Microsoft’s Fifth Avenue flagship store will open this fall
Microsoft is apparently readying its new flagship retail outlet to open this Fall on New York’s Fifth Avenue. Microsoft Extended Experts Team member Gokan Ozcifci tweeted the image below, which appears to show the storefront at 677 5th Ave with signage reading “Microsoft Store Coming Fall 2015″. Microsoft has been pushing its brick and mortar retail business for about five years now. The company has 100 outlets in the US, Puerto Rico and Canada though most of those are those Microsoft-branded store-within-a-store sections you see at Best Buy and Staples. This will be its first flagship location, just blocks from one of Apple’s four Manhattan storefronts.
New #Microsoft store opening Fall 2015. 5th Avenue New York. pic.twitter.com/FgphwcOziB
– Gokan Ozcifci (@GokanOzcifci) July 23, 2015
[Image Credit: Bloomberg via Getty Images]
Filed under: Desktops, Laptops, Microsoft
Via: ZDNet
Source: Gokan Ozcifci (Twitter)
Moto G (3rd Gen) Official Specs Released
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This morning was an exciting morning if you were looking forward to the new arsenal on Motorola’s shelves. One being the third generation Moto G, which of course the previous Moto G devices have been a huge success for Motorola. Now we get the new one and hopefully it will be as successful as its predecessors.
The new Moto G will be priced at $180, and will be available in the MotoMaker in various colors. Check out the specs for the third generation Moto G. Let us know if you plan on picking one up.
Source: Droid-Life
BASIC PARAMETERS
Colors: Customizable through Moto Maker
Dimensions: 142.1 x 72.4 x 6.1-11.6 (curved) mm
Weight: 155 grams
System: Android 5.1.1 “Lollipop”
CPU: Qualcomm Snapdragon 410 (MSM8916) processor with 1.4 GHz quad-core CPU
GPU: Adreno 306 with 400 MHz GPU
RAM: 1GB or 2GB, depending on storage option selected
Storage: 8GB and 16GB + microSD slot for 32GB max space
Battery: 2,470mAh
Water Protection: IPX7 rating (1 meter of water for 30 minutes)
CONNECTIVITY
Connectivity (by Model):
Moto G – GSM (XT1540)
- LTE (2, 4, 5, 7, 12, 17)
- UMTS/HSPA+ (850, 1700/AWS, 1900, 2100 MHz)
- GSM/GPRS/EDGE (850, 900, 1800, 1900 MHz)
Moto G – ACG, Republic Wireless, Sprint Prepaid, US Cellular, Virgin Mobile (XT1548)
- LTE (2, 4, 5, 12, 17, 25, 26)
- UMTS/HSPA+ (850, 1700, 1900 MHz)
- CDMA (800, 850, 1900 MHz)
- TD-LTE (41 TD2500)
- GSM/GPRS/EDGE (850, 900, 1800, 1900 MHz)
Wi-Fi: 802.11 b/g/n (2.4 GHz)
Bluetooth: Bluetooth version 4.0 LE
Positioning: GPS, AGPS, GLONASS, BeiDou
PORTS, SLOTS, BUTTONS AND INDICATORS
Ports Data & Charging: Micro USB, 3.5 mm headset jack
NFC: No
Buttons: Power Button, Volume Rockers, On-screen buttons
SIM: Micro-SIM
DISPLAY
Size: 5-inch
Resolution: 720p HD (1280 x 720), 294 ppi
Protection: Corning Gorilla Glass 3
CAMERAS
Sensor: 13 Megapixel
Features: Auto focus, Quick Capture (twist wrist to launch camera), Tap anywhere to capture, 4X digital zoom (drag to zoom in/out), Slow motion video, Burst mode, Auto HDR
OIS: No
Laser Focus: No
Flash: Dual LED Color Correlated Temperature (CCT) flash
Aperture: f/2.0 aperture
Front Camera: 5 Megapixel
Video: 1080p HD video, 30 fps (MPEG4, H.264)
AUDIO
Speakers: Single loudspeaker, earpiece
Microphones: Dual-microphone
The post Moto G (3rd Gen) Official Specs Released appeared first on AndroidSPIN.
