6 reasons to upgrade your iPhone (and iPad) to iOS 8.

The newest version of the iPhone (and iPad) operating system last week, iOS-8. It looks very similar to iOS 7, and it's not immediately apparent where all the new features are. Fear not; there really are some compelling reasons to upgrade your OS even if you're not getting a new iPhone 6. Here's a roundup of the most compelling features you will want to check out after letting your phone update to the new operating system:

Third party keyboards. At long last, Apple has released its grip on the iPhone keyboard, so you can install replacements offered by third parties. There are excellent reasons to want to do this: As Android has shown, there's a big market for alternative keyboards that are tuned to the way different people like to enter text. One of the hottest Android keyboards, Swype, for example, is now available for iOS for $1. To use an alternative keyboard, you go to Settings, General, Keyboard, Keyboards and choose Add New Keyboard. From the keyboard, you can now switch to the new keyboard (or back again) from the globe icon in the lower left. One big caveat: You can't use the microphone to convert speech to text while using an alternative keyboard. Apple requires you to switch back to its keyboard for that.

Multitasking email. One of the most frustrating things about using the iPhone for email has been the "modal" nature of email screens. Once you open a new or existing email, you had to close it to get to another other messages. No longer. Now email messages are windows, and you can have as many of them open at once as you like. Just swipe down to minimize a message to get back to your inbox, where you can open more. Open messages wait for you at the bottom of the screen, and you can flip among them like Safari browser tabs.

Interactive notifications. The Notifications Center -- the place that tells you about new messages and alerts -- is now interactive. You can slide items to the left to act on them without going to the specific app they came from. Depending upon the kind of notification, you can generally reply to it (like a text message), delete, snooze (like a timer or alarm), or dismiss it.

Siri now works hands-off. Here's a feature you're unlikely to ever discover on your own, because it's turned off by default and no one seems to be talking much about it. If your phone is plugged in (ie, charging), just say "Hey Siri," and Siri will wake up to deal with your question. Some Android phones have had this feature for a while, and it can be genuinely useful (not to mention entertaining). To turn it on, go to Settings, General, Siri and enable Allow "Hey Siri." Be sure not to wait too long before asking your question, or Siri will time out and simply greet you.

Touch ID is open to third parties. This feature has a lot of long term potential, but for the moment it's still just a lot of potential. Instead of limiting Touch ID to unlocking the phone and making iTunes purchases, now apps can take advantage as well, As of press time, the list of compatible apps is quite short (apps include Evernote, E*TRADE, Mint, LastPass, and a few others. But over time, you should be able to avoid entering passwords on the majority of apps and services on your iPhone.

Monitor your battery. Where is your juice going? Apple now lets you see which apps are using the most battery life. Go to Settings, General, Usage, Battery Usage, and you can see a list of apps and how much of your battery life each has consumed. Even better, some apps will report why they're using that much energy, such as low signal or the fact that they're continuing to run in the background.

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8 Smells that can improve your mood

To most people, a smell isn't just a fragrance -- it's a memory. When you get a whiff of chocolate chip cookies, you may think of baking in your Mom's kitchen. When a warm breeze blows the smell of fresh flowers, you're instantly rocketed back to your first dance and the corsage your date brought.
Studies shows that some smells makes us happy.

Pine:

Research has found that this festive aroma, often associated with the winter holidays, helps to reduce stress. A study conducted at Japan’s Kyoto University took a deeper look at a Japanese custom of taking a soothing forest stroll known as shinrin-yoku, or “forest bathing,” and found that depression and anxiety were significantly reduced in participants on days when they walked through the

Citrus:

If you’re in need of a pick-me-up, try sniffing some citrus. The smell of the vitamin C-packed fruits has been shown to boost energy and alertness, and studies have revealed that lemon scents in particular can reduce stress and leave a positive impression on others. Thanks to over 50 years of advertising and marketing campaigns for household cleaners like Joy dish soap, we tend to associate citrus smells.

Sunscreen:

If the smell of sunscreen reminds you of bright beach days and tropical getaways, you’re not alone. This scent’s positive effects are rooted in its association with stress-free vacation time, when you are typically more relaxed and happy than usual. 

Fresh-cut grass:

Put mowing the lawn at the top of your to-do list, if only because researchers in Australia have found that a chemical released by freshly cut grass can cause people to become more relaxed and even feel joy; they’ve even bottled the scent into a spray-on fragrance . The smell is so powerful that is said to prevent mental decline as you age.

