Google Project Tango now available in Canada and South Korea
The whole industry was impressed when Google revealed Project Tango tablet, a device with multiple cameras that can map its surroundings. It’s a unique product with a focus in future mobile applications, but it’s not exactly for everyone just yet. It was only recently made available without an invite, as a developer kit. And even though it can be purchased by anyone now, it’s not the best buy at $512. Regardless, developers around the world can find great use for this technology, and the current price is better than the initial $1024 invite-only customers had to pay in the past.
Google continues to break down boundaries and borders by taking Project Tango outside the USA for the first time. The Search Giant’s nifty 3D-mapping tablet can now be purchased in Canada and South Korea. Furthermore, added regions will be included to the party come August 26th, including Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom.
While the price may not exactly be justified, those who do purchase the Project Tango tablet will receive nothing short of a great device. This developer-focused product comes with a powerful NVIDIA Tegra K1 processor, 4 GB of RAM, 128 GB of internal storage, a 7.02-inch 1920x1200p display, a 4960 mAh battery, NFC, 4G LTE data speeds and a full set of sensors/cameras that make 3D-mapping possible.
The tablet is as full-featured as they get, really. If you want more details on it, you can always watch our interview and demo, which we have embedded right below.
To sign up for one, just head over to your respective Google Store pages. Are any of our fellow Canadian and South Korean Android enthusiasts signing up for one? Mostly for developing? Hit the comments and let us know!
Cristiano Ronaldo teams with Monster for his own line of headphones
Cristiano Ronaldo is a pretty decent footballer. He also has a knack for pitching products. This time around, he teamed up with Monster through his own company, ROC Live Life Loud, for line of co-branded headphones. “Everything in my life is about performance and quality,” said soccer superstar. “We launched ROC Live Life Loud to give my fans around the world direct access to high design and the best sound quality on the market.” The collection features the wireless on-ear ROC Sport Freedom ($250), wireless in-ear ROC Sport SuperSlim ($170) and the wired over-ear ROC Sport Black Platinum ($300). All three models carry glossy black and gold aesthetics and plenty of Monster and ROC branding. Slideshow-309083
While each carries “Sport” in their name, only the in-ear SuperSlim is listed as sweat-proof, so you’ll want to look there if you’re heading to the gym. There’s no word on when you’ll be able to grab the goods, but when the trio arrives, eBay is the exclusive retail partner at launch. The ROC collection will eventually head to other shops in order to offer the products to more of CR7’s followers — including the 105 million Facebook fans the pair of companies makes sure to mention. And the timing couldn’t be better, as Ronaldo’s Real Madrid club kicks off its La Liga season on August 23rd.
Filed under:
Portable Audio/Video
Source:
Monster (1), (2), (3)
Tags: audio, cr7, CristianoRonaldo, headphones, monster, roc, roclivelifeloud
This web game shows you why self-driving cars are better
You’ve probably heard that self-driving cars are safer than their human-guided equivalents (as a general rule, at least). But what if you have a hard time wrapping your head around how that concept works in practice? Never fear: developers Mark Backler and Peter Cardwell-Gardner have posted a web game, Error-Prone, that teaches you about the perils of overcrowded roads and the virtues of autonomous vehicles. You’re supposed to take control of one of the closely-packed cars circling in a loop, but doing so almost guarantees that you’ll either slow everyone down or cause an accident. It’s much like WarGames‘ nuclear battle, where the only way to win is not to play — the sooner you realize that the computer is better at driving than you are, the sooner traffic calms down.
This is an extreme simplification of the issue, to be sure. It doesn’t address the snarls that come with complex roadways, or the sheer pleasure of driving your car on a winding back road. Nonetheless, it’s a good illustration of the safety and speed advantages that come with letting robotics handle your daily commute.
Filed under:
Gaming, Transportation, Internet
Via:
Wired
Source:
Error-Prone
Tags: autonomous, car, error-prone, games, gaming, internet, self-driving, self-drivingcar, vehicle
Texas Instruments launches first all-in-one USB Type-C & PD controller
The new USB Type-C is about to take over the tech industry and every company out there is getting ready for it. Starting today, you can include Texas Instruments to the list. The chip manufacturer has announced the world’s first all-in-one USB Type-C and Power Delivery (PD) controller – the TPS65982.
