Photos Reveal Secrets Behind Apple Watch Retail Display Units
In its retail stores, Apple uses special Apple Watch display units to allow customers to test the Apple Watch ahead of making a purchase. The units, which have been available in stores since try-on appointments began on April 10, combine a functional Apple Watch (secured to prevent theft) with an iPad mini that gives details on various aspects of the device.
Most of us probably haven’t stopped to wonder about how these units work, but new Brazilian regulatory documents and images shared by BlogdoiPhone [Google Translate] give us a fascinating inside look at how Apple engineered the display units.
According to BlogdoiPhone, Apple Watches inside the display cases have special bands that incorporate a Lightning cable, which plug into the case to connect to the iPad. When an app is opened on the Apple Watch, this connection relays data to the iPad on what’s being viewed, letting the screen display additional information about each feature.
The specialized Lightning port band connects to the hidden 6-pin diagnostic port on the Apple Watch, using it to establish a connection between the watch and the case. It is not clear if the diagnostic port connection also allows the Apple Watch to charge, either through the iPad or through a battery built into the unit, but such a function would explain how the Apple Watches manage to stay powered through a full day of continual usage by customers.
One side of the unit also includes a USB-Type C port or a Lightning port, which we have previously heard is used to charge the entire unit on a nightly basis, so it’s possible there’s a built-in battery that powers both the iPad display and the Apple Watch during the day.
It is not known if the Apple Watches used in the display units are identical to retail Apple Watches aside from the bands or if they are custom built with extra functionality, but there has been speculation that the Apple Watch can charge through the diagnostic port. Specifically, the engineers behind the Reserve Strap accessory in the works for the Apple Watch have said they have confirmed the port can be used for charging.
Apple recently introduced band design guidelines for third-party accessory manufacturers, and while the guidelines say bands must not integrate magnetic chargers, there’s no mention of the diagnostic port, leaving its full capabilities largely a mystery. On watches delivered to consumers, the 6-pin diagnostic port is hidden behind a cover that resembles the SIM slot on an iPhone 6.
The Brazilian Agency of Telecommunications (or Anatel), where the documents and images originated, has approved the Apple Watch and the in-store display units, suggesting Apple is gearing up to begin selling the Apple Watch in additional countries in the near future.
Google announces the limited-edition Skrillex Live Case
Editions is a new series from Google in which “creative collaborations” are contracted to design limited-edition cases.
The first creative collaborator is Skrillex. Skrillex has produced three designs based on out of this world motivations.
With the Live Cases, you get a bit more than a strangely designed case.
First, you get a live wallpaper from Skrillex’s satellite that he named “Nanou” after his dog. During the day, Nanou sends your phone photographs of Earth from the stratosphere. At night, the wallpaper will send images of constellations that are visible from your current location.
On top of that, you will get “VIP access to Skrillex content”. From the official Android blog:
“Fans who get the Live Case will get early access to a free OWSLA album from Google Play and Skrillex updates sent directly to their phones. A shortcut button built-in on the Live Case gives you one-touch access to Skrillex’s music feed on YouTube. The button can also be customized to open your favorite apps, launch your phone camera or go to Skrillex’s website.“
The Live Case also has a nifty little button on the back of the case that allows for quick access to your favorite app or Skrillex’s website, Google feels the need to point out that the last one requires internet connection.
This cases are also individually numbered like any other limited-edition run of anything. Once again, there are three different designs to pick from and each will run you $40. The Live Case is available for the following phones:
- Nexus 6
- Nexus 5
- Galaxy S6
- Galaxy S5
- Galaxy Note 4
Live Cases are available through the Play Store
The post Google announces the limited-edition Skrillex Live Case appeared first on AndroidGuys.
Your photos are more popular when you use filters, according to Yahoo
Whether or not you think photo filters represent creative assets or the death of photography as we know it, one thing’s becoming increasingly clear: they’re your ticket to popularity. Yahoo and Georgia Tech researchers have learned that filtered photos (at least, on Flickr) are 21 percent more likely to get views, and 45 percent more likely to receive comments. This doesn’t mean that you can throw on any effect you like, mind you. Warmer-looking filters usually get the best results, while colder examples have less of an impact. In short, feel free to tweak your Instagram shots if you feel they lack a certain oomph that will draw in the crowds — just don’t try to be overly dark and edgy.