Indie developers out thousands of dollars in OUYA-Razer deal
Once upon a time, it looked like OUYA would be able to support itself as an independent gaming company focused on the Android-based, microconsole experience. In 2013, it even offered up $1 million to OUYA developers as part of an initiative called Free the Games Fund, which promised to match crowdfunded cash for certain OUYA projects. Dozens of developers got involved and were banking on OUYA’s contributions to complete and ship their games, often tens of thousands of dollars per project. Now that Razer is officially purchasing OUYA, all of this cash is in question and the developers involved are not happy. “Razer/OUYA’s insistence that these deals are gone is causing us to have to majorly restructure our plans leading up to release,” one developer, who wishes to remain anonymous, tells Engadget.
This developer is owed more than $30,000 from OUYA’s Free the Games Fund. Razer reached out to the studio in mid-July to say the deal was off.
“We haven’t talked with anyone from OUYA about this,” the developer says. “Razer definitely stepped up for that part of the conversation and also insisted that we talk with them mostly on the phone. This makes me think that they might not want any of this written down.”
To make matters worse, any money that this studio already received from OUYA was used to make its game compatible with OUYA. “Now that the game is likely no longer being released on the OUYA, even that money and time feels like a loss,” the developer says.
“I’ve gone over a lot of contracts in my time and the one they sent us was just bad.”
Free the Games Fund already has a rocky history. The program unraveled soon after its launch — its rules were easily manipulated and there were few safeguards against non-legitimate developers looking to make some fast cash. OUYA overhauled the program and participating developers carried on with the assumption that Free the Games Fund would help offset some of their costs.
The above developer signed an “updated contract” with OUYA earlier this year that included a clause regarding the company’s potential bankruptcy or insolvency (provided below). The clause states that either party can void the agreement if one “files a petition in bankruptcy, reorganization or similar proceeding,” among other circumstances.
“From what I can tell, Ouya has made no effort as of yet to take the actions described in this section of the contract,” the developer says. “Rather, Razer has simply told us they didn’t purchase the part of OUYA that deals with the Free The Games fund.”
The relevant clause of OUYA’s Free the Games Fund contract
Another Free the Games Fund developer, who also wishes to remain anonymous, still expects to be paid as part of the initiative. That’s because this studio never signed the contract.
“I’ve gone over a lot of contracts in my time and the one they sent us was just bad,” the developer says. “On top of that, it was unnecessary; contest rules are legally binding, and we saved a copy of them. We figured that we had sufficient protection with just the contract rules and delayed on signing the contract until they stopped asking us. As of speaking to them, it seems as though we are still going to get paid, and we currently have an invoice in with them that is due in around a month. Whether or not we actually get the money due from the invoice remains to be seen, but we’ve got legal recourse if they fail to pay, so we suspect they will.”
This money is important to both of the developers that Engadget spoke with.
“The remaining money owed from the fund is essential to us in our last stages of marketing and QA, as well as a resource for continued content updates of the game after initial release,” the first, contract-signed developer says.
We’ve reached out to Razer and OUYA for comment or clarification on Free the Games Fund going forward and will update if either responds.
‘Dragon Quest XI’ may be one of the first Nintendo NX games
It’s been a long time coming, but another Dragon Quest title is on the way — and you’ll want to keep your eye on this one. Square Enix has announced Dragon Quest XI, a solo role-playing game (no DQX-style massively multiplayer experience) that will come to the PlayStation 4, 3DS… and, quite possibly, Nintendo’s future NX console. Yes, the publisher is at least “considering” a version for a system that exists as little more than a codename. There’s no mention of what that version will entail, although it’s clear that DQXI will take advantage of platforms’ strong points. The PS4 version is based on the pretty Unreal Engine 4, while the 3DS version makes good use of the dual screens to show 3D gameplay and 2D maps at the same time. As it stands, you’ll have to wait a while to try any edition for yourself. Square Enix hasn’t provided any release dates yet, so the odds are that you won’t be battling slimes until 2016 at the earliest.
