LG executive claims that smartphone form factors have reached their peak for now
LG, maker of smartphones like the G3 and G Flex, is one of the top Android manufacturers on the market. The G Flex mentioned was also one of the first smartphones ever created that featured a curved display.
Despite this groundbreaking accomplishment, LG’s Director of Global Corporate Communications has stated that there’s not much else possible for smartphone form factors at this time.
Ken Hong, speaking with TrustedReviews, made this statement at none other than the Korean company’s unveiling of the G Flex 2. He went on to elaborate that it’s not that the display technology doesn’t exist to do new and creative things, but limitations in component manufacturing is the culprit in the matter.
The design of phones is restricted by the technology of our component suppliers, so now we can only do what they can create, and they can’t even do very many of the [G Flex 2].
I’ve seen the transparent displays. I’ve seen the flexible displays. I’m sure they can make a good phone with them at a rate of one per day. It’s just not a commercially viable technology at the moment.
So, according to Hong, when might we see some advancement when it comes to smartphone form factors?
I don’t think in 2015 you’re going to see too much in terms of innovation in smartphone design other than maybe colour or what have you. Two, three years down the line, however, you might actually have a phone that bends to a greater degree.
Ken Wong has served as the Global Communications Director for LG since 2008. He joined LG after serving as Managing Director at McCann Worldgroup Thailand.
Source: TrustedReviews
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ULTRAFLOW: dead simple premise, minimal graphics, but maddening fun
Face it, we all have a few minutes of downtime throughout our days. Whether we’re waiting for the microwave to finish or the spouse to finish getting dressed, we’ve got time to kill. For many of us, we whip out our phone to get in a couple of minutes of phone-to-face time. Lately, one game, ULTRAFLOW, has been climbing up the charts, grabbing the attention of casual gamers everywhere.
They say
ULTRAFLOW is a minimalist yet complex puzzle game based on your agility. You have a limited number of bounces to complete each level. No score. No timer. The only challenge is your smoothness.
We say
For starters, this one is completely free, so there’s that appeal. No, there’s not even a randomly displaying add. Toss in 99 levels that get harder and more creative, and we’re hooked. The colors are muted and the overall graphics are flat, but that’s what teases you. How can it be so tough to move the “chip” from the start to the desired end? You’ll need to have finesse is some levels and speed in others; obstacles show up along the way and make things difficult. Oh, and you only have a specific number of moves to complete the round.
You might fly through the first ten levels or so but we promise you’ll run into a buzzsaw at some point. And then another. And another.
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PowerSkin Pop’n 3 Video Review: An Attachable Battery Pack for iPhones [iOS Blog]
There are a lot of battery cases and external battery packs available for Apple’s iPhone, but PowerSkin’s newest offering, the Pop’n 3, is a fairly unique solution that offers the versatility of an external battery pack with the convenience of a battery case.
It’s an external battery pack much like the Mophie Powerstation Plus, but it has a suction cup system that allows it to stick to the back of the iPhone, which means the iPhone can still be used as normal for the most part while charging is taking place.
We went hands-on with the PowerSkin Pop’n 3 battery pack and we thought the suction cup system was a handy feature. The suction cups themselves were a bit weak, but an added sticky pad in the middle of the battery pack assures that it sticks firmly to the iPhone.
We also liked the built-in Lightning cable that’s just the right length for charging, and the LED indicator that let us know how much charge was left. The Pop’n 3 works best with an iPhone with no case, but it’ll also stick to flat, smooth cases.
The Pop’n 3 battery pack has a 4,000 mAh battery inside, which is enough to charge the iPhone 6’s 1,810 mAh battery to full twice over, and enough to give the iPhone 6 Plus with its 2,915 mAh battery 1.5 charges. It’s only suitable for the iPhone, though — it won’t be enough to fully charge the 7,340 mAh battery of the iPad Air 2.
Like most battery packs, the Pop’n 3 charges via micro-USB. Compared to the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus, the Pop’n 3 is not quite as wide, allowing it to fit comfortably on the back of the phones. It’s 2.36 inches wide, 4.41 inches tall, .49 inches thick, and it weighs 3.81 ounces. That’s just over half the weight of the iPhone 6 Plus, so it’s quite pocketable.
Compared to several other battery packs on the market, the Pop’n 3 is a bit less impressive when it comes to capacity, but its unique portability and its price point make up for the lack of juice.
The PowerSkin Pop’n 3 comes in three colors to match each of the iPhones and can be purchased from the PowerSkin website for $49.99.
