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.
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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
Weekly Roundup: Bitcoin founder unveiled, Apple CarPlay hands-on and more!
You might say the week is never really done in consumer technology news. Your workweek, however, hopefully draws to a close at some point. This is the Weekly Roundup on Engadget, a quick peek back at the top headlines for the past seven days — all handpicked by the editors here at the site. Click on through the break, and enjoy.
Bitcoin’s elusive founder reportedly discovered living in California
Ever heard of Satoshi Nakamoto? He’s the mysterious individual said to be the creator of Bitcoin, and Newsweek claims to have found him. Indeed, a man by the name of Satoshi Nakamoto lives in California, but whether he’s really the father of the digital currency is still up for debate.
Apple CarPlay hands-on
This week at the Geneva Auto Show, Apple unveiled its new in-car interface called CarPlay. So naturally, Engadget’s Matt Brian hopped into a nearby Ferrari for a test run. Read on for our video and hands-on photos.
10 Years In: The birth of Engadget
Since March 2, 2004, Engadget has been keeping people from all four corners of the globe in touch with the latest and greatest gadget news. And wow… what a ride it’s been. Whether you’re a casual techie or hardcore early adopter, we hope you’ll join us in celebrating Engadget’s 10th anniversary!
Hands-on with Samsung’s Milk Music internet radio service
Samsung’s getting its own piece of the internet radio pie with Milk. Milk Music, to be exact. The company’s new adless music service brings a unique, Slacker-powered way to explore online radio. The catch? It’s only available for Galaxy devices.
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Filed under: Misc
Mt. Gox CEO’s blog hacked, database leak claims there should be a 951k Bitcoin balance
The latest twist in the fall of Bitcoin exchange Mt. Gox is here, as CEO Mark Karpeles, personal blog, MagicalTux.net (along with his Tumblr and Reddit accounts) has apparently been hacked. Whoever has control now used them to post a “MtGox2014Leak.zip” that claims to show “relevant database dumps, csv exports, specialized tools, and some highlighted summaries compiled from data.” We wouldn’t recommend downloading the file or running its included executable (pictured above, it claims to be from Mt. Gox parent company Tibanne Ltd.), but some already have. Several posters on Reddit and Twitter report they’ve verified their personal account balances with the data in it — also available as an Excel spreadsheet — tied to the user id included in their first Mt. Gox registration e-mail.
[Image credit: Reddit]
If the leaked information is valid (and, if valid, accurate, considering Mt. Gox’s vulnerability and accounting issues), it reports a sum of 951,116.21905382 Bitcoins deposited by users. During a news conference in Japan, Karpeles claimed 850,000 Bitcoins (worth around $549 million at current prices) had disappeared due to “weaknesses in the system,” while bankruptcy filings claimed a debt of $63.6 million. How many Bitcoins were really left in the vault, what happened to the rest and whether or not account holders will ever get their currency back is still unknown.
Forbes points out a (now deleted) forum post that offered a 20GB Mt. Gox database file for sale at a price of 100 Bitcoins. The poster claimed it holds personal details and even passport scans of the site’s users, which only adds to the concerns of anyone who had an account before the exchange shut down last month. Meanwhile, Bitcoin watchers have noticed $113 million in coins linked to Mt. Gox accounts moving through the blockchain (check out our Primed article to find out how mining and trasaction verifications work) recently, which Coindesk suggests could be preparation to use them “for a high volume of transactions.”
Filed under: Internet
Source: Reddit, MagicalTux
Neil Young’s music player for audiophiles reaches Kickstarter on March 15th
We now know how Neil Young plans to make his dreams of high-quality digital music come true: crowdfunding. The artist’s company PonoMusic is launching a Kickstarter campaign on March 15th that will let you reserve the PonoPlayer, Young’s long-teased, audiophile-grade portable jukebox. The 128GB device will set you back a whopping $399 when it goes on sale (less with the Kickstarter discount), but its creators are promising audio fidelity worthy of the price tag. The hardware will offer natural-sounding digital filtering from Ayre Acoustics, ESS’ most advanced digital-to-analog converter and “perfectly flat” frequency response with most any set of headphones. As you might expect, there will be a matching online store that delivers high-resolution tunes. The PonoMusic team hasn’t said just when its media player will reach your pocket, but it shouldn’t be too long before you’re listening to a pristine version of Harvest while on the move.
Filed under: Portable Audio/Video, Internet
Via: Pitchfork
Source: Computer Audiophile (1), (2)
Download the All New HTC One wallpapers here Now!
The All New HTC One is now only a mere 2 weeks away and many of us are eagerly waiting for its announcement. While there are basically no secrets about the appearance of HTC’s new flagship, thanks to an abundance of leaks, we’re still interested to see what the software and general user interface of the device might entail. And some of us just want to see what the All New HTC One wallpapers look like. Thanks to various sources around the internet, it appears these wallpapers might have been found, and you can check out all 18 of them down below:
We spotted these wallpapers in quite a few places today without a solid source, so we can’t be sure that they’re real, but the set of wallpapers does include two of leaked wallpapers that we’ve seen before (see here and here). Furthermore, the wallpapers do come in the 2160×1920 resolution we’re expecting from the All New HTC One as we suspect the device has a 1080p display.
Whatever the real story is, we have a set of fantastic looking wallpapers to use, and if they’re from the All New HTC One, that’s even better. Let us know what you think about the wallpapers in the comments.
Source: Google+ (1), (2), XDA
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