Apple Targeting March for Apple Watch Launch, Retail Training Begins Next Month
While Apple has yet to publicly announce a specific launch date for the Apple Watch beyond “Early 2015″, sources speaking to 9to5Mac say the company is currently planning for a March debut in the initial wave of countries. Sources in the retail segment indicate that select store employees will undergo centralized Apple Watch training the week of February 9, with those employees in turn training others at their individual stores in the days leading up to the device’s launch.
One or two representatives from many Apple Stores in the United States, depending on store and market size, will be sent to Apple offices in either Cupertino, California or Austin, Texas to learn first-hand about the Watch. These training programs will take place between February 9th and February 16th.
The report indicates Apple has been continuing to refine various aspects of the Apple Watch since its September unveiling, focusing mostly on software but also tweaking such components as the inductive charging mechanism.
Developers are currently working with Apple’s WatchKit tools and iOS 8.2 betas to build apps for Apple Watch, starting with lightweight Glances, actionable notifications, and iPhone-based apps that project portions of their interfaces to the watch. More powerful apps running directly on the Apple Watch will be possible later this year.
Unclouded updated to version 2.0, brings Material Design and OneDrive, Box.com support
Unclouded is a cloud storage management app that allows you to sign in to multiple cloud storage accounts, delete duplicate files, and otherwise manage your cloud storage services. Version 2.0 of the application hit the Google Play Store today with some pretty big changes. It was also recently featured on our best designed Android apps of 2014.
According to the Google Play Store changelog, here are the changes that occurred in version 2.0:
- Material Design was added.
- Support for Box and OneDrive.
- Animated GIF support.
- Send files to Unclouded from other apps (sharing).
- Download files to folder on device.
- Dark theme (new premium version)
- Security with PIN, Password, or Pattern (new premium version)
- Improved memory management.
- Improved image loading performance.
- Easier to use duplicates function.
This is a pretty serious update for an application that was already fairly useful. Steve Göllner, the developer, also added in that all previous premium items are now free so if you’ve been holding off on purchasing the app, your patience will officially pay off today. However, there are some items in the new premium version which include the dark theme and added security settings. You can buy them individually as in app purchases, all of them, or you can buy the “Ultimate Premium” version which makes all future premium content available to you as well. It’s also worth noting that a few people have reported issues with the newer features but we imagine those will be ironed out in future patches.
The base app is free to download for anyone who may be interested. This is a great app for people who use a lot of cloud storage on multiple services and this update only made it better. Click the button below to check it out.
Download from the Google Play Store
Pioneer joins the Android Auto aftermarket crowd
With all the buzz surrounding Android Auto at CES 2015 this year, you should not have to wait long to buy a new car with your favorite mobile operating system installed straight from the factory. If you have an older vehicle though and want to retrofit Android Auto, you are in luck as several manufacturers are bringing aftermarket solutions to the consumer. We have already seen Parrot announce their Parrot RNB 6 head unit and earlier today Kenwood announced their DDX9902S that will support Android Auto. Now Pioneer is jumping on board as well with three choices for consumers interested in Android Auto enabled devices.
The three Pioneer devices are all part of the company’s Networked Entertainment eXperience (NEX) line of in-dash multimedia receivers. Each of the models – the AVIC-8100NEX, AVIC-7100NEX and AVH-4100NEX – come equipped with 7-inch touchscreens. The 8100NEX gets a capacitive screen while the other two models will get clear resistive screens. All of the units include external microphones and wired remote input so they can be connected to factory installed steering wheel audio controls.
The cheapest of the three will be the AVH-4100NEX with a suggested retail price of $700, the AVIC-7100NEX will list at $1,200, and the top of the line AVIC-8100NEX is slated to sell for $1,400. Pioneer announced the units will be available in March 2015.
You can check out the full press release from Pioneer below and then continue to check TalkAndroid for more CES 2015 coverage.
PIONEER BRINGS ANDROID AUTO TO THE VEHICLE YOU ALREADY OWN
AVIC-8100NEX, AVIC-7100NEX and AVH-4100NEX Android Auto Ready
Pioneer Electronics (USA) Inc. today announced it will be among the first to offer Android Auto™ compatible aftermarket products. Three of Pioneer’s second generation Networked Entertainment eXperience (NEX) in-dash multimedia receivers, the AVIC-8100NEX, AVIC-7100NEX and AVH-4100NEX, will feature Android Autointegration, allowing consumers to quickly connect their compatible smartphones and extend the Android platform in a way that’s purpose-built for the car. Designed with safety in mind, Android Auto utilizes a simple and intuitive interface and powerful new voice actions for minimized distraction, so users can stay focused on the road.