Via: NintendoLife
Source: Square Enix (translated)
Apple Watch Leading to Healthy Lifestyle Changes Among Early Adopters
Less than four months after the Apple Watch launched, many early adopters are finding that the wrist-worn device has motivated them to make healthy lifestyle changes. From walking and exercising more often to making healthier choices and playing more sports, market research firm Wristly found that many Apple Watch buyers are taking full advantage of the wearable’s health and fitness features.
More than 75% of survey participants among Wristly’s panel of nearly 1000 Apple Watch buyers indicated that they “Strongly Agree” or “Agree” that they have been standing more since receiving the Apple Watch. Similarly, 67% of participants agreed that they walk more, 59% agreed they make better health choices and 57% said they exercise more often with the Apple Watch.
Early adopters are generally satisfied with the Apple Watch’s health and fitness features, especially those included stock on the device. An aggregate 89% of survey participants were either “Very Satisfied” or “Satisfied” with the built-in Activity app, while around 80% were satisfied with the heart rate sensor and hourly standup reminders and just over 75% were satisfied with the Workout app.
Jim Dalrymple of The Loop echoed similar sentiments in his Apple Watch review in June, in which he shared his personal story about losing 40 pounds using HealthKit and Apple Watch. After ten months of exercising, weight lifting and healthier eating decisions, Dalrymple lost four pant sizes and two shirt sizes, and the Apple Watch kept him motivated to reach his goals:
Apple Watch furthered my transformation. I can see on my wrist every minute of the day where I’m at for standing, movement, activity, calories and much more.
One minute please, Apple Watch says I need to stand up.
If Apple Watch says stand, I stand. I still don’t know why. Maybe I just want to complete those rings every day and feel good about that. Maybe standing every hour really is good for me. I don’t know, but I’ll indulge this little device on my wrist and stand.
Making healthy lifestyle changes requires consistency, and Wristly found that many early adopters are still wearing the Apple Watch regularly. 86% of survey participants said they are still wearing the Apple Watch on a daily basis, while 12.3% wear it on most days, 1.3% go several days without wearing one and three respondents reported that they no longer wear the Apple Watch.
While the Apple Watch is certainly not the only wearable device motivating people to get in shape, the Move, Exercise and Stand rings, workout summaries, achievement badges, progress updates, personalized feedback and its other health and fitness features appear to have challenged early adopters in ways they did not expect.
Wristly is the largest independent Apple Watch research platform with an opt-in panel of around 1000 Apple Watch buyers. The research firm recently found the Apple Watch to have a 97% customer satisfaction rate, a number that Apple CEO Tim Cook cited during the company’s recent third quarter earnings results conference call.
Boost Mobile and Virgin Mobile USA offer new ‘Data-Pack’ add-ons for their customers
After noticing that Boost Mobile and Virgin Mobile customers want more high-speed mobile data, the carriers are bringing a new service that allows their monthly unlimited customers to add more high-speed data after meeting their threshold with new $5 and $10 Data-Pack add-ons.
The $5 Data-Pack add-on offers an extra 1GB of high-speed 3G/4G data, while the $10 Data-Pack add-on offers 2GB. According to Doug Smith, director of product marketing for Boost Mobile and Virgin Mobile USA, demand for data is continuously growing in the US;
“Customers are hungry for more high-speed data, and with studies showing U.S. consumers monthly data consumption growing two-, three- and fourfold over the last three years, we’re giving customers the option to get more”
“Now our Boost Mobile and Virgin Mobile USA Unlimited customers have even more choices to meet their high-speed data needs. The $5 and $10 Data Pack add-ons ensure they have access to more high-speed data to enjoy using their smartphone all day every day”
Boost Mobile unlimited monthly plan starts at $30 with the Data Boost Up plan, offering unlimited talk, text and data with 2GB of high-speed 3G/4G data. Virgin Mobile USA unlimited monthly plan starts at $35 a month, offering 300 talk minutes and unlimited text and data with 2.5GB of high-speed 3G/4G data.
Source: Sprint
Come comment on this article: Boost Mobile and Virgin Mobile USA offer new ‘Data-Pack’ add-ons for their customers
[Deal] Select HTC products, including the One M9 and Nexus 9, see huge discounts
For today only, HTC is offering huge savings on many of its new devices. The deal applies to the One M9, Nexus 9, RE Camera, accessories, and more. This sale could mean that HTC is getting ready to introduce new devices in the near future, but we haven’t received many details other than the rumored ‘Hima Aero’ phone.
