The biggest announcements of MWC 2015 so far (part 2)
After the glitzy, high-profile announcements of Sunday, Monday’s march to the convention center is a more business-like affair. There’s still lots to see though, including announcements from a bunch of household names, and a dancing robot. Jump in the gallery for more.
Don’t miss out on all the latest news, photos and liveblogs from MWC 2015. Follow along at our events page.
Filed under: Cellphones, Tablets, Wearables, Sony, Google, Lenovo
Surprise Surprise, Galaxy Note 5 likely to offer a dual edge display
Samsung is already expecting that the Galaxy S6 Edge will be more popular than the Galaxy Note Edge. Let’s face it, the Note Edge felt half-baked having only one curved edge. The Galaxy S6 Edge already feels like a legitimate product and they think the consumer feels the same even though they haven’t been able to see the phone in person yet.
Now it can’t be a surprise that Samsung will probably launch something similar with the Galaxy Note 5. Samsung product strategy team executive vice president said, “There is a possibility that Samsung will introduce the curved display for the Galaxy Note lineup.” Mobile Chief J.K. Shin also made it clear of their commitment to Edge models.
Whether they are able to pull it off with the standard version of the Note 5 or they will still need to offer an Edge variant is the big question. Production capacity is still the key.
Will these Edge displays eventually be a normal feature of smartphone flagships or will they always be high-priced variants for those that have a little extra cash?
source: Korea Herald
Come comment on this article: Surprise Surprise, Galaxy Note 5 likely to offer a dual edge display
Google Reportedly Preparing Android Wear for iPhone and iPad
Google is reportedly preparing to release an Android Wear app on the App Store for iPhone and iPad, according to French technology website 01net [Google Translate] (via iPhon.fr).
The report claims Android Wear with extended iOS support could be announced at Google’s I/O developer conference in late May, although Google may push the agenda depending on sales of the Apple Watch.
Google may be interested in capitalizing on iPhone and iPad users that are not planning to purchase an Apple Watch when the wrist-worn device is released in April, the report adds. Last month, an unofficial video of an iPhone paired with Android Wear for notifications amassed over 300,000 views on YouTube.
Android Wear smartwatches such as the LG G Watch, Moto 360 and Samsung Gear Live are currently limited to pairing with smartphones running Android 4.3 or later, such as the Samsung Galaxy S5, HTC One M8 and LG G3. Pairing an Android smartphone and smartwatch requires the official Android Wear app on the Google Play Store.
While 01net is one of the largest technology publications in France, its exclusive report has not yet been corroborated by other sources and its veracity cannot be confirmed. But given that Google is generally more open about cross-platform compatibility, and has an existing portfolio of apps on the App Store, there is a possibility that Android Wear for iOS could one day be a reality.
Telefónica to launch Movistar TV Go for Windows Phone with Cortana Spanish support
Telefónica will bring a version of its Movistar TV Go video on-demand service to Windows Phone 8.1 later this year. It will allow Spanish language users to access the app via Cortana.
J.K Shin: The Galaxy S6 will take back market share lost from Apple, Snapdragon 810 wasn’t good enough
There is no question that J.K Shin’s job might be riding on the Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 Edge. Samsung lost a considerable amount of market share to rival Apple when they finally released an iPhone with a respectable display size. Now Shin is confident that the Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 Edge will take back that market share and boost Samsung’s stock price.
He said, “I’m confident that the Galaxy S6 Edge is a product that showcases Samsung’s innovation in the smartphone manufacturing industry. The Galaxy S6 and Edge will achieve a considerable market share in the high-end handset segment.”
Investors were already pleased as the stock price went up 4.86% the day after the big unveiling.
Shin also had a few comments regarding the whole Qualcomm debacle. If you remember, Samsung ditched the Snapdragon 810 in favor of their own Exynos processor for the Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 Edge. Shin said, “If Qualcomm chips are good enough, then we will use them.” In other words, the 810 wasn’t good enough and the Exynos chipset was. He also said their partnership with Qualcomm remains strong despite going in a different direction.
Be sure to check out our complete Mobile World Congress 2015 coverage.
source: Korea Times
via: G4Games
Come comment on this article: J.K Shin: The Galaxy S6 will take back market share lost from Apple, Snapdragon 810 wasn’t good enough
First look at the updated Samsung Gear VR
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A somewhat unexpected announcement alongside the Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge, Samsung introduced new and updated version of Gear VR at MWC 2015. While on the floor at MWC we had the opportunity to try out the latest version of the Gear VR. With all that said, let’s jump in and take a brief first look at the device.