“Integrating Android Auto into our second generation NEX receivers provides compatible Android smartphone owners the ability to utilize the power and connectivity of their devices for navigation, communications, music and more,” said Ted Cardenas, vice president of marketing for the Car Electronics Division of Pioneer Electronics (USA) Inc. “Android Auto delivers a familiar and consistent user experience that is optimized specifically for the automotive environment with advanced speech technology for quick and easy voice control and a unique visual display of useful and relevant contextual information.”
Pioneer’s Android Auto compatible units feature high-resolution 7-inch touchscreen displays (capacitive on the AVIC-8100NEX and clear resistive on the AVIC-7100NEX and AVH-4100NEX), an included external microphone for high quality hands free calling and voice control, and a wired remote input used for optional integration with factory installed steering wheel audio controls.
Additional Built-in Features on Compatible NEX models:
- HDMI® Connectivity
- Wideband Speech & A2DP AAC Bluetooth® Connectivity
- Android Auto Compatibility
- Apple CarPlay™ Compatibility
- MirrorLink® Connectivity
- HD Radio™ Technology
- iDataLink® Maestro® Technology
- Dual Zone Audio/Video Playback
The Pioneer AVIC-8100NEX ($1,400 SRP), AVIC-7100NEX ($1,200 SRP), and AVH-4100NEX ($700 SRP) will be available in March 2015.
Android Auto compatibility will be available in the 1st quarter of 2015 in the U.S., UK and Australia. For more information about Android Auto, visit www.android.com/auto/.
For more information regarding Android Auto compatible product availability by region, visit www.pioneer-carglobal.com/Android Auto.
Come comment on this article: Pioneer joins the Android Auto aftermarket crowd
Sharp wants to put a 120-inch 4K display on commercial walls
Every year, TVs are a big deal here at the Consumer Electronics Show. Therefore, it’s no surprise that Sharp would have a huge presence here in Las Vegas. And when I say huge, I mean huge. Just like last year, when it teased its 85-inch 8K TV with glasses-free 3D, Sharp’s now showing off a 120-inch 4K Commercial LCD display. According to the company, one day this could replace video walls in public spaces (like at Times Square, for instance), as well as projectors in classrooms and conference rooms. At the moment, there’s no word on how much one of these would cost interested parties — but it’s safe to imagine it won’t be budget-friendly at all.
Unfortunately, no image could do this display justice — you have to be in front of it to see how beautiful it is. It’s extremely, well, sharp, bright and it makes you feel as if you’re staring into a wall, living in whatever world you’re looking at. So, if you’re here at CES, it’s definitely worth checking out. And why not, maybe one day you could see one of these, or something similar, make its way into the consumer market.
BlackBerry Classic arriving on WIND Mobile very soon
WIND Mobile has been pretty open about the eventual arrival of the BlackBerry Classic on their network. Back in the middle of December they confirmed the device would be arriving and now, they’ve upgraded it to a ‘coming soon’ status, or as their most recent tweet put it, very soon.
Mophie and Incipio Announce Battery Cases for iPhone 6 and 6 Plus [iOS Blog]
Following on the heels of popular protective smartphone case manufacturer Otterbox announcing its new battery power case for the iPhone 6, both Mophie and Incipio have revealed new iterations of their popular cases for Apple’s newest smartphones as well.
Starting with Mophie, the company announced the Juice Pack Air and Juice Pack Plus for the iPhone 6 and the Juice Pack for the iPhone 6 Plus. Building on Mophie’s history of battery cases, the new Juice Pack line provides thinner, more advanced protection in all versions, with the iPhone 6 Plus seeing more than 60 percent extra battery life using the Juice Pack, and the iPhone 6 receiving 100 percent extra for the Juice Pack Air or 120 percent extra for the Juice Pack Plus.
Mophie says the new batteries yield up to an extra 17 hours of talk time, 12 hours of web browsing, 13 hours of video, and 60 hours of music.
“Our journey to bring the juice pack to consumers for every generation of iPhone continues with our latest solutions for iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus,” said Daniel Huang, mophie CEO and Co-Founder. “Since release of the original juice pack for the first iPhone, mophie battery cases have become a necessity to legions of smartphone users. Because we understand how vital these solutions are, our team remains intensely focused on quality and the level of innovative design needed to drive the direction of this industry.”
