Sony and Panasonic announce the Archival Disc, a new optical disc standard for long-term storage
Aiming to offer a long-term storage option in disc form, Sony and Panasonic have announced the new Archival Disc format that will store between 300GB and 1TB per disc. The companies are bigging up the non-HDD form factor for its hardiness to temperature and humidity. They’re also promising “inter-generational compatibility” between different formats as the standard matures — but we’ll believe it when we see it. While the initial team-up was signed back in July last year, the current roadmap suggests we’ll see the first 300GB discs from Summer 2015. Storage upgrades will follow, in line with signal processing improvements, with high linear density processing (which all sounds good) supposedly set to offer up to a magical one terabyte of space per disc. We’ll just go ahead and throw away all these Blu-rays.
Filed under: Misc, Peripherals, Storage, Science, Sony
Source: Sony
Talon for Twitter is a Super-Sexy Twitter Client – APP OF THE WEEK
When it came to my Twitter needs, Falcon Pro was my dear friend. Ever since the developers launched it as just a simple widget, I instantly became attracted to it, simply because I am a widgethead. I would briefly look at some of the other Twitter clients out there, but none of them seem to catch my eye like the Falcon widget did. Once Falcon Pro came into our lives, I felt I was never going to need another Twitter client again. Boy was I wrong.
Ever since I updated my HTC One to Android 4.4 KitKat, I would have countless problems with Falcon Pro. Constant force closes, pictures not uploading, and my feed not refreshing, were just some of the problems I was having. I thought maybe is just the One, but once I got the Nexus 5, same problems occurred. I finally got fed up with all the annoying problems, and got suggestions for Talon from my Twitter followers. I thank you guys oh so very much.
Talon for Twitter is a super-sexy Twitter client, that runs smooth, runs super-quick, and has no problems on my phone. The navigation is smooth as silk, and has the Holo slide-out navigation that we all love dearly. You can theme Talon as well, and there are many themes to choose from in the Play Store already, and I am sure more are coming. I love the layers of info that show up while using the app, for instance, when it let’s you know how many tweets you are from the top. Little eye pleasing features like that can go a long way. Talon also takes up the full screen on my Nexus 5, which is another lovely added bonus to make me never want to use anything else twitter again.
So I highly recommend using Talon because I guarantee you that you will not use another client. It is $2.00 in the Play Store, but it is worth it. Check out my video run-through below to see it in action.
UK Prime Minister wants a ‘permanent technological revolution’… and movies downloaded in a second
David Cameron outlined his Spectrum Strategy for the UK’s digital future, touching on 5G mobile broadband, better use of existing wireless frequencies and (as we keep hearing) the internet of things. In a speech at CeBIT 2014 in Hanover, he said: “This is a world on fast forward, a world of permeant technological revolution. Countries like the UK and Germany will only succeed if we have a relentless drive for new ideas and innovations.” The government plans to stake £45 million (around $75 million) on research into that pesky internet of things, with the Prime Minister reckoning that improved spectrum use will lead to economic benefits of around £100 billion by 2025 — and probably less spinning wheel of death.
Filed under: Internet
Source: Businessweek, The Guardian
The Samsung Galaxy S5 is so hot it’s set a factory on fire. Literally.
Despite reservations from critics about its overall innovation and design, the Samsung Galaxy S5 still appears to have garnered a lot of attention and a lot of interest, becoming one of the hottest topics of the last month, but we never expected this: apparently, the Samsung Galaxy S5 is so hot that it’s set a factory on fire, in particular a factory that has been contracted to build the S5′s PCBs.
It wasn’t some small, contained fire either; the fire required the attention of 287 firefighters and 80 fire vehicles, causing an estimated $1 billion in equipment damage. Thankfully, it seems that nobody has been hurt. Samsung hasn’t outright said that this incident is going to affect the launch date of the S5, however, it has said they are looking at getting the same PCBs from other factories as to not cause a delay. With a month till the April 11th release date, we hope they get that sorted soon.
Do you think this incident is going to affect the Samsung Galaxy S5 supply when it is finally released? Let us know your opinion in the comments.
Source: Asia News Agency via SamMobile
Android wearable SDK coming soon
‘Unofficial’ Google Now watch concept
Google bought WIMM Labs back in 2012 and there have been numerous rumors of a smartwatch, but soon it will all be unveiled. On Sunday during a panel discussion with John Battelle at the South by Southwest conference in Austin, Texas, Sundar Pichai, Google’s senior vice president of Chrome, Apps, and Android, announced that the search giant will be releasing an SDK within the next two weeks to will allow third-party developers to create Android software for wearable computing devices.
Google may redefine the smartwatch or fitness band, but these Android apps from the SDK are said to not just be limited to a device for your wrist, but be used for many others as well, such as a “jacket loaded with sensors and powered by Android.”