But just what is this thing? Surely, it sounds like something meant for engineers… and it is. This is likely what many manufacturers will use to manage USB Type-C connections, and it is only available for distributors. This controller is able manage both power and data in multiple modes, allowing product makers to take advantage of the many features USB-C has to offer.
Combined with other products from Texas Instruments, like the HD3SS460, it can enable delivering power up to 100W, support for DisplayPort, 5.4 GB/s transfers and more. This system can also determine USB Type-C orientation, making it possible to have that reversible feature we are all so excited about. Upon connection, the TPS65982 also communicates with the wire to determine power path.
Features
- USB Power Delivery (PD) Controller
- Mode Configuration for Source (Host), Sink (Device), or Source-Sink
- Bi-Phase Marked Encoding/Decoding (BMC)
- Physical Layer (PHY) Protocol
- Policy Engine
- Configurable at Boot and Host-Controlled
- USB Type-C Specification Compliant
- Detect USB Cable Plug Attach
- Cable Orientation and Role Detection
- Assign CC and VCONN Pins
- Advertise Default, 1.5 A or 3 A for Type-C Power
- Port Power Switch
- 5-V, 3-A Switch to VBUS for Type-C Power
- 5-V to 20-V, 3-A Bidirectional Switch to or from VBUS for USB PD Power
- 5-V, 600-mA Switches for VCONN
- Over-Current Limiter, Overvoltage Protector
- Slew Rate Control
- Hard Reset Support
- Port Data Multiplexer
- USB 2.0 HS Data, UART Data, and Low Speed Endpoint
- Sideband Use Data for Alternate Modes (DisplayPort and Thunderbolt™)
- Power Management
- Gate Control and Current Sense for External 5-V to 20-V, 5-A Bi-directional Switch (Back-to-Back NFETs)
- Power Supply from 3.3-V or VBUS Source
- 3.3-V LDO Output for Dead Battery Support
- BGA MicroStar Junior Package
- 0.5-mm Pitc
- Through-Hole Via Compatible for All Pins
The new TPS65982 can be applied to laptops, tablets, docking stations, chargers, handsets and more, so you will likely start using this technology in many of your common gadgets. We know it can be a bit complicated to understand all these technical details, but as consumer we can take away one thing: USB-C is a very powerful standard that needs strong management, and TI is ready to provide it.
I, for one, am stoked to take advantage of all the benefits USB-C has to offer. Having all your needs met by a single port is the dream. I just hope computer manufacturers can install multiple ones in computers, so we don’t have to deal with all the issues New Macbook users are struggling with.
Want to learn more about USB Type-C? You should, because manufacturers like OnePlus, Nokia and Apple have already started jumping on-board with it. And we expect all the other big guys to start implementing the new technology soon, so go ahead and read our comprehensive article on USB-C.
New ‘Beats 1: Replay’ Feature Lets Users Listen to Full Replays of Missed Shows
Apple’s Beats 1 radio station was recently updated to give users access to full replays of radio segments, with a new Beats 1: Replay feature. As highlighted by MacStories, Replay covers several Beats 1 shows, including those by Zane Lowe, Julie Adenuga, and Ebro Darden, letting users re-listen to a missed segment.
Since Apple Music’s debut, there’s been an option on Beats 1 radio to listen to playlists of songs by each DJ after a show ends, but there was often no way to listen to a full show with guests and commentary unless you caught it on the second playthrough, 12 hours after it first aired.
With the change implemented in the last few days, Beats 1 users can access both a full replay that’s the same as listening to a show live and a playlist of songs from each program.
Though a feature that’s likely going to be welcome by many Beats 1 listeners, Replay is somewhat hidden. Re-recordings of shows can be accessed by tapping on the Beats 1 logo in Apple Music to open the list of featured shows, tapping on a DJ, and going to the “Connect” page. Alternatively, it’s also possible to search for an individual DJ to access their Connect section, or to search directly with a term like “Julie Adenuga Replay.”