This VR unit introduced in conjuction with Oculus is another revision in refining the idea that originally released alongside the Galaxy Note 4. The headset is now 15% smaller, all the while being lighter and more comfortable. Given that the experience is untethered, this comes as good news.
There is now a USB on the bottom that acts as a pass through so you can keep the phone going while using the unit. There’s also a silent fan that aims to keep the unit from overheating, and to stop any fogging that may occur in the lens. We have a few minor cosmetic changes too. The touchpad has now been recesssed so it is easy to locate, and the back button is now more tactile than before.
Overall the experience is fantastic for what it is, providing an untethered experience and an inclination of what VR could bring and not just for gaming. The Gear VR presents an ideaology that is only a compliment to the bigger and more powerful Oculus Rift.
However, for owners of the first generation model, there’s really no reason to feel left out as the experience is largely the same, just more refined. It is also important to note that both owners of the original hardware and future owners of the newer model will soon have a number of new paid (and some free) apps and games, thanks to a joint effort launched by Samsung and Oculus.
Once the Oculus store goes live, you’ll find a few VR optimized games in the $2.99 to $4.99 range, though Oculus says that they have been plans to keep pushing out more apps and games in the months to come. What do you think of the Gear VR experience? Do you think mobile VR is the future, or more of a gimmick than anything? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.
UK moves another step closer towards opening the first European spaceport
While the US might be leading the race to open the first commercial spaceports, the UK is working hard to close the gap. More than six months after the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) shortlisted eight potential spaceport locations, the government today backed plans to make them a reality.
With the government’s “widespread support,” Britain remains on track to build an operational spaceport by 2018, which will likely become the first in Europe. In publishing the results of its three-month consultation, the government ruled out two airfields at RAF Lossiemouth and Kinloss Barracks in Scotland, as they’ll play a role in Britain’s future defence plans, reducing the list of potential spaceport locations to six.
As of now, there are four potential sites in Scotland, including Stornoway, Glasgow Prestwick, Campbeltown and a temporary launchpad at RAF Lauchars. English seaside town Newquay and Llanbedr in Wales make up the other two.
So what’s next? With support from the government, the Department for Transport will now draw up a “detailed technical specification” of spaceport requirements. It’ll then ask all of the companies it spoke with during the consultation (and other interested parties) to tender their proposals. This is when we’ll likely see all of their futuristic plans. The specification is expected to be published later this year, so hopefully we won’t have long to wait to critique their designs.
Filed under: Transportation, Science, Alt
Via: The Independent
Source: Gov.uk
Sonos updates its Android app with a better rooms menu and more
Sonos has updated its app for Android devices to version 5.3, which includes a number of improvements to help owners of the company’s connected speaker products.
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Pebble Introduces ‘Pebble Time Steel’ Following Successful Kickstarter Campaign [iOS Blog]
Exactly a week after revealing the new generation of Pebble smartwatches, called the Pebble Time, Pebble today announced an additional tier to its Kickstarter fundraiser called the Pebble Time Steel.
Touted as having every feature of the Pebble Time – including the new color display and Timeline features – but featuring more classy, decorative casings, so it’s “dressed up and ready to go.” The Steel comes in two band options, stainless steel or premium leather, and the watchface itself is coated in a CNC-finished 316L stainless steel casing. Differing slightly from its original counterpart, the Time Steel’s battery will last for up to 10 days versus the Time’s 7 days.
The Time Steel starts at a $250 tier on Pebble’s Kickstarter page, but will retail for $300 when it officially launches later this year. The company also promises that those who have backed the Pebble Time can upgrade to the Time Steel by clicking on the “Manage” button next to their existing rewards tier.
The Time Steel comes in color options similar to the Time: silver with a stone leather band, gunmetal black with a black leather band, and gold with a red leather band. The company promises that all Time Steels will include both a leather and matching metal band in each order. The gold and red leather band Pebble Time Steel shares a striking resemblance to Apple’s own 18-Karat Yellow Gold Apple Watch Edition with Red Modern Buckle option.
The company also introduced a “Smartstrap” system that will allow any developer to create various third-party applications using sensors and electronics built into swappable bands. As pointed out by TechCrunch, there are numerous options developers could capitalize on by working with the new smartstrap system.
You could add a heart rate monitor, for instance, or a GPS chip for improved run tracking and fitness powers; a spare battery to bump up the life of the Pebble to multiple weeks; or environmental sensors to tell you about air quality and temperature.
In the 7 days since the Pebble Time Kickstarter campaign began, it’s raked in just over $12 million as of writing, with some 54,000 backers and still about 24 days to go. Those interested in the newly introduced Pebble Time Steel rewards tier can head over to the Kickstarter page now to check out more information on the smart wearable.
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