Former GM CEO on Apple Car: ‘They Have No Idea What They’re Getting Into’
Amid rumors that Apple is developing an electric vehicle, former General Motors CEO Dan Akerson has shared his opinion on Apple’s plans, suggesting the Cupertino company avoid getting into a business with such low margins.
In an interview with Bloomberg, Akerson said that Apple may be underestimating the difficulty of operating in the car business, as it’s hard to navigate regulatory and safety requirements. “A lot of people who don’t ever operate in it don’t understand and have a tendency to underestimate,” he said
“They’d better think carefully if they want to get into the hard-core manufacturing,” he said of Apple. “We take steel, raw steel, and turn it into car. They have no idea what they’re getting into if they get into that.”
According to Akerson, Apple should stick with the iPhone, which has much higher margins than a car and none of the issues with safety. As highlighted by Bloomberg, while Apple made $18 billion in December with a gross margin of 39.9 percent, GM made just $2 billion with a gross margin of 14 percent.
Akerson doesn’t believe Apple should get into the car business, but he does admire Apple’s entrance into the car infotainment arena with CarPlay. Speaking on his time as CEO of General Motors, Akerson said that he absolutely would have partnered with Apple. “I’d have turned over the infotainment and interconnectivity of every car.”
News of Apple’s electric car plans surfaced last week after The Wall Street Journal shared details on a secret project at the company. Apple is said to have hundreds of employees working on the car in a secret research lab near its Cupertino headquarters. The car, which is electric, could potentially resemble a minivan.
Nvidia Shield Tablet update version 2.2 brings better standby battery life and much more
NVIDIA is rolling out an update to the Wifi-only and LTE variants of its SHIELD Tablet, bringing the software to version 2.2. This update mainly has to do with performance and stability improvements, while bringing a few extra features to the tablet. The first, and most notable, is improved standby battery life and improved charging performance and compatibility, which should be a welcome enhancement to most users.
Additionally, the update brings more GRID games for free. Free titles include Lego Harry Potter Years 5-7, PixelJunk Shooter and GRID 2, among many others. Check out the full changelog below to see exactly what version 2.2 brings:
- More great streamed PC games, for free – No PC required: You can now play popular titles such as Lego Harry Potter Years 5-7, PixelJunk Shooter and GRID 2 amongst many others. New games are added every week on #SHIELDTuesday
- Standby battery life improvements: Improved battery life in standby/idle conditions, especially with WiFi turned ON
- Improved charging performance and compatibility: Broader support for high performance chargers
- Overall experience enhancements: Additional UI responsiveness and memory optimizations, Graphics corruption resolution
- Support for SHIELD Hub 4.1: Includes GameStream multi-controller support
Note: The update to version 2.2 is on NVIDIA’s end, so your SHIELD Tablet will stay at Android version 5.0.1.
NVIDIA is usually really good at pushing out updates to their tablets once they announce new software versions. But if you have yet to receive your software update and want to bypass the OTA with your rooted tablet, you can head to this XDA link to grab the update. If you don’t have a NVIDIA SHIELD Tablet but wouldn’t mind picking one up, Amazon will throw in a $30 gift card if you buy either model from them. We’re not sure how long the deal will last, but it’s definitely a good promotion to take into consideration.
Ex-GM CEO has unsolicited advice for Apple and the auto industry
In the bid to produce the hottest take on Apple’s rumored automotive project, former CEO of General Motors Dan Akerson has submitted himself for the “telling people why Apple can’t do it” award. In an interview with Bloomberg, Akerson pointed out that the car industry is “harder than people realize”, with low margins and tough safety regulations. Of course, as many have pointed out, this hill is littered with the remains of execs who have said what things Apple can’t do or dominate, like phones (Ed Colligan, Palm; Jim Balsillie, RIM; Steve Ballmer, Microsoft) and we know how that story went.
Of course, rumors about Apple’s entry into the TV business have persisted for years despite similar concerns from entrenched executives about how realistic Apple’s proposals are, so it could go either way. Akerson — who exited the leader’s chair at GM just in time to avoid last year’s ignition switch recall scandal — also has advice for the auto industry, suggesting he “would’ve signed it over” to Apple.
“It” is everything in the car’s infotainment system, which Apple and Google are both trying to take control of, even as many auto manufacturers have been slow to open their systems to other companies. In the retired executive’s view, Apple has no idea what it’s doing in terms of “hard-core manufacturing” despite producing millions of glass-and-aluminum slabs every year. As such, we’re sure the folks in Cupertino will have him on speed dial if the “Titan” EV project becomes anything more than just vapor, and that current execs in Detroit are looking for more information on implementation of CarPlay or Android Auto.