Incipio also revealed new versions of its offGRID battery case line at the Consumer Electronics Show yesterday. The company introduced four charging cases for the iPhone 6 from the offGRID line, but the announcement did not include any versions for the iPhone 6 Plus.
Incipio’s offGRID Express
The first was the offGRID Express with a 3,000 mAh battery available only in black and the only case available for purchase today. The offGRID, offGRID SHINE, and offGRID EXO were also announced, sporting more detailed protective “co-mold design” for sudden drops, varying color options, and external charging pins that allow compatibility with the also-announced offGRID Dock. The company says that “2015 marks the year of the offGRID,” said Andy Fathollahi, Chief Executive of Incipio, hoping the dramatic range of product options will satiate old fans and bring in new users.
The iPhone 6 and 6 Plus versions of the Mophie Juice Pack line are all available for pre-order from the company’s official website with prices starting at $99.95 and shipping in 3-4 weeks. Incipio’s offGRID Express case is available for purchase today for $79.99 at the company’s online store. The three other announced Incipit battery cases, along with the offGRID Dock, will be available in the first quarter of 2015 with prices ranging from $89.99 to $109.99 for the cases and $39.99 for the dock.
ZTE SPro2 Projector making its way to AT&T
Yesterday, we got a first-hand look at one of ZTE’s newest products unveiled at CES 2015: the ZTE SPro2 Smart Projector. If you are interested in picking one up when it becomes available sometime in the first quarter of 2015, you’re going to have to head over to AT&T for it. The carrier has just announced that they will carry the SPro2 as an AT&T exclusive. On the plus side, this little pico projector can handle 4G LTE speeds, but that also means you’re going to have to sign a contract and pay a monthly fee to connect this to AT&T’s network.
ZTE’s SPro2 Projector can output 720p images up to 120 inches in size, with a brightness of 200 lumens, which is double what its predecessor could produce. It can also work as a 4G LTE hotspot and connect up to 8 devices at one time. On the top of the device sits a 5-inch screen running Android 4.4 KitKat, and also has a 6300mAh battery, a Snapdragon 800 processor as well as multiple USB 3.0, HDMI and audio connector ports. If you’d like more info on this awesome projector, head to our hands-on and first impressions of the ZTE SPro2! (Or take a look at the video below)
“The ZTE SPro2TM combines the speed and reliability of an AT&T 4G LTE mobile hotspot with the ability to connect up to 10 Wi-Fi enabled devices” said Jeff Bradley, SVP, Device Marketing and Developer Services, AT&T. “AT&T customers will also enjoy features such as the added value and convenience of an Android powered, portable projector, a 5-inch touchscreen, and built-in battery power.”
1AT&T products and services are provided or offered by subsidiaries and affiliates of AT&T Inc. under the AT&T brand and not by AT&T Inc.
2Claim basis: Nationwide carriers’ LTE. Signal strength claim based ONLY on avg. LTE signal strength. LTE not avail. everywhere.
Kenwood DDX9902S multimedia receiver supports Android Auto
When it was announced at Google I/O 2014, Android Auto created opportunities for many companies. The aftermarket sector is really taking notice to the platform. The Parrot RNB 6 was already introduced at CES 2015 and now Kenwood is showcasing its own multimedia receiver. The DDX9902S supports both Google’s Android Auto and Apple’s CarPlay in addition to built-in services such as Pandora, iHeartRadio, and SiriusXM. The Android Auto support allows users to connect their devices with vehicles for a user interface that is useful and safe while in transit.
Hit the break for the full press release. Click here for our full CES 2015 coverage.
Kenwood Debuts Multimedia Receiver With Apple® CarPlay® and Android Auto™ in One
DDX9902S accommodates new smartphone-centric integrations for safer operation using touch and voice
LAS VEGAS – January 6, 2015 (SDG MEDIAWIRE) – At the 2015 International CES in Las Vegas, Kenwood will display the DDX9902S, the first receiver in its lineup that includes Apple® CarPlay, the smarter, safer way to use iPhone® in the vehicle. The multimedia receiver will also include Android Auto, which leverages features of an Android phone through a driver-friendly interface.
“We understand that consumers are loyal to the brand or platform of smartphone they use,” said Tony Mercado, marketing manager for Kenwood. “To that end, we wanted to create a multimedia receiver that doesn’t force the customer to choose based on his or her preferred smartphone. The DDX9902S allows customers to enjoy a safe, integrated experience with the phone they love.”
