What is HDR and How to Use HDR on Android?

HDR, stands for “high dynamic range”, is another amazing photograph technology that is not much discussed as the Photo Sphere or NFC.People can use HDR mode on Android to get the awesome panoramic pictures at ease if you have master the technology. So, what is really the HDR? How to use it in the best way? And is it available to every Android device? Next, we will discuss it.

What is HDR?

HDR refers to the method of capturing images having “greater dynamic range between the lightest and darkest areas of an image than current standard digital imaging methods or photographic methods” according to the Wikipedia. To put it simply, it means improving the image quality in contrast ratio and color effects.

The process of HDR working involves shot the same subject three times at three different exposures--low, regular, and high--and then merged to one highly detailed image. The image you have created will looks very closer to what your eye sees. Some photographers prefer to use the HDR software to merge and edit the images to get more dreamlike images.

The most high-quality HDR photos are taken with dSLR cameras and then edited in a program like Photoshop. HDR on Android follow the same principles but simpler than that, it usually correct the instabilities of exposure in great details on both the background and foreground of the subject.

Check out the HDR Mode on Android

HDR isn’t common among Android devices but some customer interface like HTC One X include the feature in the camera app. To check out whether your phone has the capability of HDR, you need to look for the HDR option in your device’s Camera app, try Shooting Mode,Camera Scenes or camera’sSettings menu. For Nexus device, only Nexus 4 supports HDR mode which can be easily turned on by long-tapping the viewfinder and tapping the HDR icon.

If your Android phone doesn’t have the built-in HDR feature, you can still download HDR Camera App(for example, Pro HDR) directly from the play store to take striking images.

How do you use HDR Mode on Android?

It is not difficult to use HDR on your Android device. All you need to do is enable HDR Mode launch camera app and shot the subject as usual. Just remember make the camera stable because HDR doesn’t perform well on the movement when capturing photos. The process will takes a little longer.

For Samsung Android device, there will be two pictures, one is the HDR image and the other one is the one with normal exposure. You can make a comparison between them.

When to Use the HDR Mode?

• Landscapes photos.Landscape photos usually need a lot of contrast between sky and land especially when the sky is too bright and the subject has a dark foreground. With HDR, you can capture the rich details of background and forground.
• Portraits in Sunlight or with bright background.To take a portrait, too much light will lead to underexposed, and HDR can help to solve the problem and make the photo look better.
• Low-Light and Dim Scenes.To make bright photo in low-light or dim scenes, just use HDR which can brighten up the foreground without washing out the well-lit portions of your photo.

When You Shouldn’t use HDR

• Taking photo with moving subjects. HDR will take three photos and combine them into one picture, so if the subject is moving, use HDR won’t make good final image. 
• Capturing realistic colors.If you just want the black shadow or the original color of the subject or the high contrast scene, then turn off HDR as it will enhance a photo’s details. 
• When flash is needed. Some Android devices will disable flash when HDR is enabled.

Finally
HDR is just another interesting and fun function of Android camera. It can of course be a great tool to help you take better photos. But it is also not suitable for every condition, and you need to make good control of it. For other Android devices which don’t have the HDR mode, just get a HDR camera app to experience HDR if interested.

What is NFC and How to Use NFC on Android Devices?

NFC, short for Near Field Communication, is better known to us for wireless payments. And since it is used on Android system in the mobile industry for file transferring, it is fast growing. Most high-end Android devices include the NFC technology, such as Google Nexus, Samsung Galaxy S3, Nexus 4, HTC One X, and more. So, what is NFC and how does it work? Following is the answer.

What is NFC?
NFC is based on radio-frequency identification, or RFID, which allows a gadget to send radio waves to another gadget or to another RFID-enabled tag and trigger a certain action. Just like the name implies, NFC is a short-ranged wireless communications standard that allows two devices to exchange data when in the proximity of each other.

It is similar to Bluetooth technology, the difference is that if you will, allowing two devices to interact with each other. But NFC works only in very close proximity, the ideal distance is up to 4cm (1.57 inches), while Bluetooth can pair devices up to 50 meters apart. This makes NFC become more efficient in power and more security in payments.

General use of NFC
1.Data Sharing

The most popular use of NFC is of course data sharing, with two activated NFC-based Android devices, then you can start the sharing the content including photos/images, contact info, webpages, videos, apps, etc.

1. Open the content to be shared and put both devices’ backs against each other.
2. When heard of the sound and haptic confirmation that both devices have detected each other, touch the sender’s screen which shrinks into a thumbnail and display “Touch to beam” at the top. And the beaming is beginning with a sound alert.
3. An audio confirmation will appear when beaming finishes, and meanwhile you’ll also get either a notification that the beaming has completed, or the appropriate handler app will launch and open the beamed content.

Note:

• Sharing apps via NFC just shares the app’s Play Store page.
• Sharing web pages via NFC only sends the Web page URL.
• Sharing YouTube Videos will direct the receiving phone’s YouTube app to the video.
• Not all NFC-capable devices can share photos to each other, nor at sharing videos.

2.Using NFC Tags

Except for content sharing, we can use a programmed NFC tag to configure phone’s or tablet’s settings with just a tap. An NFC tag is an unpowered NFC chip, small enough to be embedded in items such as posters, movie passes, business cards, and more. It can store small chunks of data covering a URL, contact info, or even commands and settings, which can be read by an NFC-capable device. You can see the convenient use via the below video by Sony.

To read the data from or write data to such NFC tags, you’ll need an NFC tag-reading or tag-writing app, such as the NFC Task Launcher app. As for how to use the NFC tag, you can read this CNET article.

You can use the NFC tag for :

• Wi-Fi and Bluetooth settings (including Airplane mode, auto-sync, GPS on/off, mobile data on/off)
• Sound and volume settings (sound profile, ringtone, ring/notification volume, notification tone, media volume, system volume, alarm volume, and vibrate when ringing)
• Display options (brightness, notification light, auto rotation, display timeout)
• Social media (tweeting, checking in via check-in services such as Foursquare, Facebook, Google Latitude, Google Places)
• Messages (autosync, sending email, composing SMS, send Glympse)
• Apps and shortcuts (open app, close app, open activity, pause, open URL/URI, speak text, navigation, dock, car dock)
• Multimedia (start/stop media playback, move to next media, play previous media)
• Alarms (set alarm, set timer)
• Events (create event, create calendar timestamp)
• Security (activate lockscreen)
• Make phone call
• Samsung-specific modes (blocking mode, driving mode, power saving mode)
• Create Tasker tasks

3.Mobile Payment

In order to use NFC payment, you need a NFC connection, a secure application to handle the users’ credit cards, debit cards, tickets, coupons and other elements that would allow customers to complete a purchase in a store, and NFC readers installed in store.

Future of NFC
NFC is more efficient and the NFC tag has added more attraction on it. At present, the Android 4.0 also includes the NFC technology. It is not hard to image the popularity of NFC in the future. So, do you want a NFC-based smartphone?