[Image credit: Bloomberg via Getty Images]
Filed under: Transportation, Apple
Via: Autoblog
Source: Bloomberg
Motorola boss fights back against Jony Ive’s Moto Maker criticism
Motorola President Rick Osterloh disagrees with Apple designer Jony Ive‘s criticism of the Moto Maker phone customization program. In a recent profile of Ive, the designer sharply criticized an unnamed competitor that allowed customers to “make it whatever you want,” saying that that “I believe that’s abdicating your responsibility as a designer.” Osterloh wasn’t about to take that sitting down.
In an interview with BBC, Osterloh said:
“Our belief is that the end user should be directly involved in the process of designing products. “We’re making the entire product line accessible. And frankly, we’re taking a directly opposite approach to them [Apple].”
Additionally, Osterloh took a shot at Apple’s pricing, calling it “outrageous”. A 16GB iPhone 6 runs $649, while a 16GB Moto X (2014) (with a 1080p screen, nonetheless) prices in at $399.99. Even the highest-tier Moto X (64GB storage, wood or leather back) costs less than the first-tier iPhone 6.
Clearly the two strategies are quite different. Apple offers the iPhone 6, iPad Air 2, and their other iOS products in silver with a white front, gold with a white front, or dark gray with a black front. That’s it.
Motorola, on the other hand, allows customers to pick-and-choose the color and even material choice of every outward-facing component of the Moto X. You can have a black or a white front, your choice of color for the trim, and options for the back of various colors, leathers, and woods.
While Jony Ive would never let you have an iPhone with a leather back (you’ll have to buy a case for that, and Apple will gladly sell you one), it’s worth noting that the Apple Watch will offer numerous options for personalizing the look — multiple versions of the body, two sizes, and several choices (in multiple colors) for the band. So perhaps Sir Jony Ive and Moto Maker aren’t that far apart after all.
Source: BBC
Monkey King Escape, an endless running game from Ubisoft, released in the Play Store
Games of the endless running genre have a lot of popularity on mobile devices. It makes sense considering the learning curve is basically nonexistent and the genre is rather flexible when it comes to gameplay and environment. From Temple Run to Dinosity, there is an endless running game for everyone. Today, we say hello to Monkey King Escape from developer Ubisoft. Players control the Monkey Key as he avoids being captured by the Emperor of Heavenly Kingdom. The Monkey King, after being told that he would not have a place among the gods, decided to consume the Peaches of Immortality, causing the Emperor to pursue him. Now, the Monkey King must escape Heavenly Garden without being captured.
Hit the break for more.
These are the features highlighted by Ubisoft:
- BECOME THE MONKEY KING and learn his amazing powers
- RUN, JUMP, SLIDE, FLY… and dash your way through Heaven!
- DEFEAT EPIC BOSSES in exciting one on one fights
- TRANSFORM INTO ANIMALS to wield their special powers!
- Enjoy beautiful and colorful HD GRAPHICS
- UNLOCK 4 additional playable characters
- ColLeCT boosts and power-ups
- HELP your friends, or COMPETE against them for the high score!
Click here to view the embedded video.
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First leaked wallpapers from HTC One M9 suggest 1080p display
The first three wallpapers alleged to have come from the HTC One M9 have surfaced, seemingly confirming the handset’s 1080p display resolution. Thus far, the trio each feature a 2160×1920 pixel count.
While there may be some that argue the phone should have a higher screen resolution, it stands to reason the move was deliberate. For starters, most average users are not going to be able to discern the differences of 720p to 1080p, let alone squeezing in more pixels. Another benefit of not going the 2K route? Battery life and performance are boosted.
Want to download these to your own phone? Here’s a gallery of the wallpapers thus far.
Wallpapers via LlabTooFeR
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5 problems that could halt Xiaomi’s rise to glory
The meteoric rise of Xiaomi has been generating plenty of headlines lately. According to IDC Xiaomi dominated the Chinese smartphone market in the last six months of 2014, beating heavyweights Apple and Samsung, as well as compatriots Huawei and Lenovo. For a company that released its first smartphone in 2011, sales of more than 60 million smartphones and a valuation of $45 billion by the end of 2014 can hardly fail to impress.
Speculation that international success is just around the corner for Xiaomi is rife. Hype that Xiaomi was keen to build on with its first US event last week and plans for an e-commerce launch Stateside this year. Initially it has other Asian markets, along with India and Brazil, in its sights. The Mi 4 sold out in India within 15 seconds of its carefully controlled launch.
Glowing predictions about Xiaomi’s ability to translate success in emerging markets into worldwide dominance could be conveniently ignoring a few potential problems.
