Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 images leaked revealing metal frame, home button
While the launch of the Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 is still a month away, its leaked images have already revealed a chunk of its specifications including a metal chassis and a physical home button.
According to images revealed by leakster @OnLeaks on Twitter, the successor of the Galaxy Tab S shares a clear resemblance with the Galaxy Tab A. Also, it is apparent from the images that power and volume buttons are situated on the right hand side along with microSD and SIM-card slots. It is being said that the home button may double up as a fingerprint sensor.
No official launch date or information have emerged so far but the leaks suggest that the Galaxy Tab S2 will come in 8-inch and 9.7-inch variants. Both slates are rumoured to feature similar specifications such as 1536p Super AMOLED display, 64-bit octa-core Exynos processors and a duo of 8-megapixel rear camera and 2.1-megapixel selfie camera.
In the memory department, these tablets may come with 3GB RAM and 32GB expandable storage. On the connectivity front, the Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 will have all the new age connectivity options including dual-SIM, Wi-Fi 802.11 ac/b/g/n, LTE Cat 6. Running on Android 5.0 out of the box, the tablet may have some Wi-Fi only variants too.
The post Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 images leaked revealing metal frame, home button appeared first on AndroidGuys.
Third-Party Apple Watch Cases Provide Options for Improved Protection [iOS Blog]
Alongside the launch of the Apple Watch, many third-party businesses have found room to expand their organizations, or create completely new ones, with various collections of charging stands, band swapping websites, and even more rugged cases for Apple’s new wearable. These cases, it should be noted, work in conjunction with Apple’s previously existing band options.
One of the more notable accessory manufacturers to throw its hat into the Apple Watch case ring is Speck, with a line of multi-colored cases for the Apple Watch, called CandyShell Fit, launching later this month. Speck promises the CandyShell Fit is perfect for customers with an intensely active lifestyle, as it “provides full bezel protection to guard the smartwatch’s glass screen, defend against shock, and allow complete access to the digital crown and side button.”
The CandyShell Fit Case by Speck
“You only need to do a few things to protect Apple Watch, but you have to do them perfectly and minimally, and in a way that fully honors the design of the device,” said Bryan Hynecek, Speck VP of Design. “Speck is about giving people the courage to live their life fully and completely with Apple Watch on, exactly as it was intended to be used.”
The case combines a hard polycarbonate outer layer shell and a TPU interior to work in combination at providing exterior and interior shock absorption, respectively. The case includes a slightly raised bezel above the Apple Watch touch screen – about 1.5mm – in order to act as a protective bumper between the Watch and outside environment. As exepcted, the CandyShell Fit has been put through a test of basic high intensity activities to see its reaction to sweat, high temperatures and even basic sunscreens and lotions. Speck says the new Apple Watch case will launch in multiple colors “later this month” and be priced at $29.99.
Popular accessory manufacturer Spigen also has a range of Apple Watch accessories on its website, from stands to screen protectors. It also provides a diverse array of durable cases for the Watch, providing various degrees of thickness and protection to customers interested in protecting their Apple Watch. Ranging in price from $14.99 to $24.99, Spigen provides increasing degrees of drop and hazard defense to the Apple Watch in multiple color options – including a transparent “liquid crystal” version. The company also promises each case provides full availability to the Watch’s heart rate sensor and two side buttons.
The Rugged Armor Case by Spigen
A few MacRumors forum members have posted screenshots and short reviews on some models offered by Spigen. Most users note the general addition of bulk onto the somewhat slim basic Apple Watch case, but if true protection is desired it doesn’t appear to be too bad of a trade off.
Another durability-focused Apple Watch case, called The Bumper, began taking pre-orders a few weeks ago and plans to begin shipping sometime in June. The Bumper’s ultra-resistant rubber material allows for ease of use when inserting and removing the Apple Watch, with the 360 degree shock absorbing case providing full access to the touch screen, Digital Crown, contacts button, speaker, microphone, and heart rate sensor.