Tapping on the “Beats 1: Replay” option will play the entire show in one long block, with no option to see the songs that are playing as is possible when Beats 1 radio is playing live. As MacStories points out, it’s akin to listening to one long podcast. Replaying a show eliminates the ability to heart songs and add them to playlists to enhance the Apple Music listening experience, but it does give users a way to listen to one-of-a-kind content and commentary that would have previously been missed.
Since Apple Music launched, Beats 1 radio has featured a near-endless stream of exclusive content, worldwide song debuts, and artist interviews, all designed to draw in listeners. The service’s most recent exclusive was MTV’s announcement of the 2015 Video Music Award nominees.
Images of Microsoft’s next flagship Lumia prototype leak out
If you’ve been hankering for some powerful new Lumia hardware, feast your eyes on the first images of a prototype of Microsoft’s upcoming flagship phone, courtesy of a (soon to be fired) leaker on the WPXAP forums. For the past few years, Microsoft has focused more on delivering mid-range and low-end Lumia devices, the few markets where Windows Phone has managed to find a foothold. But, based on current rumors, the company is expected to launch a new Lumia 950 flagship later this year, along with a Lumia 950 XL phablet. The above image gives us our closest look yet at one of the new devices (there’s some debate as to whether it’s the 5.2-inch 950 or the 5.7-inch 950 XL), and, well, it looks just like a Lumia design.
Like many prototypes, it’s covered in a protective case, so the final version might end up looking a bit different. We also see a shot of a USB-C connector for charging, and, not surprisingly, it appears the phone carries one of Nokia’s 20-megapixel PureView cameras. According to Windows Central, the new flagship Lumias will be powered by Snapdragon 808 processors and will sport 3GB of RAM. While it made sense for Microsoft to wait for the launch of Windows 10 to deliver new flagships, it’ll be interesting to see if it can actually make consumers pay attention to its high-end phones this time around.
Filed under:
Cellphones, Mobile, Microsoft
Via:
WindowsCentral
Source:
WPXAP
Tags: Lumia950, microsoft, mobilepostcross
How Motorola began putting their trust in the consumer
Motorola has had an interesting career since the introduction of the smartphone. Before the smartphone, Motorola was king of the communication world. I mean, Motorola was the communications source for the Apollo 11 for crying out loud. Everyone remembers the Motorola Razr flip-phones. All the cool kids had them. Enter the iPhone, and subsequently the HTC Dream, and Motorola quickly dropped to the bottom. Remember the Motorola Atrix (*shudders*)?
Then, Motorola was purchased by Google. It is not quite clear exactly how much of a hand Google had in Motorola’s creation of their next smartphone: we’ve seen some reports that they worked very closely, and recently we’ve seen Motorola reps say Google kept them at arm’s length. However much involvement there was, one thing’s for sure: Motorola’s next phone changed the industry.
The original Moto X was representative of consumer feedback they had received:
- It had near-stock Android, with no bloatware
- Features that enhanced the user experience, not blocked it
- Control over design choices, particularly color
- A form factor that was comfortable to hold
What’s more, Motorola proved that consumers didn’t necessarily need top-of-the-line specs. While the Moto X was no iPhone or Samsung S in terms of sales, it definitely took the Android community by storm (including myself). They noticed that users loved the lack of a UI overlay, and that devices flew off the shelves when they sold the device at a sub-$400 cost.
This leads to the release of Motorola’s famous budget phone: the Moto G. The Moto G managed to bring a good user experience to an unbelievable price – $180. The phone certainly wasn’t breaking any speed records, but it held favor with consumers. Motorola would later announce the Moto G as their most popular phone, ever. This would lead to the introduction of the even cheaper Moto E.
Still, the Moto X did have its share of problems: poor camera, not great battery life, and while the hardware proved a point, it was still lacking. Further, they saw the trend of phones getting bigger (even though many, including myself, appreciated the smaller form of the original Moto X).
So, Motorola announced the new Moto X (which, by the way, is owned by Lenovo at this point):
- Bigger, better resolution screen
- More focus on camera, with a ring flash
- Better, updated hardware
- Improvement on beloved features, with a couple of new additions
- More options in Moto Maker to customize the phone the way you want
This, combined with an updated Moto G that had even more unbelievable specs (for the same price of $180) led to one of Motorola’s best quarters – 10 million smartphones sold in Q4 2014.