Flowers:

That saying about stopping to smell the roses? Maybe it should be changed to lavender or jasmine instead. Lavender is well-documented for its calming effects, even easing insomnia and depression, and jasmine also has been shown to boost moods.

Rosemary:

Primarily known as a flavor agent, rosemary has been shown to amplify brain power. Studies have found that the smell of the herb enhanced participants ability to remember complex events and tasks, and scientists say the research could lead the way to treating memory loss.

Peppermint:

Oil from this little leaf is known for its ability to elevate your mood and stimulate your mind and body. Studies have even shown that athletes who smell peppermint have improved athletic performance and better breathing.

Baby powder:

If you love the smell of baby powder, you might be having a nostalgic response. Experts say that the baby powder smell reminds us of the safety and security we felt as children; for parents, it invokes memories of the happiness they felt when their children were young.

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Top 21 Books according to BBC Big Read Survey

The Big Read was a survey on books carried out by the BBC in the United Kingdom in 2003, where over three quarters of a million votes were received from the British public to find the nation's best-loved novel of all time. The year-long survey was the biggest single test of public reading taste to date,and culminated with several programmes hosted by celebrities, advocating their favorite books.

The BBC started the Big Read with the goal of finding the "Nation's Best-loved Novel" by way of a viewer vote via the Web, SMS, and telephone. The show attracted controversy for adopting an allegedly sensationalist approach to literature, but supporters praised it for raising the public awareness of reading. The British public voted originally for any novel that they wished. From this, a list of 200 was drawn up, with the highest 21 then put forward for further voting, on the provision that only one book per author was permitted in the top 21. As the poll was based on novels, the plays of William Shakespeare were not part of the survey.

Here is a list of top 21 books:

1. The Lord of the Rings:

     It is an epic high fantasy novel written by English author J. R. R. Tolkien. The story began as a sequel to Tolkien's 1937 fantasy novel The Hobbit, but eventually developed into a much larger work. It was written in stages between 1937 and 1949, much of it during World War II.[1] It is one of the best-selling novels ever written, with over 150 million copies sold

2. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen (SparkNotes Literature Guide) 

     When an essay is due and dreaded exams loom, here's the lit-crit help students need to succeed! SparkNotes Literature Guides make studying smarter, better, and faster. They provide chapter-by-chapter analysis, explanations of key themes, motifs and symbols, a review quiz, and essay topics. Lively and accessible, SparkNotes is perfect for late-night studying and paper writing.

3. Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials: A Multiple Allegory: Attacking Religious Superstition in the Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe and Paradise Lost: Attacking ... Witch and the Wardrobe' and ' Paradise Lost'

    Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials trilogy is one of the most popular fantasy works of our time. Both the trilogy and the movies based on it are being marketed chiefly as YA (young adult) fare. But Leonard F. Wheat shows in this fascinating analysis that His Dark Materials is far more than a YA tale. At a deeper level it is a complex triple allegory—a surface story that uses 231 symbols to tell three hidden stories. As such, it is among the most profound, intellectually challenging, and thoroughly adult works ever written. 

4. The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (Hitchhikers Guide 1)

     Seconds before the Earth is demolished to make way for a galactic freeway, Arthur Dent is plucked off the planet by his friend Ford Prefect, a researcher for the revised edition of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy who, for the last fifteen years, has been posing as an out-of-work actor.
Together this dynamic pair begin a journey through space aided by quotes from The Hitchhiker's Guide ("A towel is about the most massively useful thing an interstellar hitchhiker can have") and a galaxy-full of fellow travelers: Zaphod Beeblebrox--the two-headed, three-armed ex-hippie and totally out-to-lunch president of the galaxy; Trillian, Zaphod's girlfriend (formally Tricia McMillan), whom Arthur tried to pick up at a cocktail party once upon a time zone; Marvin, a paranoid, brilliant, and chronically depressed robot; Veet Voojagig, a former graduate student who is obsessed with the disappearance of all the ballpoint pens he bought over the years. 

5. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire 

     It is the fourth novel in the Harry Potter series, written by British author J. K. Rowling. It follows Harry Potter, a wizard in his fourth year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and the mystery surrounding the entry of Harry's name into the Triwizard Tournament, in which he is forced to compete.

The book was published in the United Kingdom by Bloomsbury and in the United States by Scholastic, in both countries the release date was 8 July 2000, the first time a book in the series was published in both countries at the same time. The novel won a Hugo Award, the only Harry Potter novel to do so, in 2001. The book was made into a film, which was released worldwide on 18 November 2005, and a video game by Electronic Arts.