We may soon see Google’s “vision” for the future of wearable technology, but Pichai also said that it may be sometime before any consumer products are available as there will be an extension period of collecting developer feedback from the SDK. Perhaps this will be similar to the way Google has been running its Google Glass Explorer Program.
The post Android wearable SDK coming soon appeared first on AndroidGuys.
Google to Release Android SDK for Wearable Devices in Two Weeks
Speaking at this year’s South by Southwest conference, Google executive Sundar Pichai announced today that the company will be releasing an Android software development kit (SDK) for wearable devices in two weeks, reports The Wall Street Journal.
The news comes ahead of Google’s I/O developer’s conference in June, where the company is likely to unveil its own smart watch developed in collaboration with electronics manufacturer LG.
Google executive Sundar Pichai told the South by Southwest conference Sunday that the company plans to release in two weeks a software development kit based on Android for makers of wearable devices, such as smartwatches.
Pichai stated that Google is releasing its Android SDK for wearables ahead of actual devices in order to gather “plenty of feedback,” as the company’s smartwatch will likely be the first device to run its new software. The Wall Street Journal also reported in February that the new mobile operating system will integrate the company’s Google Now voice assistant and search feature.
Apple is widely rumored to be working on its own “iWatch” smart watch that could be revealed in the fall, which is said to carry a “full” version of iOS that emphasizes biometrics and integration with other iOS devices. According to the most recent reports, the device will include advanced sensors to track a variety of health metrics such as a user’s blood pressure, hydration, heart rate and more. Other rumors have suggested that Apple is developing “Healthbook“, an iOS 8 app that would help the iWatch monitor and track health statistics like weight, heart rate, calories and step counts in conjunction with the iPhone.
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Panasonic’s 4K-ready Lumix GH4 priced at $1,700, ships in late April
Panasonic promised it would deliver a GH mirrorless camera capable of recording 4K video for under $2,000, and now we know just how far under that is. The Lumix GH4 camera body and its 16MP CMOS Micro Four Thirds sensor will cost $1,700, while the optional YAGH pro audio/video interface unit is available for an extra $2,000. The pre-order listings on Panasonic’s website currently show an estimated ship date of late April. EOSHD.com confirms the same information from retailers like Adorama and B&H, which also have their pre-order buttons ready. Check out our hands-on impressions of the camera and Panasonic’s own 4K demo reel if you need some convincing about how it will measure up to its predecessor, the GH3.
Filed under: Cameras
Via: EOSHD.com
Source: Panasonic (1), (2)
How would you change HTC’s 8X?
It seems like forever ago that HTC was making Windows Phone devices, but it’s not even been a year. HTC’s 8X earned plenty of praise for the fantastic performance, build and battery life – not to mention the display and camera. The downside, of course, was Windows Phone 8, which, at the time, was still too young to hit the spot for our tame phone reviewers. But what about you? We guess that plenty of you would have picked up this phone, so share with us your experiences and what, if anything, you would have changed.
Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, Microsoft, HTC
Source: Engadget Forums
HTC Talks Ultrapixel Technology in New Technical Translation Video
HTC is at it again with their new technical translation campaign. First, we got to know HTC’s most brilliant feature from the HTC One, BoomSound. Then they talked about the metal body of the One, which we can all agree on was a sexy about the One. Now we get a technical translation of HTC’s ultrapixel camera technology, and just like the other videos, the hilarity arises.
When HTC announced the ultrapixel technology, many of us scratched our heads. When you hear megapixel, its familiar and the more the merrier. HTC felt like changing the game by lowering the megapixels, but assured us that ultrapixels will all but make up for it, especially when it comes to low light. Anyways, check out the video below and let us know what you think of it.
Amazon Prime Instant video adds Orphan Black as a streaming exclusive
The latest TV show to become a streaming-exclusive on Amazon Prime’s video service is the sci-fi series Orphan Black. Like Amazon’s recent deal to pick up streaming rights for FX’s The Americans, this agreement with BBC America comes just ahead of the show’s return for season two. While Amazon attempts to build up its stable of original series (voting on the current pilot season ends soon), collaborating with broadcasters for a financial and exposure push of returning series seems like a worthwhile strategy. Other shows that viewers won’t find on Amazon’s competitors include Suits, Falling Skies, Downton Abbey, Justified, Workaholics, and Under the Dome, while this summer CBS’ Extant joins the pack. Of course, Netflix has an original sci-fi show of its own, Sense8, on the way later this year from the folks behind The Matrix and Babylon 5. Right now though, US viewers can either recap or become introduced to Tatiana Maslany’s Clone Club before the season two premiere April 19th.
Filed under: Home Entertainment, HD, Amazon
Source: Amazon
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