Licensing and lawsuits
From its outer aesthetics and even its marketing approach, it’s obvious that Xiaomi was inspired by companies that came before it, Apple very much included.
Part of Xiaomi’s rise in China can be explained by its early strategy of copying Apple. If you can get past the similar aesthetic of devices like the Mi 4 and Mi Pad, next to the iPhone 5S and the iPad Mini, there are some very obvious differences between them. Xiaomi clearly has a different attitude to design, customization, and many other facets of its mobile device business, but it has shamelessly aped Apple when it comes to marketing.
The cost of licensing patents and fighting lawsuits has the potential to take a huge bite out of Xiaomi’s bottom line
As Business Insider pointed out, the CEO, Lei Jun, certainly seemed to be inspired by Jobs with his on stage presentations and “one more thing” slide, but the company has also closely emulated Apple’s marketing. It doesn’t just copy Apple, it also used copyrighted photos in its marketing. It gets away with this in China, but it won’t get away with it in countries with stronger IP laws. If Apple could win in court against Samsung, then Xiaomi has very little chance. Microsoft and the other Android OEMs also won’t hesitate to have a go if they see an opportunity.
The cost of licensing patents and fighting lawsuits has the potential to take a huge bite out of Xiaomi’s bottom line and it doesn’t have deep pockets like Apple or Samsung.
Lost in translation
Even if wasn’t going to set the stage for a series of lawsuits, the Apple-style marketing is going to need a rethink for markets like the US anyway. Realistically Xiaomi will have to completely re-imagine its marketing approach. It has relied on a close relationship with its fan base with more than 100 million MIUI users enjoying weekly updates to the custom ROM. It has made a huge deal out of listening to its customers and giving them what they want.
How many of the techniques that carried Xiaomi to success in China can be replicated in the US or Europe?
Can it replicate that success outside China? Xiaomi recently boasted about 40 million active forum users and 500,000 new posts on a good day. The fans drive the design, the excitement, and the hype for word-of-mouth recommendations on social networking sites. Flash sales with limited stock reduce risk and generate more marketing buzz.
How many of the techniques that carried Xiaomi to success in China can be replicated in the US or Europe? Are its offerings exclusively tailored for a Chinese and Asian audience? A lack of international experience could certainly hinder its growth.
Online only
Xiaomi sells devices directly to consumers online. It’s a model that’s accepted in many markets, but the US and much of Europe is still dominated by carriers and long term contract deals. It can be very tough for OEMs to strike deals with carriers. If you want shelf-space then they want a cut, they want a design input, they want their bloatware pre-installed.
Even Google itself has had limited success selling devices direct online. Even at knock-down prices the upfront cost often exceeds the on-contract deal. People end up paying a lot more in the long term with contracts, but it’s a model they’re used to and it’s still the dominant one. The online only approach has limitations.
Wafer-thin profit margins
Direct online sales are only part of Xiaomi’s model. It also has a small portfolio with long product cycles. The phones and tablets are sold near cost and Xiaomi looks to make money on accessories and apps. That’s part of the reason it describes itself as an “internet company” and not a smartphone manufacturer.
The lower cost of Xiaomi devices is an obvious attraction for consumers, but will Western markets buy into the accessories and app ecosystem? They may ship with Xiaomi apps in China, but worldwide Xiaomi is a Google partner and its Android devices carry Google’s apps and the Play Store. Can it hope to turn a profit without these additional income streams?
Copycat competition
Huawei’s Honor line is just one example of where Xiaomi competition has turned to online-only sales models.
Ironically, given the criticism often leveled at Xiaomi, one of its biggest risks could be the competition copying it. Huawei has already emulated the online-only approach with the Honor line. Other than a head-start in China, what does Xiaomi have that other OEMs don’t in terms of strategy? Given that it would be starting from scratch in the US, how is it going to differentiate itself?
A lot of work to do
None of these problems are insurmountable, but it would be naive to assume that Xiaomi’s success outside China is assured. Its performance in other emerging markets will serve as a test, but the process of international expansion is clearly underway. Hiring Barra from Google in 2013 and using him as the international spokesman was one of the first steps. Holding its first US event last week was another one. Concrete plans for the US are still very vague and you don’t really get a sense that the company is deluding itself about its prospects. There seems to be an understanding that there’s work to be done yet.
Xiaomi does have plenty going for it. Amid the copying there is innovation. A combination of low prices and listening to consumer feedback has the potential to crack any market. It’s just too early to tell whether the fierce brand loyalty it has cultivated in China will cross the border with its international ambitions.
AIVAnet 