- HTC One M9 for $468.75 (25% off)
- Nexus 9 for $239.40 (40%)
- HTC RE Camera for $99 (50% off)
- All HTC accessories discounted (50% off)
These are incredible savings but you shouldn’t wait long to make a purchase. The sale ends tonight at 11:59PM ET.
[HTC]
Come comment on this article: [Deal] Select HTC products, including the One M9 and Nexus 9, see huge discounts
Google will now let you send third-party instant messages through Google voice commands
One of the most convenient ways to send a quick text or Hangouts message with your Android device is by using Google voice commands. By simply saying the phrase “Okay Google, send a text to…”, you can send messages through SMS, Hangouts and even email without even picking up your device.
Even though this functionality is much overdue, Google is now bringing support for a few third-party applications to Google voice commands. At the start, popular messaging apps like WhatsApp, Viber, WeChat, Telegram and NextPlus are the only applications that have this support. Google of course says more apps will be added to this list in the near future, but we’d say this is a pretty decent start.
With one of these third-party messaging apps installed, you can now say “Okay Google, send a WhatsApp message to Joe”, and Google will then prompt you to speak your message. For right now this functionality is only available in English, but Google is working on adding more language support in the future.
To take advantage of this new functionality, you’ll need the latest version of the Google app as well as the latest version of your third-party messaging app.
What features is the OnePlus 2 missing?
After months of leaks and rumours, Chinese manufacturer OnePlus unveiled its new OnePlus 2 flagship smartphone just last night, and from our first impressions, the handset certainly has a lot of impressive things to shout about. From 4GB RAM on the premium 64GB model to a Snapdragon 810 processor and 13MP camera equipped with f/2.0 aperture, 1.3µm pixel size, optical image stabilisation and laser autofocus, there’s a lot to like about the OnePlus 2.
By the same token however, the handset does seem to have missed out a few features that some might consider important in a flagship device and with OnePlus aiming for the handset to challenge flagships this year and next, let’s take a look at some of the flagship features that are potentially missing from the OnePlus 2.
NFC
One trend that looks set to rise in the next eighteen months is mobile payments and NFC (Near Field Communications) plays a crucial part in making this a reality. Unfortunately, the OnePlus 2 doesn’t come with NFC built-in to the handset meaning if mobile payments do become a major feature, the OnePlus 2 could be left aside.
The other element of NFC is that it allows you to establish quick connections with both accessories and other handsets. Latest Android smartphones come with the ability to beam content between handsets and even transferring data between handsets as part of the initial setup relies on NFC. Without an NFC chip, none of these are possible and if you consider NFC important, you may find the OnePlus 2 lacking.
Wireless / Quick Charging
This is a dual-feature that we’re seeing many companies adopt instead of a removable battery; while wireless charging is less widely adopted, it is becoming a standard in several premium flagship devices and quick charging is proving to be essential in handsets that do not have a removable battery.
In the case of Quick Charge 2.0 enabled handsets like the Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 Edge, the feature lets you charge your phone up to 50 percent from empty in 30 – 40 minutes, which can be very useful when your battery is low but you have a limited amount of time to actually charge it. The OnePlus 2 doesn’t have both wireless charging and quick charging and while the former may not be crucial, I personally find quick charging essential to my daily usage.
Removable battery
The case of removable versus non-removable batteries has been contested for many years and Samsung’s decision to avoid a removable battery in its flagship handsets earlier this year saw the feature become even more contested. Personally, I’ve found that while a removable battery is certainly useful, the ability to charge my phone rapidly does negate the need for a removable battery, especially as you need to remember to keep the battery charged and ready.
In the case of the OnePlus 2, the non-removable battery is unsurprising (given that the OnePlus One battery was also non-removable) but despite the slightly increased capacity – the OnePlus 2 is 200mAh larger than the OnePlus One – the lack of quick charging or the ability to swap out your battery may be a running concern.
