Motorola posts Android 5.1 release notes for the 2014 Moto X
Motorola has just posted the release notes for the Android 5.1 Lollipop update for the 2014 Moto X Pure Edition.
While it doesn’t appear that the update is currently rolling out to users, this could indicate that the software is in testing, keeping up with Motorola‘s penchant for quick updates to its devices.
Should you buy the Lenovo Thinkpad X1 Carbon?
The Lenovo Thinkpad X1 Carbon is a fine laptop, but should you get it?
We’ve had some time with the Thinkpad X1 Carbon and are amply impressed, but when it comes to making a final purchasing decision, we want to provide you guys with a broad range of reviews. Here you’ll find a quick run-down of what the Thinkpad X1 Carbon costs, what the critics have to say about it, and what owners in our community have experienced. Despite the whole Superfish fiasco, Lenovo still makes a mean laptop.
Apple Collected Over 18,000 Hours of Health and Fitness Data for Apple Watch
ABC was recently invited to Apple’s top-secret health and fitness lab for the Apple Watch for an exclusive behind-the-scenes tour of the testing facility, accompanied by Apple executives Jeff Williams and Jay Blahnik. The network shared a preview of its visit on Good Morning America earlier today, and has now provided a closer look at the facility on the latest episode of late night show Nightline.
The five-minute interview behind closed doors revealed that Apple collected over 18,000 hours of health and fitness data based on over 10,000 workout sessions that Apple employees participated in over the past two years at the company’s secretive fitness lab. Blahnik, director of fitness and health technologies at Apple, also confirmed that the company tested the Apple Watch outdoors based on a variety of activities.
Apple Watch will be available April 24, with pre-orders starting April 10 in the first wave of launch countries: United States, Australia, Canada, China, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Japan and United Kingdom. The wrist-worn device starts at $349 for the Apple Watch Sport, while the stainless steel models will retail for between $549 to $1,099 and the 18-karat gold Apple Watch Edition will cost up to $17,000.
More details emerge about TAG Heuer’s Google/Intel collaboration smartwatch
We know TAG Heuer is jumping into the smartwatch game, backed by Google and Intel, but we haven’t heard any concrete details about the watch just yet. Some new details have surfaced from Jean-Claude Biver of Swiss watch-making fame.
He didn’t divulge too much about the inner workings and specs of the watch, but he did give some insight into how much the watch will cost and how it’ll fare against Apple’s upcoming watch.
When asked about how likely it is that people would want a TAG Heuer luxury smartwatch, Biver seems to think there will be plenty of appeal for the device, even at $1,000. That direct, specific number seems to hint at what price point the companies are planning on going for, which is pretty high comparatively speaking. However, this is one of the first efforts by a major watch-maker to step in and create something that would sell like a traditional watch, and if you compare that $1,000 price tag to some other watches TAG Heuer makes… well, let’s just the the $1k comes in at the very low end against some of the other styles they offer.
So, for $1,000, you’d think you’d get a ton of functionality that beats out Apple’s watch, right? Not quite. Biver admitted that there will likely be some things that Apple’s watch will do that the TAG watch won’t, and vice versa. However, he’s not expecting to blow Apple away on the feature list. That might be some disappointing news to some, but I think it’s becoming pretty apparent that this watch is going to appeal to traditional luxury watch buyers, not the tech crowd that the likes of Pebble and Motorola are trying to snatch up.
It’s tough to say just how this will pan out since it’s the first of its kind, but it’ll be fun to see whenever it does hit the market later this year.
source: Hodinkee
Come comment on this article: More details emerge about TAG Heuer’s Google/Intel collaboration smartwatch
Vector smartwatches promise a 30-day battery life
Tag Heuer’s Android Wear device wasn’t the only smartwatch at this year’s Baselworld. Other devices were also shown and launched during the annual luxury watch fair in Switzerland, including the new Vector Watch. It’s slated to come out in two different shapes — Luna with a round face and Meridian with a rectangular one — but the most intriguing thing its developers are promising is its 30-day battery life. Not 30 hours, but 30 days, though we’ll bet the watch can’t last that long if you use its features often. It can display your messages on screen, which you can dismiss with a flick of the wrist, and it works with IFTTT commands.
