also does double duty as a great travel handset. That’s because at a time when most manufacturers are closing up their hardware, LG continues to let users remove the casing to swap out batteries and memory cards.

Featuring a removable 3,000 mAh battery and up to two terabytes of storage on microSD cards, the G4 can crunch through email, phone calls, and web surfing all day on its 538 pixel-per-inch display, without having to be tethered to a wall or an external power bank-just swap out the battery. And if you take it from a morning meeting where you’re wearing brown to a black tie affair in the evening, you can even change out the G4’s rear plate to match your attire-so this is a smartphone that looks even smarter.

Moto X Pure

Most Valuable Player

With phone carriers largely abandoning handset subsidies, the cost of smartphones is climbing. It used be that everyone wanted the latest and greatest, but top-end phones now cost more than $700 unlocked, so there’s a rush towards devices that offer better value.

Essentially an amped up version of the Moto G, the Moto X Pure stacks up the specs. For instance, its rear camera has an eye-popping 21 megapixels, and it’s capable of capturing 4K video. Its TurboPower system boasts the world’s fastest charging, pouring 1,000 mAh of juice into the battery in just 15 minutes. the 5.7-inch 520 pixel-per-inch screen looks great, and is backed by three gigabytes of RAM. It can also be customized through the Moto Maker program. The only spec that isn’t big is the price - unlocked, the Moto X Pure starts at just $399.

Microsoft Releases Azure IoT (Internet of Things) Suite

Tech giant Microsoft has released its Azure Internet of Things suite to the general public, allowing customers to use preconfigured data and machine learning solutions to better run their businesses.

Microsoft said a number of companies understand the benefits of IoT, the term used for the network of physical objects embedded with sensors and network connectivity, but encounter roadblocks to deployment.

Microsoft Australia’s business group lead for IoT Lee Hickin said the Azure IoT suite would take the heavy lifting out of IoT, and would allow businesses to quickly pilot and prove its value.

One early customer is Manly Council, which used Microsoft Azure Machine Learning technology with a number of its CCTV cameras in parking areas, which use software to ensure its parking rules aren’t violated.

“A few months ago Microsoft released a demonstration into what was possible, it was a website to upload a photo to see how old you are,” said Manly Council CIO Nathan Rogers.

“I saw that and I know we have a lot of cameras on the internet, so I wondered what we could do with that technology for our council. It took us a couple of hours and we set it up with our beach at Manly.

“We want to make sure the tourist buses aren’t parking improperly, so they’re not ruining the view or leaving their engine running, things like that.

Mr Rogers said his team receives photos via email, and the machine learning technology means he’s only alerted if there’s an anomaly.

“Azure Machine Learning has been previously trained on 10,000 ‘normal’ or ‘control’ images from the camera, so each time we upload an image it makes a judgment as to whether it’s normal or whether there’s some sort of anomaly,” he said.

“If Azure Machine Learning tells us there’s an anomaly, we have a script on our end that will email the right people so they can immediately go and check out what’s happening.”

He said the team can now have more of a response model to working, rather than need to patrol for incidents, therefore saving ratepayers a significant amount of money that can be used elsewhere.

Mr Rogers also said he was planning on using the technology to predict surf conditions, given Manly’s title as the birthplace of surfing in Australia.

The city attracts around eight million visitors each year.

Darren Younger, Founder of TechBeach in Manly, said “it is great to see Council working to bring positive change to their community through adopting this type of technology. They are obviously a very innovative organisation and are showing strong leadership in adopting this new technology”.

Microsoft said its Azure IoT Suite pricing averages at roughly $1.50 per device/month.

It also announced today the launch of its Microsoft Azure Certified for IoT program, an ecosystem of partners including Intel, Raspberry Pi, and Texas Instruments among others.