Filed under: Cellphones, Cameras, Internet, Mobile
Via: PetaPixel
Source: Yahoo Labs (Tumblr)
Prosthetic foot only needs ‘mind control’ for movement
During a press conference in Copenhagen on Wednesday, prosthetics manufacturer Ossur announced the release of an implantable sensor that allows users to mentally control a mechanical limb. The technology, known as an Implanted MyoElectric Sensor (IMES) will allow users to move the company’s motorized Proprio Foot just like they do the real thing.
With an existing analog (or even powered) prosthesis, there’s often an infuriating lag between intention and action because the user has to physically contract a muscle to activate it. Not so with the IMES system. When electrical signals from the user’s brain hit the end of the amputated leg, they’re picked up by a pair of sensors embedded in the surrounding muscle tissue. These sensors, in turn, send a wireless signal to the Proprio foot telling it to flex or extend. And since the muscles themselves aren’t contracting, there’s no lag between thinking about moving and actually doing so. What’s more, the implantation surgery only takes about 15 minutes and requires an single single-centimeter-long incision. Even cooler is the fact that the sensors are powered by tiny magnetic coils housed in the prosthetic socket so they won’t have to be replaced once installed. “We believe this is a lifelong sensor,” Thorvaldur Ingvarsson, Ossur’s head of R&D, told Popular Science.
“It’s really surreal,” Gudmundur Olafsson, one of the the company’s two initial test subjects, said in a statement. “The first time, to be honest, I started to cry. You are moving the ankle, and I basically haven’t had one in 11 years.” Olafsson spent 14 months using the IMES-enabled Proprio as his sole prosthetic.
Up next, the company plans to hold large-scale clinical trials and hopes to have the device to market within the next three to five years. There’s no word yet on how much the devices will cost once they do become available.
Filed under: Wearables, Wireless, Science
Source: Popular Science
Facebook Messenger video calling is now available globally
Facebook introduced free video calling within its Messenger app back in April, though at the time it was only supported in select countries including the U.S., U.K., Canada, and a few others. The good news is that this changes today, as Facebook has now rolled out global access to the feature!
According to Facebook, there’s still a few countries where the feature isn’t live yet, but even these areas should see the feature “soon”, with Facebook working to improve video quality in these few remaining markets. Once you have the latest version of the app installed, you will simply need to tap the video camera icon on any open Messenger conversation to instantly connect with family and friends.
Facebook has been pushing hard to make Messenger a worthy alternative to other established messaging apps and services out there, and the addition of video calling in all regions certainly will help with this effort. You’ll want to head on over to Google Play to grab the latest app update!
T-Mobile and MetroPCS offer up discounts and deals for Memorial Day
T-Mobile has announced its latest promotion which centers around Memorial Day weekend.
Starting from May 23 and running for two days, T-Mobile will offer the 64GB version of the Samsung Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 Edge for the same price as the 32GB models. Customers who opt for the 32GB model during this time frame will receive a $50 Visa gift card.
T-Mobile is also now selling the LG Stylo and LG Leon, a pair of entry-levels models that should work well for first time smartphone buyers. The Stylo will cost $290 ($12.08/month) while the Leon runs $150 ($6.24/month). Prepaid customers can pick up the Leon for free after an online rebate.
As part of a separate Magenta Thunder deal, T-Mobile is selling the Samsung Galaxy Avant for $99. Simply use the promo code THUNDER100 and you’ll shave $100 off the phone. This web-only promotion runs May 19-20.
Over on the MetroPCS front, the Stylo and Leon will retail for $199 and $49, respectively, after online rebates. Anyone who ports their number from a competing wireless provider will receive either a free LG Leon or $50 toward another phone.
MetroPCS is also running its 4X100 promotion which allows for four lines of service with unlimited talk, text, and 2 GB each line for a total of $100 per month.
The post T-Mobile and MetroPCS offer up discounts and deals for Memorial Day appeared first on AndroidGuys.
The end of the spec war
With the rate that mobile hardware is advancing, the specs of a device become less and less important. This is repeatedly shown by devices like the Moto E/G, our Moto E review by Scott Webster, and the Alcatel OneTouch Idol 3, see our review by Henry Wiygui, that have been hitting the market with a sub-par specs by today’s standards, but also a price tag that is a third of the cost of a flagship.
