Weekends with Engadget: Amazon’s Fire Phone, 3D-printed body parts and more!

This week, we went hands-on with Amazon’s Fire Phone, learned about T-Mobile Test Drive, investigated laser-cut clothing and more! Read on for Engadget’s news highlights from the last seven days. Oh, and be sure to subscribe to our Flipboard magazine!

The Fire phone is Amazon’s ultimate hardware weapon

This week, Amazon announced its first-ever handset: the Fire phone. Sure, it’s got six cameras and a 3D interface, but what’s most intriguing is a new feature called Firefly. Read on as Chris Velazco breaks down the importance of Amazon’s new smartphone and its visual search engine.

T-Mobile Test Drive lets you borrow an iPhone 5s for a week

What’s T-Mobile up to next? Well, thanks to the company’s latest endeavor called Test Drive, you can borrow an iPhone 5s for a whole seven days. Oh, and it starts this tomorrow.

These are the biggest third-party games at E3 2014

This year at E3, the focus was on games, more games and yep, lots of games. Read on for our complete list of the biggest third-party games from the event, including The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, Destiny and Alien: Isolation.

This is what a $22,000 Android phone feels like

What you’re looking at is the Vertu Signature Touch, and it costs $22,000. This spectacular handset combines the experience of Android 4.4 with a grade 5 titanium body, fifth-gen sapphire screen and yes, a conditioned “Damson Lizard” skin.

Amazon’s Firefly recognizes everything you see and hear, then lets you buy it

Alongside the announcement of its first phone, Amazon unveiled Firefly: a new feature that can identify the music you hear, the art on your wall and even those fresh kicks on your friend’s feet. Why? Well, so you can buy them from Amazon (surprise!).

Adobe Ink and Slide review: A software giant tries its hand at hardware

Adobe’s breaking into the hardware space with its Creative Cloud-connected stylus and drafting ruler: the Ink and Slide. Read on as Billy Steele puts both devices through the wringer and learn whether this premium set of sketching accessories is worth its $200 price tag.

Honeywell’s Lyric thermostat is a worthy Nest competitor

Honeywell’s Lyric thermostat might be $30 more than the well-established Nest, but it’s a worthy contender. Read on as Sarah Silbert goes hands-on with the $279 device and explores its geofencing features.

What you need to know about laser-cut clothing

What’s at the convergence of science and fashion? Laser-cut clothing, that’s what. Read on for everything you need to know about such intricately designed garments and their impact on the industry.

Inside Game 5 of the 2014 NBA Finals

The 2014 NBA Finals might be over (go Spurs), but you can relive some of the glory by perusing a few of our court-side photos. With camera in hand, Edgar Alvarez tours the AT&T Center for a behind-the-scenes look at the epic sports event.

What you need to know about 3D-printed organs

From artistic chocolates to vehicles and houses, 3D printers are capable of building almost anything — including body parts. Read on as Mariella Moon investigates the science of 3D-printed organs and its implications on modern medicine.

Filed under: Misc

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The US military wants walls that automatically pop out of cans

Many soldiers dream of having instant cover on the battlefield, and it looks like they might just get their wish. DARPA is soliciting proposals for BlockADE (Block Access to Deny Entry), a system that would automatically form a barrier from material stuffed into a canister 1ft by 6.5ft or smaller. If US troops needed to block off an entrance or create a makeshift building, all they’d have to do is hit a button — much more effective than sandbagging or pitching a tent, we’d say.

At the least, DARPA wants BlockADE designs to slow down intruders with axes or saws. However, the agency is also looking for as many extra features as it can get, including “ballistic resistance;” ideally, soldiers could take cover behind the insta-wall in case of a firefight. There’s no certainty that this will happen, mind you. DARPA is likely many months away from seeing what prototypes can do, let alone a finished system. Even if the resulting technology isn’t bulletproof, though, it could be extremely useful for creating impromptu bases, perimeters and disaster shelters.

[Image credit: AP Photo/Aaron Favila]

Filed under: Misc

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Via: io9, The Verge

Source: FedBizOpps.gov

Solowheel unicycles are now cheaper and lighter, but still hard to tame

I’m not going to lie: Various parts of my body are still in agony as I’m typing up this article. Yesterday, I attended Inventist’s Beijing event where it launched four new Solowheel electric unicycles, as well as the two-wheeled Hovertrax. And in case you didn’t get my hint, yes, I had the fortune of test riding some of these human transporters afterwards. For those who aren’t familiar with the Solowheel, imagine this: it’s like a Segway but sans handle and only with one wheel between your legs, so you’d have to work harder to tame the self-balancing mechanism. If you’re already a unicyclist then this shouldn’t be a problem at all.