The company, headed by a team of execs including former Timex CEO Joe Santana and ex-Nike Designer Steve Jarvis, didn’t delve into those features’ specifics. It didn’t even say what platform the watch will run, but the devices’ PR mentioned that it will be compatible not only with iPhones and iPads, but also with Android and Windows devices. Vector Watch will hit the shelves this late summer, but you can pre-order some models right now.
A Luna with either a black nylon or a brown leather strap will set you back $349, while a Meridian with a black nylon strap has a much affordable price tag of $199. There are fancier models with stainless steel straps on the way (as you can see in the images in the gallery above), but those look like they will cost quite a bit more $$$.
https://player.vimeo.com/video/122553046?color=ffffff&portrait=0
Filed under: Wearables, Mobile
Source: Vector Watch
Amazon’s Unlocked program will make paid apps and games free
Amazon will reportedly kick off a new program for their App Store soon, called Unlocked. The Unlocked program essentially takes paid apps and games, and ones with in-app purchases, and makes them completely free. Free to download, free to buy things in-game, and free to unlock extra features without spending a dime.
An internal presentation showcasing some of the functionality was leaked, showing off how users can sort out to only see Unlocked apps, and how it’ll look when users buy apps or make in-app purchases. This will all have to be done on Amazon’s own App Store, of course, but getting that installed isn’t too tough, even if Google yanked it from the Play Store.
This program takes the free app of the day promotion that Amazon currently runs and takes it one step further by creating a catalog of apps and games, plus extending it to include the in-app purchases. There’s only one small catch to the whole deal; once an Unlocked app leaves the Unlocked program, those in-app purchases are no longer free. Anything you’ve bought or used won’t cost you anything, and you can continue using the app, but if you’re hooked in the middle of a mobile game and want to keep buying extra lives or power-ups, you’ll have to pony up the cash for it. It’s not the most direct way of bringing in revenue and users, but it’s clever, and it might pay off for Amazon.
Unfortunately, other details about the program were a little scarce, like if it’ll cost anything extra per year, if it’ll be offered as part of Amazon Prime, and when it’ll launch. It looks like Amazon has the program ready to go fairly soon, though, so I’d expect to hear something sooner rather than later.
source: TechCrunch
Come comment on this article: Amazon’s Unlocked program will make paid apps and games free
Xbox One April update preview brings party chat improvements, game hub links, more
Microsoft‘s Larry Hryb (otherwise known as Major Nelson) has just announced the rollout of a new update preview for the Xbox One.
Unlike previous preview releases, the April update preview will be released in two stages, with the first rolling out today. Each wave will add new features, with today’s update bringing some improvements to party chat, the game hub, and achievement notifications.
The Talk Show 114 with Serenity Caldwell
Two of the smartest Apple minds I know on The Talk Show this week: Serenity Caldwell and John Gruber. They talk MacBook, Photos for Mac, the PowerBook Duo, and (of course) the Apple Watch.
Special guest Serenity Caldwell joins the show. Topics include last week’s “Spring Forward” Apple media event; the new Force Touch Trackpad for MacBooks, and the prospects for force touch in future iOS devices; and of course, Apple Watch.
You can grab a beverage and stream it now via the dingus above or, better still, subscribe to it via Daring Fireball.
Google begins testing new ad-targeting service for Fiber TV in Kansas City
Google has announced today that it is beginning to test local ads with mobile-like ad-targeting for its Fiber TV service in Kansas City.
HTC One M8 owners apparently not feeling the urge to upgrade to the HTC One M9
With every flagship release from smartphone manufacturers, those loyal to the particular manufacturer will often switch from last year’s flagship to the latest model. However, it looks like the HTC One M9 might be the exception to the rule as it’s been suggested that owners of the older HTC One M8 flagship aren’t feeling the […]
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