The Bumper by ActionProof
The case also appears to be the only third-party Apple Watch case that provides protection to the Digital Crown while still allowing Apple’s new input device to be fully rotated and pressed. The Bumper will be available in white, black, and orange, and those interested can pre-order The Bumper right now for $35 on ActionProof’s official website.
With the nascence of the Apple Watch, there will no doubt be more and more options for various protection-related Apple Watch accessories as we move further into the year, with other companies getting their hands on their own models of the wearable. Given that some of these manufacturers created useful accessories before even having an Apple Watch in hand, it’ll be interesting to see what other third-party companies do moving forward.
Apple Tops Greenpeace Clean Energy Index Based on Renewable Energy Initiatives
Apple continues to set the bar among technology companies for its commitment to running its worldwide operations on renewable energy, topping Amazon, Facebook, Google, HP, IBM, Microsoft, Oracle, Yahoo and other large corporations in Greenpeace’s Clean Energy Index included as part of its 2015 Click Clean Report [PDF].
“The report found that Apple continues to be the most aggressive in powering its data center operations with renewable energy. Despite continued rapid growth, Apple appears to have kept pace with its supply of renewable energy, maintaining its claim of a 100% renewably powered cloud for another year, followed by Yahoo, Facebook and Google with 73%, 49% and 46% clean energy respectively. Greenpeace found that Amazon’s current investments would deliver an energy mix of 23% renewable energy for its operations.”
The annual report is based on energy transparency, renewable energy commitment and policy, energy efficiency and mitigation, and renewable energy deployment and advocacy, all categories in which Apple received an A, the highest score awarded. Apple was the only technology company with a perfect scorecard in the report.
Greenpeace has been evaluating the energy demand of the internet and internet-related companies since 2010. The non-governmental environmental activist group was critical of Apple’s environmental record for several years, and remained skeptical about the company’s early push into renewable energy sources, but started recognizing and commending the iPhone maker for its efforts beginning last year.
Greenpeace’s full-length 2015 Click Clean Report [PDF] offers in-depth information about environmental initiatives that Apple and other technology companies have been undertaking, renewable energy for the cloud, powering data centers with renewable energy, a road map to a green internet and more. It also explains the methodology behind its letter-based scoring system.
Break me off a piece of that YouTube bar
Remember when Google teamed up with Nestle and went and named a flavor of Android after a four-fingered chocolate bar? Turns out it wasn’t the last we’d see from this unlikely partnership. To celebrate 80 years since the KitKat went on sale, the two companies announced today that 600,000 “limited edition” packs will feature the name “YouTube Break” instead of the familiar KitKat logo in the UK. According to Nestle, it’ll form just one of 72 different “breaks” that will feature on more than 400 wrapper designs. The plan is to produce 100 million packs, with the search giant only playing a small role. That said, YouTube will get involved, allowing smartphone owners to watch the day’s top trending videos with a “OK Google, YouTube my break” voice search. If you didn’t think things could get more sickly sweet, Google and Nestle just proved you wrong.
Filed under: Cellphones, Internet, Mobile, Google
Via: Nestle
Imagination shrinks down its ‘Raspberry Pi on steroids’
It was just under a year ago that Imagination Technologies launched its “Raspberry Pi on steroids,” the MIPS Creator CI20. Now that Maker Faire is upon us, the company has taken the opportunity to present its second-generation hardware, the, uh, new MIPS Creator CI20. The most obvious change is skin-deep, since the v2.0 board now comes with a smaller, squarer body that’s designed to improve wireless performance.
Spec-wise, the hardware remains unchanged, with the same MIPS/PowerVR chip and graphics combo, 1GB RAM, 8GB on-board storage, as well as an SD-card slot, USB and Ethernet-out ports. The version of Android 4.4 that the board runs has been tweaked, however, to address persistent issues with sound over HDMI and Ethernet connectivity. Meanwhile, if you’re using Debian Linux 3.18, you’ll find a new binary is available with improvements in the memory and graphics departments. You’ll also now have access to FlowCloud, the company’s plug-and-play Internet of Things system, for instance letting you build simple home automation applications, like a temperature-controlled fan.