The new range of Solowheels start from a much lower price point than the original $1,995 version. First, we have the Spirit, which is essentially the original version modernized with a more stylish look, a more powerful 1,500W motor (instead of 1,000W) and better battery cells. It also packs new features like headlights, tail lights plus Bluetooth connectivity for tracking its speed, mileage and battery status in its upcoming mobile app and dedicated wearable device. Surprisingly, the Spirit only costs $1,199.

Then we have the $1,499 Cruise, which is essentially just a prettier version of the Spirit with color customization option. Next up is the $2,199 Xtreme, which is a ruggedized model with a larger 18-inch wheel plus a sturdier 1,800W motor, but lacking headlights and a kickstand. All three models can reach a top speed of 16km/h and can go as far as 25km after a full two-hour charge (or just one hour with the optional rapid charger). On a related note, the Solowheels have regenerative braking and gliding with up to 70 percent efficiency.

The $2,599 Orbit is the odd one out of the four Solowheels, and it can be considered as the company’s new flagship product. While the other three models weigh between 11kg and 12kg, this one is just 6kg thanks to its hollow center, yet it packs a whopping 2,000W motor and still manages the same top speed of 16km/h. Its smaller battery is actually tucked underneath the fixed pedals (the other models have foldable pedals), and while it offers a shorter 12km range, it takes half the time to charge up fully, plus it still supports energy regeneration. Other tradeoffs include the lack of lights, waterproofing, kickstand, battery indicator and double-layered casing; but otherwise, the Orbit should suffice as an everyday short commute vehicle. The high price also reflects the not-so-obvious technological challenges Inventist faced during the two years spent developing the Orbit.

Last but not least, there’s the $1,199 Hovertrax which breaks away from the Solowheel series. In fact, Inventist already unveiled this in May last year for its Kickstarter campaign, though it has yet to start shipping to backers. You can think of this two-wheeled device as a mini handle-less Segway that you can store in a backpack. Unlike the Solowheels, there’s no steep learning curve here: You control the speed by again leaning forward or backward, and you change the direction by simply twisting the Hovertrax with your feet. With a full half-hour rapid charge, this vehicle can cover up to 15km but with a top speed of just 8km/h — which, as I found out during my test ride, is a necessary speed cap due to the sharp turns it can make.

Inventist claims that most people will get the hang of its Solowheels in 15 to 20 minutes, but I was struggling a lot even almost 20 minutes later, as you can see in the above video. At the beginning, I was told to start by pushing the Solowheel with one of my legs, as if I was on a mini scooter. But my legs and waist quickly grew tired as I struggled to stay balanced while pushing at the same time. It was a similar painful sensation I felt in my early days of learning ice skating. Without any handles to hold onto, my arms were everywhere which probably didn’t help, either; though I only realized this when watching my hands-on video clips. Eventually, I gave up. My muscles were aching and I had a flight to catch, but I wouldn’t mind giving it a go again with proper shoes instead of sandals.

Washington-based Inventist told us that we can expect these devices to hit the Chinese market in about two months’ time, and interestingly, South Korea is the next Asian country to prep a major launch. Shane Chen, the company’s founder and chief inventor, added that the Solowheel has a strong following in both the US and China, so it shouldn’t be long before these new unicycles show up stateside as well.

Filed under: Transportation

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[Interview] CEO of Blu Products on spec wars, upcoming products, LTE support, and more!

Blu Products is one of our favourite trendy brands featuring a variety of devices to meet the needs of smartphone consumers alike. AndroidGuys had a chance to have some of our top questions answered by BLU’s Chief Executive Officer, Samuel Ohev-Zion.

Our Questions Answered

In a growing world of “bigger is better” and “spec wars”, what products that you offer provides the best of all Blu devices?

We think the spec wars will become quickly irrelevant and disconnected from the consumer mindset, as people will start to ask “what device is good enough” and look for value, since we’re starting to see the performance of product priced at $200 or even lower, match up just fine with $600-$700 flagships. With this in mind, we will have several devices in this price range able to provide incredible value.

As a company that produces many devices, stylistically, what does Blu best showcase?

We best showcase giving consumers the freedom to choose what style fits them best. No one else does that. So the fact we have such a variety of appealing handsets and in amazing colors already puts us ahead of the competition.

When a company releases quite a few devices a year, a valid question that many consumers have is regarding software updates. What is the current BLU Products stance regarding software updates and upgrades for security patches (if applicable) and to newer versions of Android?

