Stephen Colbert introduces ‘The Late Show’ to social media
Stephen Colbert’s no stranger to the internet or technology, but you can’t exactly say the same for the show he starts hosting in December. Well ahead of his first night behind the The Late Show desk, CBS has launched an iOS app, new website and a rash of social media accounts bearing Colbert’s moniker. Sure, Conan and The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon have their fingers in this pond already, but this move showcases a pretty big generational change when you compare this to the environment David Letterman debuted to in 1993. No disrespect to Letterman, but it’s rather refreshing. Oh, and there’s a teaser video below in case you’re curious about what the former Daily Show correspondent has been up to for the past few months. Spoiler: he has a beard.
http://canstatic.cbs.com/chrome/canplayer.swf?pid=vhz9F_fuQkTh&partner=cbs&gen=1
[Image credit: Dan Steinberg/Invision/AP]
Filed under: Home Entertainment, HD, Mobile
Source: iTunes, Colbert Late Show
What happened with Google Wallet?
My initial reaction when I heard about Android Pay in Google I/O last week was, what about Google Wallet!? Like a lot of Android fans, I was pretty giddy back in 2011 when I heard about the feature to make purchases using my phone. I remember trying it for the first time on my HTC Evo LTE, with a smile on my face (partly because the teller looked so confused when I put my phone up to the scanner to pay).
But anyone who has kept up with Google Wallet throughout the years knows that it has had quite a struggle for adoption. Carriers were even blocking the capability, although the phone had NFC. It was a mess and something drastic had to be done for the Android phone payment system move towards success. Google presented Android Pay as the solution.
But is Android Pay a different animal than Google Wallet? Not really, you’re still tapping your phone on a scanner to make a payment via NFC (with some worthy refinements, which we’ve discussed here). So why the name change then? My opinion is that its too late for Google Wallet, the name has been tainted. We’ve seen in the past when a label is unsuccessful and the company erases and replaces it with the new. I believe this is what Google has done here, and dare I mention the similarity of the name to the more recognized Apple Pay?
So does this mean that Google Wallet will go the way of the dodo? Not yet at least. On Google Wallet’s Google+ page, they’ve stated that the new focus of Google Wallet will be to improve the sending/receiving money experience, “The new app will allow anyone with a US debit card to send and receive money for free within minutes – even if the other person doesn’t have the app. The money you receive can either be directly sent to your bank account or it can be spent in stores using the Google Wallet card.”
Well, at least it’s not dead, because I think a part of me would be too.
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Tag Heuer Carrera Wearable 01 named as first luxury smartwatch
Earlier this year, Tag Heuer and Intel announced that the two would collaborate on an Android Wear powered Swiss Smartwatch to be sold later this year. In an interview with Wearable, Jean-Claude Biver, CEO of Tag Heuer, has revealed the name of the company’s inbound Android Wear luxury smartwatch the Tag Heuer Carrera Wearable 01.
TAG Heuer Carrera Heuer 01
Although, Tag Heuer’s luxury smartwatch isn’t scheduled to be launched until October or November 2015, it is expected to follow a design similar to the company’s recently launched Carrera Heuer 01.
Quoting on the difference between an Intel Inside and a Swiss Made made watch, the CEO explained:
“There is no other choice for Tag Heuer than to have all its DNA, all its watchmaking emotion and flair into the connected watch. Somehow, one should not see from a certain distance the difference between a Carrera Heuer 01 and a Carrera Wearable 01.”
UK communications manager Alexandra King, also hinted that the smartwatch will be the first upgradeable Android Wear device.
The watch will change the technology as it develops, Jean-Claude Biver was clear about that. We want to be able to change the technology but keep the watch elements.Talking about the potential life span of the smartwatch, she said:
If your child completed their Masters degree, you might want to give them a watch. We want to create something that will stay on your watch for a lifetime, that’s what Tag Heuer does. And as the technology changes, it will change.
The Tag Heuer Carrera Wearable 01 is anticipated to be launched at $1400 with a 40 hour potential battery life.
The post Tag Heuer Carrera Wearable 01 named as first luxury smartwatch appeared first on AndroidGuys.
Soen Audio Transit XS – One of the best portable speakers you can buy
If you are a follower of Androidguys, you know we review a lot of bluetooth speakers. It is one of the most popular accessories for mobile devices that you can buy, and therein lies the problem. There are hundreds of speakers to choose from and the freedom to choose can be time intensive if you want to spend your money wisely.
I’ve used at least 10 different bluetooth speakers over the past couple of years, and I can say, if portability is your most important factor when buying a speaker, then this speaker is the one to buy. In general, many speakers are relatively small, but are simply too big to carry around on a regular basis. If it can’t fit in your pocket, then it just isn’t that portable unless you want to throw the speaker in a backpack or purse wherever you go. That’s where the Soen Audio Transit XS Ultra Slim speaker fits in. When you think of “ultra slim” you tend to think of devices like the Macbook Air, Samsung Galaxy S6, or the Samsung Tab S. Those devices are really thin. If you think the Soen Audio Transit XS is going to be that thin, then think again. Its thickness measures at 1 inch, which is not thin for a phone or a tablet, but it is really thin for a bluetooth speaker. It isn’t quite the slimmest bluetooth speaker on the market, but it is thin enough to throw into a back pocket, and that is definitely portable if it can fit into pocket at a meager weight of only .6lb. Compare that to the Bose Soundlink Mini at a hefty 1.5 pounds, and you’ll realize the Bose speaker needs to go on a diet.