If we’re being generous, the original board wasn’t the most graceful piece of hardware, and the company has made the squared-off sequel much easier to mount in a case. Speaking of which, Imagination is also offering the plans for a 3D-printed outer shell free of charge, and will allow makers to play with them as they see fit.
You may be wondering why Imagination, a British chip designer, is trying to muscle in on the Raspberry Pi’s turf at all. It’s a little complicated, but the point is that it’s all down to the ARM chip that is located at the heart of the Pi’s board. ARM and Imagination are both fabless chip outfits, located an hour’s drive away from each other in the UK. The former makes the CPUs that you’ll find in a big proportion of the world’s smartphones and tablets, while Imagination makes the PowerVR graphics hardware that’s often tucked beside.
Unfortunately, like the Williams sisters when they’re not playing doubles tennis, each one would much rather be top dog on their own, thank you very much. ARM, for instance, produces Mali graphics hardware that can push its down-the-road frenemy out into the cold. Imagination’s response, naturally, was to pick up a rival mobile CPUI maker in the hope of avoiding such an attack. Of course, given ARM’s huge popularity, Imagination is hoping to get itself lodged into the hearts and minds of the next generation — opening the MIPS architecture to academic institutions and hobbyists. Perhaps the hope is that, years down the line, more people will be familiar with Imagination’s gear than ARMs, and the tide will turn in their favor.
Right now, that means that Imagination is handing out these pretty sweet boards for not much money at all. If you’re in the Bay Area and turn up to the company’s stand at Maker Faire, you’ll be able to pick one up for a $10 discount. If not, then you’ll have to wait in line and make your pre-order like everyone else.
Source: Imagination Technology Store, Imagination Technology
Engadget giveaway: win an Xbox One, Chromecast and more courtesy of Plex!
You may have done the spring clean around the house, but have you organized your digital media, too? Installing the Plex Media Server software can help centralize all your scattered music, movie and photo files into one place and serve them up wherever you go. You can access that content using the Plex app, which is available for mobile, smart TVs, set top boxes, streaming devices and game consoles, and it’s easy to share with friends, too. To help one lucky Engadget reader enjoy the full Plex experience this week, the company has provided an Xbox One and a Chromecast, along with a Lifetime Plex Pass for total access and premium features. There’s also a $100 Amazon music gift card in the prize bundle to celebrate the recent update of Plex Music. Gracenote and Vevo are onboard to help build automatic playlists, provide mood-based soundtracks, match your collection with over 140,000 music videos and deliver extra helpings of metadata. Just head down to the Rafflecopter widget below for up to two chances at winning this powerful multi-media package.
- 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. One (1) winner will receive one (1) Xbox One, one (1) Google Chromecast, one (1) Lifetime Plex Pass and one (1) Amazon music gift card for $100.
- 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. Engadget and 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 May 13th at 11:59PM ET. Good luck!
Filed under: Announcements, HD, Mobile, Alt, Microsoft
Discovery is filming virtual reality ‘Mythbusters’ and other shows
The Mythbusters team is already shooting in virtual reality for the next season, Discovery told AdWeek. We’re not exactly sure what that means at the moment — they could be filming Jamie and Adam in VR format using stereoscopic cameras, but the company might also be talking about downloadable tie-in content. Either way, we’re sure we’re not the only ones excited at the prospect of going “inside the show,” seeing explosions and mythbusting in an immersive virtual environment. It’s not just Mythbusters that’s getting the VR treatment, though: the company’s online arm has launched a whole new division called Discovery Virtual. It’s now working on several other VR programs in addition to Mythbusters, but you’d likely have to have access to an Oculus Rift or another similar headset to be able to enjoy any of them.