6. To Kill a Mockingbird

It is a novel by Harper Lee published in 1960. It was immediately successful, winning the Pulitzer Prize, and has become a classic of modern American literature. The plot and characters are loosely based on the author's observations of her family and neighbors, as well as on an event that occurred near her hometown in 1936, when she was 10 years old.

7. In Which Milne's Life Is Told: A Biography of Winnie the Pooh Author A.A. Milne

Few authors achieve fame in their lifetime and then have that fame compound and grow long after their death. Fewer still spend much of their lives harboring resentment for the work that made them famous. Such was the case for Alan Alexander Milne. Long before he wrote Winnie-the-Pooh, Milne had established a career as a humorist and playwright. When his son, Christopher Robin, was born, it led to an inspiration for a series of children’s verses about a toy bear named Pooh and his friends. Two novels followed that and the Winnie the Pooh brand was born. This biography traces Milne’s life, influence and legacy.

8. 1984 (Nineteen Eighty-Four), Animal Farm, and over 40 Other Works by George Orwell

     Eric Arthur Blair (25 June 1903 – 21 January 1950), known by his pen name George Orwell, was an English novelist, essayist, journalist and critic. His work is marked by lucid prose, awareness of social injustice, opposition to totalitarianism, and commitment to democratic socialism.

9. The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe: The Chronicles of Narnia



     The Chronicles of Narnia is a series of seven high fantasy novels by author C.S. Lewis. It is considered a classic of children's literature and is the author's best-known work, having sold over 100 million copies in 47 languages.^[1][2] Written by Lewis between 1949 and 1954,

10. Jane Eyre (Hardcover Classics)

     For decades, people have enjoyed losing themselves in the stories of classic literary characters, including wondering about the secrets hidden in Mr. Rochester's attic. The novels of Charlotte Brontë remain as popular, relevant, and enjoyable for the modern reader as they were for their contemporary readership, continuing to sell in the thousands. Elegantly packaged, with a textured, cloth-effect jackets, this novel will remain a must-read for generations to come.

11. Catch-22

     Joseph Heller (May 1, 1923 – December 12, 1999) was an American satirical novelist, short story writer, and playwright. The title of one of his works, Catch-22, entered the English lexicon to refer to a vicious circle wherein an absurd, no-win choice, particularly in situations in which the desired outcome of the choice is an impossibility, and regardless of choice, a same negative outcome is a certainty. Although he is remembered primarily for Catch-22, his other works center on the lives of various members of the middle class and remain examples of modern satire.

12.Wuthering Heights 

     Bold and unique, Emily Brontë’s Wuthering Heights is a heartbreaking tale of love, loss and vengeance.

13. Birdsong (Vintage War)

     Published to international critical and popular acclaim, this intensely romantic yet stunningly realistic novel spans three generations and the unimaginable gulf between the First World War and the present. As the young Englishman Stephen Wraysford passes through a tempestuous love affair with Isabelle Azaire in France and enters the dark, surreal world beneath the trenches of No Man's Land, Sebastian Faulks creates a world of fiction that is as tragic as A Farewell to Arms and as sensuous as The English Patient. Crafted from the ruins of war and the indestructibility of love, Birdsong is a novel that will be read and marveled at for years to come.

14. Rebecca

     Twenty-one years after it was first published this is a special anniversary edition of the bestselling and much-loved classic published for the centenary of the First World War

15. The Catcher in the Rye

     Jerome David Salinger or J.D. Salinger was a New Yorker who started writing at a very young age, when he was in secondary school. He led a reclusive life for most of his years. The Catcher in the Rye was Salinger's first published novel and was inspired from his own life as a youngster. His other works include Nine Stories, Franny and Zooey and Go See Eddie. Salinger was also into Zen Buddhism and Vedantic Yoga. He breathed his last in the year 2010.

16. The Wind in the Willows

     This book was converted from its physical edition to the digital format by a community of volunteers. You may find it for free on the web. Purchase of the Kindle edition includes wireless delivery.

17. Great Expectations

     Jerome David Salinger or J.D. Salinger was a New Yorker who started writing at a very young age, when he was in secondary school. He led a reclusive life for most of his years. The Catcher in the Rye was Salinger's first published novel and was inspired from his own life as a youngster. His other works include Nine Stories, Franny and Zooey and Go See Eddie. Salinger was also into Zen Buddhism and Vedantic Yoga. He breathed his last in the year 2010.

18. Little Women

     Following the lives of four sisters on a journey out of adolescence, Louisa May Alcott's Little Women explores the difficulties associated with gender roles in a Post-Civil War America.

