CES 2015: Sony Introduces the Walkman NW-ZX2 with a Hefty Price Tag and Android 4.2
The name ” Walkman” might stir up some nostalgia if you were born last century. I remember clipping that bulky bad boy onto my hip and popping in those cassette tapes when I was a young lad. It was great times with that Walkman I had, but nowadays we all want every single piece of […]
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CES 2015: Adonit Debuts New Jot Pro and Jot Mini Styluses with Improved Grip, Carrying Clip [iOS Blog]
Adonit today unveiled its new Jot Pro and Jot Mini styluses at CES 2015, which feature grip enhancements and new color options while carrying the same “Precision Disc” ball point design that allows for more precise writing and sketching as opposed to rubber tipped styluses.
The new Jot Pro comes with a carrying clip and and an etched grip for enhanced comfort, along with an improved cushion tip for quiet writing. Meanwhile, the new Jot Mini also comes with a carrying clip and features the same aluminum and steel body that weighs 13 grams. Both styluses are now offered in in black or silver. 
Adonit’s new Jot Pro (left) and Jot Mini (right) in silver
The new Jot Pro and Jot Mini are available today from Adonit’s website for $29.99 and $39.99, respectively.
‘CES Unveiled’ Hints at 2015’s Hottest Categories: Sensors, Cameras, and Wearables
The Consumer Electronics Show doesn’t officially kick off until Tuesday, but some of the craziest and most interesting products were already on display on Sunday at CES Unveiled, a media-focused pre-event that traditionally highlights many of the best products coming out at CES.
I was on-hand at CES Unveiled to represent MacRumors and managed to navigate through the madness of food and drink booths and throngs of press to get a look at some of the neatest products you can expect to see across 2015.
There were multiple different wearable devices on display, ranging from traditional activity trackers to Belty, a smart belt that expands and contracts to fit your waistline, but a couple of new options stood out. Withings’ new Activité Pop, for example, is an analog-style smart watch that you’ll actually want to wear on your wrist.
Though it looks like a traditional watch, the Activité Pop, like the first Activité watch, can track steps and sleep. It’s also water resistant, so it’s one of the few activity trackers that can be used while swimming, and its eight-month battery life means there’s no need to hassle with charging on a daily basis. This new version is lightweight and feels great on the wrist, though the watch face itself is a bit thick, especially on small wrists like mine.
The first Activité watch was prohibitively expensive at $450, but the new Pop version is just $149, making it a viable competitor to existing offerings like the Jawbone UP and Fitbit for those who want activity tracking in a traditional-looking watch form.
I also had an opportunity to check out the Zensorium Being, a rather bulky wrist-worn wearable device that tracks heart rate, activity, and sleep, like many other trackers. The Being goes above and beyond existing activity trackers though, promising to track mood much like an old 80’s-style mood ring.
There wasn’t a working version available, but it supposedly measures mood using a combination of factors like heart rate and blood pressure, mapping it into “zones” that include Distress, Excited, Normal, and Calm. The Being’s design wasn’t the greatest (and it seems a bit too thick to be worn comfortably during sleep), but the long list of unique features made it one of the standout wearables at the show. Info on battery life was a bit nebulous, with two to three days promised, but if you’re really into the mood tracking, you can pre-order today for $169.
Android 5.0 Lollipop set to roll out to Sony Xperia Z3 next month
We already new that Sony would be bringing Android 5.0 Lollipop to the “core” Xperia Z2 and Z3 lines in early 2015, with the first whispers of this timeframe surfacing in October with Sony finally confirming the news in December. Up until now, the Japanese smartphone maker hasn’t been too specific on exactly when the Lollipop rollout will happen. Sony still hasn’t given us an exact date, but they have revealed the update will begin rolling out to the Xperia Z3 next month.
It’s unclear how much longer it will take for the update to reach other members of the Z3 and Z2 family, though it’s still nice to hear that Sony is committed to bringing Lollipop sooner rather than later. We’ll be sure to update you as soon as we learn more specifics of their plans.
How do you feel about how Sony has handled its plans for Lollipop so far — about as expected, moving faster than you expected or somewhere in between? Let us know in the comments.