Add onto that the Moto 360. The Moto 360 was the first round smartwatch to be released. And, was touted as the best looking smartwatch for awhile (still is considered to be by many). While smartwatches haven’t really “caught on” yet, the Moto 360 was the best-selling Android Wear watch in 2014, and I’m sure still is with its recent price drops (another thing Motorola noticed consumers liked).
“You can see it through each iteration of the Moto X – Motorola is listening to its consumers.“
Even still, the Moto X wasn’t quite there yet. Many people still complained about poor battery life (although this was mildly solved by the Moto X (2014) being one of the first phones with Quick Charge), and the camera being poor. That being said, many were praising it for its continuance of a slim OS, useful features, and control over its design.
Fast forward to present day, and we have seen Motorola’s newest addition to the flagship line: the Moto X Pure Edition. With this announcement, Motorola focused on four things:
- Bigger, better battery
- Bigger, better camera
- Better, smaller price
- Absolutely Pure: no carriers involved
The truth of those claims has yet to be seen, but one thing is for sure: Motorola is listening. You can see it through each iteration of the Moto X, and the mere idea of the Moto G (not to mention the addition of a SD card slot). Motorola is listening to its consumers.
Think about it for a second: Motorola is giving all the carriers one nice, big middle finger, all for the sake of the consumers. How else can a mobile phone company place their trust in a company?
The post How Motorola began putting their trust in the consumer appeared first on AndroidGuys.
OnePlus 2 already selling like hotcakes in China
Luckily, Chinese buyers of the new OnePlus 2 don’t need to go through the invite system like in other parts of the world. Sales began today in China, and even though the new Moto X Style seemed to overshadow the OnePlus 2 launch, that may not be the case.
OnePlus announced that it sold 30,000 OnePlus 2 units within only 64 seconds of availability.
The handset is already selling like hotcakes in its homeland and it will be interesting to see if the company can keep this momentum going. Last year, OnePlus completely mis-judged how many units would go on to sell, and hopefully the increased production the company has promised will be enough for the high-demand. Last year the company sold over 1 million units, and this year it expects to sell 3-5 million OnePlus 2 handsets by the end of 2015. Only time will tell if the company can reach its estimates.
Meanwhile, you can check out our comparison of the handset compared against Motorola’s new flagship the Moto X Style.
Source: OnePlus (Weibo)
Via: Phone Arena
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Google Play Music celebrates Barack Obama’s birthday with curated radio station
In celebration of Barack Obama’s 54th birthday, Google Play Music is offering a curated radio station of the President’s favorite songs. There’s a decent bit of variety on the station, ranging from Jay-Z to The Temptation, so if you’re interested in getting some insight into Obama’s musical tastes, this is the best way to do it.
This is a pretty unique way of driving engagement and awareness to Google’s Play Music offering, and while it isn’t as involved as a curated playlist, it shows off Play Music’s strong radio stations. Personally, I’ve been a big fan of the customized radio on All Access, and I think seeing more stations based off of celebrity music choices would be a pretty cool thing to do on a regular basis.
source: Google Play Music (Twitter)
Come comment on this article: Google Play Music celebrates Barack Obama’s birthday with curated radio station
Thailand getting the Android One i-mobile IQ II
Android One phones are still pretty rare to see, but Thailand will be receiving the i-mobile IQ II. This phone comes with a 5-inch 720p display, a 1.2 GHz 64-bit Qualcomm Snapdragon 410 chipset, 1GB of RAM, and 16GB of expandable storage. Also a 2500 mAh battery, 8 MP rear camera and 2 MP front camera, 4G LTE support, and also has dual-SIM functionality.
The phone will ship with stock Lollipop 5.1.1 and will receive updates directly from Google for the next two years. Not flagship killer specs, but for the price of only $126 US (converted from 4,444 THB) it’s not bad at all.
Source: Android One (Google+)
Come comment on this article: Thailand getting the Android One i-mobile IQ II
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