[Image credit: Discovery]
Filed under: Science
Via: Road to VR
Source: AdWeek
MIT can fix pictures taken through your window… kinda
Take a picture through a window and you’ll often find you’ve captured more of your own reflection than the scene outside. You can solve the problem with a black cloth and a polarizing filter, but that’s not ideal for the majority of smartphone snappers out there. That’s why researchers at MIT are about to present a new software-based solution that, they believe, can “fix” the problem, but only if the window that you’re shooting through is double-glazed.
As YiChang Shih explains, windows with two separate panes of glass produce two reflections, one on the inside and one on the outside. After trying to work out a way of successfully separating the pair, the researcher found a useful image algorithm from a team at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. When this was combined with Shih’s own work, he was able to run through Flickr, correcting several photos at will. Details about how the algorithm works are, naturally, being kept quite scarce, but Shih will open up on the project at the Computer Vision conference in June.
Filed under: Cameras, Software
Via: Gizmodo
Source: MIT News
Virgin TiVo boxes can now access media stored in the cloud
Virgin Media customers might be at least vaguely familiar with “Cloud,” the company’s thoughtfully named cloud storage service. Anyone on Branson’s books gets 5GB free, with up to nine other members of the household getting the same amount of space to upload files and back-up mobile devices to. It’s just one of those handy customer perks, with paid tiers for those who want more storage. Today, however, it becomes that much more useful with the launch of the Cloud app for Virgin Media TiVo boxes. Using the set-top box app, you can access all the pictures, videos and music you have stored in the ether on your living room TV, with just a few clicks of the remote. Might be time to take them up on that 5GB of free space, eh?
Filed under: Home Entertainment, Storage, Internet, HD
Source: Virgin Media
Rockioo is a new watch phone powered by Android
The smartwatch industry has slowly been picking up steam over the years with devices like the Pebble truly kickstarting the wearable revolution, and more recent platforms like the Gear family and Android Wear helping push things further along. With the arrival of the Apple Watch, things continue to heat up. While the smartwatch space was once a great place for startups, we are seeing a number of big companies throw their weight into this growing industry. Of course, that’s not stopping Rockioo from attempting to woo would-be customers on Kickstarter.
Devices like the Apple Watch, Gear, and Android Wear are built to augment our smartphone experience, not to replace it. The Rockioo takes a different approach, offering a full cellular connection and the ability to place calls without needing to be tethered to a phone or any other device. The phone watch is powered by
The phone watch is powered by Rockioo OS, which is a modified version of Android KitKat. Other specs for the Rockioo include a 1.63-inch display with a 320×320 resolution, a Mediatek 6572 32-bit processor, 512MB or 1GB RAM with your storage configuration choice of 4 or 16GB, a microSIM slot, a 500 mAh battery, and typical sensors like a barometer, 6-axis accelerometer, and a magnetometer. The phone watch is also water resistant up to 50 meters.
This is far from the first attempt at building such an all-in-one device, though the results of these attempts have been mixed at best (we’re talking about you, Omate Truesmart). Does the Rockioo have what it takes to stand out from the crowd? While the judgment on that is still out, it seems that at 154 backers (at the time of this writing) believe in the project, with the Rockioo currently achieving $59,084 of $200,000 goal with 25 days remaining.
For those interested in getting your hands on the Rockioo, there are a number of options. First, you can pledge just a dollar for the opportunity to enter a drawing, where you could be chosen as 1 of 100 lucky backers to receive a free Rockioo Watch (512MB/4GB) one month ahead of its full release, with the agreement you’d be a tester and would be responsible for providing feedback via email. If you don’t mind pledging more, a pledge of $129 will secure you a Rockioo with 512MB RAM and 4GB storage as an early bird special or $199 will net you a Rockioo with 1GB RAM and 16GB storage — though only a limited number of slots exist for both of these options.
For more details on the Rockioo project, be sure to check out their Kickstarter page.
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