19. Louis de Bernières: The Essential Guide: "Captain Corelli's Mandolin", "Troublesome Offspri (Vintage Living Texts)

     This series provides readers of all kinds with an introduction to Louis de Bernières and some of the most exciting works in contemporary literature, including Captain Corelli's Mandolin, The Troublesome Offspring of Cardinal Guzman, Señor Vivo and the Coca Lord and The War of Don Emmanuel's Nether Parts.

20. War & Peace Leo Tolstoy

     One of the great masters of the 19th-century novel, LEO TOLSTOY created a sweeping epic in War and Peace enfolding together huge events in history and politics with the emotional lives of individuals in the backdrop of Napoleonic invasions across Europe and Russia. The vast and sprawling War and Peace tells the story of survival during Napoleon's invasion of Russia. Among its many unforgettable characters are Prince Andrey Bolkonsky, Pierre Bezukhov, and the novel's most memorable heroine, Natasha. Both an intimate study of individual passions and an epic history of Russia and its people, war and Peace is a complete portrait of human existence. Out of this complex narrative emerges a profound examination of the individual's place in the historical process, one that makes it clear why Thomas Mann praised Tolstoy for his Homeric powers and placed War and Peace in the same category as the Iliad: "To read him .... is to find one's way home......to everything within us that is fundamental and sane."

21. Gone with the Wind 

     Margaret Mitchell was born in Atlanta, Georgia into a family passionately interested in American history. She grew up in an atmosphere of stories about the Civil War which she committed to paper in the ten years following her marriage in 1925. The result was Gone With The Wind, first published in 1936. It won the Pulitzer Prize, sold over ten million copies, was translated in eighteen languages, and was one of the most successful films ever made starring Vivien Leigh and Clark Gable. Gone With The Wind was her only published work. She died in 1949.

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Google Launches Android One

Google has launched the first family of Android One phones in India, saying the move is part of a "larger initiative to bring high-quality smartphones to as many people as possible."

The search giant announced the first Android One smartphones - the Karbonn Sparkle V, Micromax Canvas A1, and Spice Dream Uno - will be available from their respective online retail partners in India from 3:30pm on Monday, with physical retail store availability in early October.

The Karbonn Sparkle V will be available in Magnum Blue, Mild Grey, Wild Red and Pearl White colour variants exclusively via Snapdeal at Rs. 6,399, and the Spice Dream Uno will be available in Black and White colour variants exclusively via at Flipkart at Rs. 6,299. The Micromax Canvas A1 will be available in Black and White colour variants exclusively via Amazon, priced at Rs. 6,499.

Google says the Android One phones offer a high-quality experience, running the Android 4.4 KitKat. The company added these phones will be the first to receive the Android L release, and update that Google says will offer the new "material design, improved battery life, enhanced security features, and smarter notifications."

All 3 smartphones bear similar features hardware specifications, as well as "features particularly important to Indians" - dual SIM card slots, a FM radio tuner, and a microSD card slot for additional storage. Google apps such as Gmail, Google Maps, YouTube, Google Search, and Google Translate will come pre-loaded on the phones.

Apart from those listed above, common specifications of the Micromax Canvas A1, Karbonn Sparkle V, and Spice Dream Uno include: a 4.5-inch (480x854 pixels) IPS FWVGA display; 1.3GHz quad-core MediaTek processor; 1GB of RAM, 4GB of inbuilt storage; expandable storage support via microSD card (up to 32GB); a 5-megapixel rear camera with LED flash; a 2-megapixel front camera; Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GPS, GPRS/ EDGE, 3G, and a 1700mAh battery.

Google also announced that Airtel is offering a promotion to reduce data costs for those who buy Android One phones. With an Airtel SIM card, Android One users will get free over-the-air (OTA) updates, and 200MB per month worth of app downloads from Google Play for the first six months - all without counting toward their mobile data plan. Additionally, Google is touting the a data compression feature on Android One's Chrome browser.

The search giant also announced that in the coming weeks the YouTube app will get offline video playback in India, allowing users to store videos via Wi-Fi on their Android device, and watch them later without data connectivity.

Sundar Pichai, Google Senior Vice President of Android, Chrome & Apps, announced an expanded set of hardware partners for the Android One initiative, including Acer, Alcatel Onetouch, Asus, HTC, Intex, Lava, Lenovo, Panasonic, and Xolo, as well as chipmaker Qualcomm. The company also announced that Android One phones will launch in Indonesia, the Philippines, and additional countries in South Asia by the end of the year.

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