Several of our older Life Series and Studio Series will get kit-kat updates very soon. It’s impossible to update every single device, but that’s something we are committed towards improving. The good news is that BLU resale value is high. You can sell your used BLU device on Amazon. eBay, or even to a friend for almost the same price you paid for it. So if you desperately need the latest Android Version, sell your old BLU device, and go get a brand new BLU device with the latest OS version.

While many know Blu as a company that sells affordable lower to mid-range devices, what misconceptions, if any, can we clear up about the market of “spec wars” and what Blu has to offer?

We don’t get into spec wars. Our focus is creating a product that consumers can be proud to own, and show off, and passionate about.

In higher end unlocked devices that Blu offers, can consumers soon expect LTE network capability moving forward?

We will have at least 6 different LTE models launched before October 2014.

We at AndroidGuys have seen pretty amazing devices this year, and have had the pleasure of reviewing select phones. How does Blu answer to the current smartphone market and market demographics?

We have a vast portfolio that has a perfect device suited for everyone no matter their preferences. So plenty of answers for market available.

A question that has plagued our readers is about select Blu devices that seemingly are doubles of other devices, such as the Blu Life Pure XL and the Gionee Elife E7. We wanted to set the record straight with the following question. We asked the following:

What relationships does Blu Products have with distributors such as Gionee of India, and how do this benefit the end consumer?

Gionee India is a subsidiary of the Gionee parent company in China. This is a great partnership, where Gionee and BLU are able to co-develop exciting products together and obtain large volumes for production by leveraging our strength in different sales territories. By uniting BLU’s sales strength in the Western Hemisphere with Gionee’s sales strength in the East such as China and India, our combined efforts allow us to source and secure the best components and technologies available in the world today, which otherwise would have not been possible.

What type of developmental supports are used to help or allow development by 3rd Party developers for BLU Software? Is development either encouraged or discouraged?

At this time, we are focused on the user experience for our consumers by optimizing our BLU software internally. In the future 3rd party developers will be something we will be looking at, but not in our short term focus.

A growing trend in many smartphone markets is creating waterproof, drop proof, water resistant, and or MIL 810G spec devices, perhaps is there anything in the pipelines that we can show AndroidGuys readers about who are more prone to damaging their devices?

Of course we are always working on these types of devices, such as last year’s water and dust proof Tank 4.5 device with IP67 certification. We will continue to focus on that, so your readers will have to tune in and see what the future holds in store.

Blu’s Life Pure Series has really hit the ground running, and we’ll be working with Blu Products and parent company CT-Miami to showcase and review select devices offered by Blu in the future. We’re excited to see what devices are next from this extraordinary company. Learn how ‘There’s a BLU for YOU!’ at their website.

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ROM of the Week: OmniROM

ROM of the Week is dedicated to highlighting our favorite custom ROMs and builds for Android users. If you’re the type who likes to tinker and push their device to new limits then this column is for you.

Note that this isn’t the sort of thing that every AndroidGuys reader will enjoy; however, it can be an eye opener. Our hope here is that we help you discover something new and exciting that you can do with your favorite smartphone. Enjoy!

This week’s ROM of the Week goes to OmniRom, which has built a literal playground for developers from beginners to veterans to try out new features or to create your own.  Omni goes to great lengths in order to help guide you, if you’re interested, in developing for Omni or porting to other devices.  All of this useful information can be found here at their wiki site. 

Like a majority of ROMs out there for Android, they all start with Google’s vanilla version of Android and begin to modify it with features they think are necessary or cool! Omni is geared towards all users and incorporates all kinds of functionality that makes customizing your device great! The rom is lightweight and offers many options for power users to tweak usage settings for your device.

Features

Here is a list of features that can be found on OmniRom:

• Flippable Quick Settings
• Roadrunner mode
• Multi-window
• Daydream enhancements
• Integrated Performance Control
• Multi-workspace
• Color-changeable

Two of my favorite features are Multi-workspace and Flippable Quick Settings.  Multi-workspace is very similar to Samsung’s TouchWiz, where it supports multiple windows at the same time.  Flippable Quick Settings are unique and the first time I had seen a feature like this.  It isn’t something fancy, but you can flip over your wifi quick setting to give a more thorough breakdown of the network.

Device Support

Omni has a plethora of devices that either the developers created or other people have ported over.  You can check out the official list here!

The features really speak for themselves and thanks to user @noodles90 for all the hard work in putting these together! Check out the features below or if you’re having JavaScript issues, you can check them out on the next page.

Click to view slideshow.

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