Certainly the handset doesn’t have a Quad HD display like other flagships (which we’ll touch on below) which should mean better battery life and for most users it won’t be a concern. On the other hand if you’re a power user (like me), you may find the non-removable battery and lack of quick charging a tad too limiting.
Quad HD resolution
One of the biggest rumours about the OnePlus 2 before yesterday’s launch was that it would have a Quad HD display but the official launch nulled that rumour, with OnePlus instead opting for Full HD resolution on a panel that it claims is the brightest on any smartphone to-date. Should they have gone for Quad HD resolution at the cost of battery life however?
With the OnePlus 2 aiming to challenge future flagships, the lack of Quad HD resolution may yet prove to be the difference maker; the better resolution would have delivered a more dense experience (534 ppi vs 401 ppi) that would have prevented a challenge from other handsets in the same price bracket. Instead, the OnePlus 2 may equal current flagships but next year we’re likely to see Quad HD resolution come to slightly lower priced handsets and Full HD become the norm and while the OnePlus 2 should be okay for now, it is likely to come under increased pressure next year.
It’s worth noting that the OnePlus 2 was definitely designed with an overall price tag of under $400 in mind and it’s likely that a bump up in resolution could have resulted in the price tag increasing quite sharply. In turn, that may have reduced the appeal of the handset but what do you think? Would you pay an extra $50-$70 to get a OnePlus 2 as it is now with a Quad HD display?
Expandable storage
The case for expandable storage only really applies to the entry-level OnePlus 2, which costs $329 and has 16GB storage as well as 3GB RAM. While users of the premium version (with 4GB RAM and 64GB internal storage) should find the capacity plenty, users of the lower version may find the 16GB too limiting for daily usage.
As with most Android smartphones, the available internal storage varies but we’d expect the handset to launch with around 11GB available storage (although we will confirm once we have our review unit). For users of the lower-spec version, this could be a deal breaker, especially as the OnePlus 2 is hindered by both the lack of microSD card slot and the lack of USB On-The-Go support, meaning you won’t be able to plug any external storage into the handset.
OnePlus in video:
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Wrap Up
There’s no denying that the OnePlus 2 is certainly an impressive smartphone but can it live up to its claims of being a 2016 flagship killer? While Quad HD may not be a requirement (especially given the price of the handset), the lack of expandable storage, removable battery and wireless and/or quick charging could prove to be too much for users looking for the flagship experience. To top it off, the arrival of the new Moto X Style could give OnePlus 2 some very real competition.
How much does the lack of these features affect the overall experience? That remains to be seen and we’ll of course bring you our full review in the coming weeks. In the meantime, do you agree with our list of features missing from the OnePlus 2? What other features would you have liked to have seen included in the smartphone? Let us know your views in the comments below!
The new Cat S40 smartphone can withstand drops from up to 1.8 meters high
If you’re looking for a super rugged smartphone but aren’t completely sold on the Samsung Galaxy S6 Active, Caterpillar’s newest mobile device may be a great option for you. The Cat S40, which was just unveiled earlier today, is an extremely durable smartphone that comes with just about everything you’d want out of a rugged handset.
As for the tech specs, this device features a 4.7-inch qHD Super Bright Display covered in Corning Gorilla Glass 4, a quad-core 1.1GHz Snapdragon 210 processor, 1GB of RAM, 16GB of internal storage and microSD expansion up to 64GB. It also has an 8MP rear-facing camera, 2MP front-facing camera, a non-removable 3000mAh battery and runs Android 5.1 Lollipop. No, these specs aren’t anywhere close to the best on the market, but we think the extra durability features will make up for it.
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This device’s display not only features Glove-on technology but also wet finger-tracking technology so you don’t have to dry off your hands to use it. It’s IP68 certified, meaning it can survive in 1m of water for up to 60 minutes, and it’s also impervious to dust. This handset also carries a Military Standard 810G certification, so it’s essentially shock and drop proof. Cat says you can drop this device from a height of 1.8m (6 feet) and the phone should still be in working order.
The Cat S40 will go on sale in more than 60 countries on August 1st for the price of £399 (~$620 USD). For more information, head to the source link below.
AIVAnet 