GSMA splits Best Smartphone award between iPhone 6, LG G3 at MWC 2015
GSMA, the group behind Mobile World Congress, has handed out their Global Mobile awards for the 2015 show. Winners this year include Apple, LG, Motorola, and Microsoft.
The award for Best Smartphone this year was split, taken home both by the iPhone 6 and the LG G3 both beating out last year’s winner, HTC. The iPhone 6 was praised for its larger size over past models, as well as its improvements in design and specifications. From the judges:
“With all round improvements, from designs, to specs, to functionality yet remaining true to the core this proposition offers unparalleled performance and unmatched consumer success”.
Other winners included Motorola, which won for Best Low Cost Smartphone with the Moto E, as well as Best Wearable Mobile Technology for their Moto 360 smartwatch. Microsoft took home the award for Best Mobile Tablet for their Surface Pro 3.
You can check out GSMA’s full list of winners at the link below.
Source: GSMA
Samsung Galaxy S6 edge gallery
Samsung on Sunday announced the first dual-edge display variant of its flagship Galaxy S6 line of smartphones with the Galaxy S6 edge. Slated to arrive in April, we’re giving you a look at the device from a number of angles and in a handful of color options.
The post Samsung Galaxy S6 edge gallery appeared first on AndroidGuys.
Waze is now part of Google Mobiles services, could be pre-installed in your next device
Back in 2013 Google acquired navigation app Waze, keeping it separate from Google Maps, though it utilized some of Waze’s tech to help improve the Map experience. Waze remains an excellent service today, one that Google would do well to further promote. After all, the more people using Waze, the more information users (and Google) have about traffic hazards, blocked roads and other traffic-related data.
With all this in mind, it seems that Waze could see itself pushed onto many more devices right out of the box, as Google has now officially announced that the app is part of Google Mobile Services. That means it is one of the optional apps that OEMs and carriers can choose to include with their devices. However, keep in mind this isn’t one of the Google apps that OEMs using Google Play services are required to include.
Any Waze users out there? What do you think of this news? Is this a good way to improve the service, or do you feel we already deal with enough pre-installed bloat as it is?
Engadget giveaway: win a set of wireless sport headphones courtesy of SMS Audio!
Workouts and wired headphones can be a dicey business, so finding a wireless option to fit your regimen should be a top priority — a mid-run tangle on a treadmill could end up flinging you and your phone to the ground. You’ll probably be sweating buckets, too, if you’re doing it right. Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson’s very own SMS Audio checked all those boxes for its Wireless Sport series of on-ear and in-ear headphones, so you won’t have to worry about those things if you’re on the court, at the gym or out in the wild. Both pairs are IPX4 rated to deal with the waterworks and with 8-10 hours on a charge, you may run out of juice before they do. Both units also have easy to reach controls so you can manage that playlist or take ditch those important calls while burning some calories. This week, we have two bundles including one of each style, so that two lucky Engadget readers can keep the vibe alive and push on into the zone. Just head down to the Rafflecopter widget for up to three chances at scoring one of these SMS Audio Wireless Sports headphone packages.
- Entries are handled through the Rafflecopter widget above. Comments are no longer accepted as valid methods of entry. You may enter without any obligation to social media accounts, though we may offer them as opportunities for extra entries. Your email address is required so we can get in touch with you if you win, but it will not be given to third parties.
- Contest is open to all residents of the 50 States, the District of Columbia, and Canada (excluding Quebec), 18 or older! Sorry, we don’t make this rule (we hate excluding anyone), so direct your anger at our lawyers and contest laws if you have to be mad.
- Winners will be chosen randomly. Two (2) winners will each one (1) pair of SMS Audio In-Ear Wireless Sport headphones and one (1) pair of On-Ear Wireless Sport headphones.
- If you are chosen, you will be notified by email. Winners must respond within three days of being contacted. If you do not respond within that period, another winner will be chosen. Make sure that the account you use to enter the contest includes your real name and a contact email or Facebook login. We do not track any of this information for marketing or third-party purposes.
- This unit is purely for promotional giveaway. SMS Audio and Engadget / AOL are not held liable to honor warranties, exchanges or customer service.
- The full list of rules, in all its legalese glory, can be found here.
- Entries can be submitted until March 4th at 11:59PM ET. Good luck!
Filed under: Announcements
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.
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