Drivers(speakers) require space to drive sound and that is why it is hard to shrink bluetooth speakers. For as small as the Soen Audio Transit speaker is, it doesn’t sacrifice on loudness or sound quality. It isn’t as loud and it doesn’t have the detail of some of the larger speakers, but that is to be expected as this is a small device. Surprisingly, the bass response is actually quite nice, and that is due to the patented Momentum Port on the side of the speaker that allows for that chamber to let the bass flow. Soen takes pride in their revolutionary acoustic technologies and I see no fault in that as the speaker truly does deliver rich sound.
Given the small size, the Transit doesn’t have a ton of room for a large battery but it does support up to 8 hours of playback. In my tests(not at all scientific) I averaged about 6-7 hours of use, but that is probably due to the fact that I play my music loud. The battery life is respectable, but nothing to write home about. Four mini LED lights show the battery level on the side of the speaker which is nice so you know when to recharge. As with most portable speakers, Soen sticks with the micro-usb standard for charging so you won’t need to lug a proprietary charger around with you.
Another simple feature, yet highly important, is the easy-mount connector. The Transit comes with a standard mount that attaches to 1/4″ camera mounts, which means you can use any standard mount that is used for photography. There are tons of mounts that would allow you to strap this speaker to a bike, motorcycle, or even a tree for when you are outdoors.
Being that the Transit is designed for true portability, they coated the speaker with a protective rubber armor. The feel of the rubber is very nice and provides plenty of grip. The Transit comes in five colors, red, black, white, blue and purple, and can be had for $129.95. I have no doubts this speaker will stand up to being dragged around with me due to the superior and thoughtful build quality.
Overall, for a speaker of this size, the Soen Transit XS is an incredible device if you are looking in the portable speaker category. By portable, I mean it can be thrown into a pocket. I have not heard a better performing speaker of this size, most in this size range sound tinny and distorted at higher volumes. The Transit XS has full sound, including incredible bass response. On top of great sound quality you get a well thought out build with the rubber coating and ability to mount this speaker to standard mounts. The Transit comes in five colors, red, black, white, blue and purple, and can be had for $129.95. I have no doubts that this speaker will stand up to being dragged around with me, due to the superior and thoughtful build quality.
I used the speaker for 6 weeks before writing this review.
You can purchase the Soen Transit-XS on Amazon.com or directly through Soen Audio.
The post Soen Audio Transit XS – One of the best portable speakers you can buy appeared first on AndroidGuys.
LG’s G Watch R is unofficially discontinued in favor of the Watch Urbane
Bad news if you were trying to hunt down an LG G Watch R instead of a Watch Urbane; it looks like production of LG’s first rounded smartwatch is coming to an end.
The G Watch R is showing unavailable in Google’s store, which typically only happens at the end of a device’s lifespan, and while LG’s US site doesn’t say anything about it, Best Buy doesn’t show any available inventory. The key there is that it’s “unavailable,” not “out of stock.”
Discontinued products aren’t uncommon, especially in the fast moving world of electronics. But if you see a G Watch R in a store somewhere and you’ve been thinking about buying one, you may want to pick it up. It probably won’t be there the next time you go back.
source: Android Police
Come comment on this article: LG’s G Watch R is unofficially discontinued in favor of the Watch Urbane
Intel’s wireless Rezence charging should begin shipping in devices next year
Intel’s Rezence wireless charging standard has been in the works for a while now, but the company says it’s ready to be shipped in consumer devices starting in 2016. Fortunately for us, that’s only a year off.
Rezence uses magnetic resonance for transferring power, and it should theoretically have a bit more range than what we’re currently working with. Intel’s SVP, Kirk Saugen, claims that everything from keyboards and mice to laptops should start being integrated with Rezence tech. For all of the other devices (and our older stuff) there should hopefully be some add-ons that will allow everything to take advantage of wireless freedom.
After personally using a Galaxy S6 for a couple months with a few wireless charging pads, I can confidently say that I’m excited for other technology to embrace doing things completely wire-free, especially if they can take advantage of better range and energy transfer.
source: Engadget
Come comment on this article: Intel’s wireless Rezence charging should begin shipping in devices next year
I tried to identify high-quality audio samples and failed miserably
High-resolution audio is getting a lot buzz as of late thanks to the efforts of Tidal, Neil Young and others. While Tidal had a test of its own, NPR set up another quiz to see if you can tell the difference between MP3s and uncompressed WAVs. I couldn’t, and I listened to the samples through a pair of B&O H6s routed through an Apogee Groove DAC/headphone amp. In fact, the only track out of the six in which I was able to accurately identify the uncompressed audio was Katy Perry’s “Dark Horse” (oddly enough, I’m a big KP fan). For reference, 320kbps MP3s, which are the mid-grade option here, are what streaming services like Spotify, Rdio and others use for their catalogs.