Sony to roll out Lollipop to Xperia Z3 lineup starting next month
During its CES 2015 press conference in Las Vegas tonight, COO of Sony Electronics Michael Fasulo announced that the company is set to start rolling out Android 5.0 Lollipop to its Xperia Z3 lineup starting next month.
HTC Desire 826 heads to Asia-Pacific with Snapdragon 610
HTC has announced the Desire 826 for the Asia-Pacific region, bringing an updated version of its mid-range smartphone to bear. The 5.5-inch display (at 1080p) is clad in a polycarbonate body and is running a 64-bit Qualcomm Snapdragon 610 processor and Android 5.0 Lollipop, sports HTC BoomSound in the new slimmed-down speakers — with Dolby Audio included. It’s also got an UltraPixel front-facing camera to go along with the 13-megapixel shooter on the back. The HTC EYE Experience software is on board as well.
More: HTC
Sony Walkman brand lives on with the ZX2
The Walkman brand has existed for more than thirty-five years. And while it is not nearly as successful as it once was, Walkman still exists today. Tonight at its CES 2015 press conference, Sony introduced the Walkman ZX2. The device is bound to make audiophiles salivate. The Walkman ZX2 supports DSD, WAV, AIFF, FLAC, and Apple Lossless among other types of audio. Aside from connecting to one of the device’s various ports, Sony allows for connecting speakers and headsets with Bluetooth and NFC connections.
For the people that want just a bit more than a music player, the Walkman ZX2 has full access to Google Play. The device is powered by Android 4.2 Jelly Bean. Just remember that this is a music player first and foremost; therefore, performance to do anything else is completely up in the air. Set expectations low for playing games and browsing the web.
Sony will release the Walkman ZX2 in the coming months with a retail price exceeding $1,000. The price may be so high due to how much it caters to audio. Or it can be the design of the Walkman ZX2. It has a premium look and feel — the uniquely placed buttons on a curve, the textured rear, the headphone jack with a gold trim. And, unsurprisingly, the Walkman ZX2 has 128GB of internal storage that can be expanded since there is a microSD card slot.
Click here for our full CES 2015 coverage.
Come comment on this article: Sony Walkman brand lives on with the ZX2
Nikon’s D5500 is its newest entry-level DSLR camera
It’s been a while since Nikon introduced its D5300 DSLR, so what better time to upgrade that model than during CES 2015. Meet the Nikon D5500, the company’s new DSLR, geared toward people who, perhaps, have just started to get into photography. Having said that, the D5500 is no slouch, and thus should have no trouble appealing to some prosumers as well. Nikon’s D5500 features a 24.2-megapixel CMOS sensor without an optical low-pass filter, aka OLPF, which is great to produce higher-quality, sharper images. To tie it all together, there’s a 3.2-inch, adjustable LCD touchscreen on the back — an upgrade from the D5300. Nikon says the D500 can handle up to 820 shots per charge with 60 percent flash usage, or 3200 without any at all. While it may look very similar to the D5300 from the outside, the D500 is a definite improvement over its predecessor. It’ll be available for $799 next month, and you’ll have the option to choose between the traditional black hue or a more spicy red colorware.
Filed under: Cameras, Misc, Peripherals, Nikon
CES 2015: The Magellan Echo Fit is Magellan’s latest smartwatch attempt and it looks pretty good
Smartwatches are the name of the game at CES 2015 so far, with wearables coming all corners of the tech industry. Another company that has just added a new entry is GPS powerhouse, Magellan, who has just announced their latest smartwatch, the Magellan Echo Fit, at CES 2015. The Echo Fit sports a healthy amount of internal equipment that […]
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Cricket dials up plus-sized ZTE Grand X Max+
Cricket and ZTE on Monday kicked off their respective CES efforts by announcing the upcoming availability of the 6-inch Grand X Max+. Set to arrive on Friday, January 9, the ZTE Grand X Max+ refreshes the plus-sized model. Chief among the changes are 4G LTE connectivity, better battery, and a wide-angle camera lens.
Priced only $200, the Grand X Max+ packs a quad-core processor, a 6-inch HD display, 3200mAh battery, and up to 16GB internal storage. With a 13-megapixel rear camera, 5-megapixel front-facing camera, 2GB RAM, and microSD expansion, it’s more than enough smartphone for the average no-contract user.
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