Specs used to be everything. There was a time when your experience with your phone was determined by the specs. Top notch specs gives the user the best experience. Dial down your specs and you are rewarded with a lesser experience. This was the start of the spec war.
This is not the case in today’s world. You can get the same experience with lesser specs.
There is nothing wrong with a cheaper phone that offers the same experience. There are people out there who buy the latest iPhone or the latest Sony, Motorola or Samsung device because they are scared to be seen with a low end device. Sadly, phones have turned into a status symbol for some.
In this day and age, the $200 devices turn out to be better(due to price and performance) than flagships that cost upwards to $600. While it costs 1/3 of the price, and the specs are a little lackluster, they still work just as well.
Everyday people do not need 4 GB of RAM and a quadcore Snapdragon 810. In fact, people might find that they get a better overall experience with a single GB of RAM and the Snapdragon 400 found in the Moto G(2014).
For a user like my mother, she only plays simple games like Farm Heroes Saga, and the Moto G works wonders for her. The lack of 4G LTE and overpowered processors lower battery drain and help make her phone last longer than my flagship Nexus 6.
There is no reason for the latest and best devices if you aren’t a heavy power user. I for one am a power user, and I put my Nexus 6 through two full charges every day, but my mom is not.
The display and processor in the Nexus 6 would run down the battery after four hours of use on my mom, but the Moto G will last upwards to nine hours of usage.
The older processors found in middle to low end phones are still capable of running the daily tasks the the average users will throw at it. Hardware has surpassed software for the time being, meaning that the software does not fully use the power in the hardware.
That being said, the same hardware will be able to keep up with progressing software for a few years to come.
So the next time you are out looking for a new phone, consider your options thoroughly. Do you really need that flagship device for $600, or can you save $400 and go get something nice for someone you care about?
And before you say it, you contract plan doesn’t change anything. There will be time for that topic later on though.
Check out our buyer’s guides if you need some help weighing the high, mid and low end devices!
T-Mobile | Verizon | AT&T | US Cellular | Sprint | Boost
The post The end of the spec war appeared first on AndroidGuys.
White ‘Halo’ Xbox One bundle coming to the US
It’s no secret that people love white gadgets. And in case you missed out on the Xbox One Sunset Overdrive bundle from last year, now’s your chance to get one. Microsoft just revealed a kit that’s loaded with a white version of the console, Halo: The Master Chief Collection, 500GB of storage and a 14-day Xbox Live Gold trial. The special edition is only available in the US and costs $350, which would save you about $50. But you better hurry if you want it — as usual, this will only be up for grabs in limited quantities.
Filed under: Gaming, Home Entertainment, HD, Microsoft
Source: Xbox
Viber’s calling and messaging app launches on Chromebooks
In order for Chrome OS to succeed, Google needs all the support it can get from developers. Hardware companies are certainly doing their part, namely by offering Chromebooks to people at affordable prices. That’s why it’s important when a popular service such as Viber launches on the platform, like today. Now users can start using the app to communicate with friends or family directly from their Chromebook, just as they would on iOS, Android or Windows Phone. Not only can you send text and picture messages, but also make phone and video calls to your contacts. It’s free too, which comes in handy if you’re trying talk to people across different countries.
Filed under: Internet, Software, Google
Source: Chrome Web Store
Google Editions cases come with live wallpapers and a shortcut button
Before you dismiss this as a slow-day news post, hear us out: these aren’t your run-of-the-mill phone cases. These are the first products Google has released under its new Editions project, a series of collaborations with artists to develop limited edition “live cases” for select Android phones. For this batch, Mountain View worked with electronic dance music producer/DJ Skrillex, who designed an outer space-inspired set. Now, here’s the cool part: in keeping with the space theme, the products come with live wallpapers showing images of the Earth from the statosphere during the day and constellations visible from your location at night. The tech giant actually launched a high-altitude balloon named after Skrillex’s dog Nanou to capture images of our planet and didn’t just take images from NASA.
In addition, the cases are built with a shortcut button — it leads to the DJ’s YouTube feed out of the box, but you can reprogram it to launch the camera or any other specific app. The Skrillex Editions cases are now up for sale on Google Store for the Nexus 5, Nexus 6, Samsung Galaxy S5, Samsung Galaxy S6 and Samsung Galaxy Note 4. If you own another Android phone, we’re afraid you’re going to have to sit this one out.
Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, Google
Source: Official Android Blog
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