In addition to the most streamed song of 2014, NPR serves up Jay Z’s “Tom Ford,” Suzanne Vega’s “Tom’s Diner,” Neil Young’s “There’s a World,” Coldplay’s “Speed of Sound” and a Mozart piano concerto from The English Chamber Orchestra. For each selection, you’re given three samples — 192kbps MP3, 320kbps MP3 and the uncompressed WAV — to choose from. Of course, your selection of headphones could hinder those listening skills, or if your ears aren’t used to the clear sounds of HiFi. Unsure about all the chatter surrounding audio quality? Here’s your chance to see if you’ll be able to notice a difference.
Filed under: Portable Audio/Video
Source: NPR
Samsung Galaxy S6 Active specs confirmed
A few hours ago, a render of the Samsung Galaxy S6 Active leaked out and it went live on Samsung’s official website for a brief moment, after which it was taken down. It seems Samsung is ready to make an announcement anytime and is readying to send out the press release.
Unsurprisingly, the Samsung Galaxy S6 Active was listed with AT&T branding, complete with specs and manual. It features the same hardware as the Samsung Galaxy S6, the only difference being the rugged body of Galaxy S6 Active.
The model that was listed is SM-G890AZWAATT Samsung Galaxy S6 Active AT&T, Camo White color. It sports a 5.1-inch 2560 x 1440 Super AMOLED Quad HD display, weighing in at 138 grams having physical dimensions as 5.65″ x 2.78″ x 0.27″. The battery is 2550 mAh, debunking the earlier rumored 3,500 mAh unit.
Other specs like 3GB RAM, 32GB internal memory (non-expandable), an octa-core processor, 16 MP rear camera, a 5 MP front-facing camera and a heart rate monitor are common to both the Samsung Galaxy S6 and the S6 Active. It runs on Android 5.0 Lollipop, but we expect it to be upgraded to Android 5.1 soon after release.
Like its predecessor the Samsung Galaxy S5 Active, the Samsung Galaxy S6 Active is dust and water resistant but with an upgraded IP-68 certification, covering 1.5 meters of submersion for 30 minutes.
For those of us feeling a little adventurous on the weekends, it comes with a dedicated Active button in the top left of the device. It triggers the Activity Zone app which includes barometer, weather, compass, and S Health information. The button can also be customized to perform other functions, such as taking photos.
There is no word from Samsung or AT&T on the pricing or availability of this device but we should hear about it soon.
Are you looking forward to buy the Samsung Galaxy S6 Active? Let us know in the comments below.
The post Samsung Galaxy S6 Active specs confirmed appeared first on AndroidGuys.
The USAF found and flattened an ISIL base because of selfies
According to Air Force Gen. Hawk Carlisle, a USAF intelligence team with the 361st ISR (Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance) Group in Hurlburt Field, FL, uncovered a meaty piece of intel during their routine sweeps of Islamic State-related social media accounts. Apparently someone took a selfie outside of a headquarters building and posted it online. Guess what happened next (you read the headline, right?).
As Gen. Carlisle explained to Defense Tech:
The guys that were working down out of Hurlburt, they’re combing through social media and they see some moron standing at this command. And in some social media, open forum, bragging about the command and control capabilities for Daesh, ISIL. And these guys go: ‘We got an in.’ So they do some work, long story short, about 22 hours later through that very building, three JDAMs [Joint Direct Attack Munitions] take that entire building out.
The USAF hasn’t released many other details and is specifically keeping the location of the former HQ under wraps. Bottom line, don’t post pictures of your secret base in public forums because someone with airstrike capabilities could be reading.
[Image Credit: AFP/Getty Images]
Filed under: Internet
Source: DefenseTech
Leaked trade deal stops countries from saying where your data goes
There’s been a fair share of leaked trade deals raising hackles in recent memory, but the latest could have some big repercussions for your data privacy. WikiLeaks has slipped out details of the in-progress Trade in Services Agreement (TISA), and one of its clauses would prevent the US, European Union and 23 other nations from controlling both where your data is stored as well as whether or not it’s accessible from outside of the country. Germany, for example, couldn’t demand that Facebook and Google store residents’ account information on local servers.
The pact might also be bad news if you’re a big fan of open source programs. One article would ban countries from requiring access to the code of “mass-market” software in order to provide services related to that software. A TISA partner could still use Linux, OpenOffice and other software with easy-to-dissect code, but it couldn’t require that kind of software.
Negotiations for TISA are happening behind closed doors, and it’s not clear whether or not these measures would make the final cut. However, they’re definitely problematic. The restrictions on exports would prevent Russia-like control over data that makes it easier to censor and snoop on your communications, but they’d also make it hard to stop your info from traveling overseas. Likewise, while the open source clause would allow for more flexibility in software, it also risks weakening security by making it harder to check for spy agency back doors. As a whole, the agreement’s tech-related elements favor businesses over privacy rights and transparency.
[Image credit: Getty Images]
Filed under: Internet, Software
Via: Ars Technica
Source: WikiLeaks
AIVAnet 