The DDX9902S features a high-sensitivity touch screen that allows the user to reliably make selections and interact with screen content. With CarPlay, familiar apps are within easy reach and display just the right amount of information. At the heart of the interaction is Siri, which enables users to control, read and reply to messages and more by simply speaking. Siri also provides access to music, podcasts and other third-party apps, and augments Apple Maps for full-featured, voice-controlled navigation.
With Android Auto, the menu bar makes it easy for drivers to select sources, including navigation, phone and music. Deep integration with Google Now shows informative cards to provide users with location- and preference-aware information at the right time, and robust voice recognition and playback deliver information safely to the driver.
Aside from the smartphone interfaces, the DDX9902S is a premium Kenwood multimedia center. Bluetooth integration enables safe phone calls and wireless music from a paired smartphone. An MHL-supported HDMI input connects to iPhone 5 and 6 models, as well as select Android-based smartphones, to charge the device, control compatible on-device apps and play its audio and video content on the receiver. Built-in control of Pandora® and iHeartRadio™ expand music choices when using a smartphone’s broadband connection, and HD Radio™ doubles or triples local programming options in CD quality.
The DDX-9902S is also SiriusXM-Ready™ and connects to the latest SiriusXMSXV300 Connect Vehicle Tuner (sold separately, subscription required), to access commercial-free music, plus premier sports talk and live events, comedy, news, exclusive talk and entertainment, and the most comprehensive Latin music, sports and talk programming in radio delivered via satellite.
Additional safety and convenience options include the ability to add a rear-view camera and maneuver safely with on-screen parking guide lines, and compatibility with factory steering wheel audio controls.
The MSRP and ship date of the DDX9902S will be announced soon. It can be seen at the Kenwood booth—No. 1702 in the North Hall of the Las Vegas Convention Center—during CES.
Sirius, XM, SiriusXM and all related marks and logos are trademarks of Sirius XM Radio Inc. and its subsidiaries.
About JVCKENWOOD USA Corporation
JVCKENWOOD USA Corporation is a wholly-owned subsidiary of JVCKENWOOD Corporation and is a leading developer of imaging, home and car entertainment, and navigation products for the consumer market, two-way radio communications systems for public safety, private industry and amateur users, and video equipment for the broadcast and professional markets. For detailed information, call JVCKENWOOD USA at 1-800-950-5005 or visit us at http://us.jvckenwood.com, www.kenwood.com/usa and www.jvc.com.
Come comment on this article: Kenwood DDX9902S multimedia receiver supports Android Auto
HTC posts bigger revenue growth for Q4 2014
With large help from their impressive group of mid-ranged devices, HTC is seeing its largest revenue growth in three years, according to Bloomberg. Sales have climbed to NT$47.9 billion ($1.5 billion US dollars) for the fourth quarter last year, NT$5 billion more than last year.
HTC’s Nexus 9, which is its premier tablet marking its devotion to the tablet industry in the future, One M8 and quality mid-range devices have differentiated itself from the strong competition from Apple, Samsung and the rising Xiaomi dominance in China.
The company posted an operating profit of NT$180 million for the quarter, much better than predictions of a NT$30.4 million loss. While quarterly sales have rose, the annual revenue is still short of what is was four years ago.
A few days ago, HTC executive Jeff Gordon promised “huge surprises” are coming in 2015 that will “blow you away”.
Typical corporate investing hype? Or does HTC have something very special planned for us this year. Time will tell as the company is expected to unveil its One M9 flagship phone, as well as a certain type of wearable later this year.
The post HTC posts bigger revenue growth for Q4 2014 appeared first on AndroidGuys.
Color-changing E Ink lets walls come alive
Do you think that the walls at your school or office just aren’t sprightly enough? E Ink may have a way to liven things up. Its new Prism material lets buildings subtly change colors and patterns on the spot, without having to rely on banks of expensive digital displays that stick out like a sore thumb. It’s more than just animated wallpaper, though. It can respond to input, such as a person walking by, and even works for furniture — imagine a bench that changes its look every day. Prism sips only a tiny amount of power, too, so you don’t need to keep things plugged in.
The main catch, at least right now, is that you can’t buy Prism yourself. E Ink mostly intends Prism for building owners that can afford to buy big, made-to-order installations for stores and lobbies. With that said, it’s easy to see the technology showing up in decorations and other parts of your home where it wouldn’t hurt to spruce things up. Don’t be surprised if you can one day change the art on your living room wall at a moment’s notice.
http://www.engadget.com/embed-5min/?sid=577&playList=518586059&responsive=false
Filed under: Displays, Household
Source: E Ink
AIVAnet 