IFA Day 2: Samsung’s product showcase
Check out all the news from Berlin at our IFA 2015 hub!
Filed under:
Samsung
Tags: IFA2015, samsung, video
Here’s how to watch Microsoft’s IFA keynote
Unlike Sony, Samsung, Huawei and others, Microsoft isn’t putting on a flashy press conference at this year’s IFA. That said, Nick Parker, Corporate VP of the company’s OEM division, will be taking to the stage to deliver a keynote speech entitled “Windows 10 lights up new devices” roughly 30 minutes from now. Given Parker’s position and the brief keynote summary, we imagine he’ll be touching on the broad range of devices powered by Microsoft’s latest OS — including some of those announced over the last few days from the likes of Acer, ASUS, Lenovo and others. While we don’t expect any surprise announcements from Microsoft itself, never say never. We’ll be there, of course, and if you’d like to join us, jump on the livestream and settle in.
Check out all the news from Berlin at our IFA 2015 hub!
Filed under:
Software, Microsoft
Source:
Microsoft
Tags: ifa, ifa2015, microsoft, microsoftwindows10, windows10
‘Batman: Arkham Knight’ for PC should be less broken now
Batman: Arkham Knight was supposed to be the perfect swansong for Rocksteady’s Dark Knight trilogy. While the game was received positively on PS4 and Xbox One, the PC version was a mess — so bad, in fact, that Warner Bros. eventually pulled it completely. That was in June and only now, six weeks later, are PC players getting a patch that should fix the most glaring issues. The new update claims to solve the game’s fluctuating frame rate, while also improving its overall performance on all GPUs. Warner Bros. says it’ll also remedy any low resolution textures and add a deeper set of in-game settings for you to play with. If you were hoping to buy the game now that’s in a better state, bad news — Arkham Knight is still unavailable to purchase on Steam. Perhaps that’s an indication of where the game now stands — better than before, but still a little way from what PC players deserve.
Filed under:
Gaming
Via:
VG247
Source:
Steam
Tags: arkhamknight, batman, batmanarkhamknight, BrokenGame, patch, pc, PcGaming, rocksteady, steam, WarnerBros
LG G4 Note rumored for October 10th launch
A new LG smartphone passed through TENAA yesterday, which could be the anticipated second flagship that LG has planned for the second half of the year. Last week, LG’s Cho Juno confirmed that a new flagship would be unveiled sometime in Q4 2015 and reports from Korea suggest that October 10th could be the launch date.
According to the source, an LG official recently let the release date slip during a briefing about the company’s plans for the second half of the year. However, nothing else about the handset seems to have been mentioned.
We don’t know much about the next LG flagship, although the TENNA pictures suggest that the company’s laser auto focus technology may be heading to the phone’s front camera too. LG is expected to launch a large Note-like handset, with names like the G4 Pro, G4 Note and G4 Script all floating around. However, we didn’t spot a slot for a stylus or pen in those TENAA images.
Is this LG’s next flagship smartphone?
The smartphone may also not be quite the premium model that we had expected earlier in the year. LG has since backtracked on suggestions that the new smartphone would notably “stand above the G series” and some rumors are pointing to a familiar plastic build material, rather than the metal or glass being adopted by many of LG’s competitors.
Ultimately, we will just have to wait a little longer to find out what LG has planned for October. I’m sure that additional details will trickle our way over the next month.
LG G4 Note rumored for October 10th launch
A new LG smartphone passed through TENAA yesterday, which could be the anticipated second flagship that LG has planned for the second half of the year. Last week, LG’s Cho Juno confirmed that a new flagship would be unveiled sometime in Q4 2015 and reports from Korea suggest that October 10th could be the launch date.
According to the source, an LG official recently let the release date slip during a briefing about the company’s plans for the second half of the year. However, nothing else about the handset seems to have been mentioned.
We don’t know much about the next LG flagship, although the TENNA pictures suggest that the company’s laser auto focus technology may be heading to the phone’s front camera too. LG is expected to launch a large Note-like handset, with names like the G4 Pro, G4 Note and G4 Script all floating around. However, we didn’t spot a slot for a stylus or pen in those TENAA images.
Is this LG’s next flagship smartphone?
The smartphone may also not be quite the premium model that we had expected earlier in the year. LG has since backtracked on suggestions that the new smartphone would notably “stand above the G series” and some rumors are pointing to a familiar plastic build material, rather than the metal or glass being adopted by many of LG’s competitors.
Ultimately, we will just have to wait a little longer to find out what LG has planned for October. I’m sure that additional details will trickle our way over the next month.
First Belgium Apple Store Opens in Brussels on September 19
Apple has constructed a creative barricade with colorful artwork that confirms its first Apple Store in Belgium will open on Saturday, September 19. The retail store will be located on Avenue de la Toison d’Or in the capital city of Brussels.
Apple confirmed the store opening to Belgian website Apple Nieuws Vlaanderen, which has shared several photos of the storefront. The store has not yet been listed on Apple’s website, but store hours and grand opening details should be available soon.
Spotify updates its controversial privacy policy
Spotify has released a new privacy policy after the internet whipped itself into a furor over the last one. The streaming company got itself into trouble last month with an update that some onlookers labeled “eerie” and “atrocious.” Of course, it wasn’t really anything worth worrying about, as those that took the time to look through it properly quickly deduced. Nonetheless, Spotify pledged to update the policy to better clarify what it is and isn’t collecting from users, and now it’s done just that. The new version is virtually identical to the last, but includes a section at the beginning in plain language explaining things.
According to the new policy, there are two categories of information Spotify collects. The first is “information that we must have in order for you to use Spotify,” which includes things like your name, IP address, the music you listen to, and some sensor information to allow it to rotate videos. The second is “information that enables us to offer you additional features.” This second part is what got the company in trouble. Now, it’s noting that it “never receive any of the following information unless you expressly choose to share it.” This second category has quite a few examples, each of which are clearly explained in the policy:
- Your specific location: We will never gather or use your specific device location without first getting your explicit permission. This information enables us to create collaborative listening experiences (only with others who have also given permission), and to provide even better recommendations about locally popular music, live venues, and concerts.
- Your photos: We will only access images that you specifically choose, and we will never scan or import your photo library or camera roll. This allows you to choose individual pictures to change your profile picture or create cover art for a playlist. You can stop sharing photos and revoke access at any time.
- Your contacts: We will never scan or import your contacts unless you ask us to. If you choose to do so, we will only use your contact information to help you find friends or contacts who use Spotify.
- Your microphone: We will never access or use your microphone unless you give us explicit permission. This could enable you to control Spotify with your voice, and you will alway have the ability to disable access to the microphone.
“The distinction between these two categories is important,” Spotify continues, again reiterating that the first is required to use the service, while the second is to support additional, optional features.
With the update, those that left the service after the last policy dropped can take a look through and decide if they want back in. As the actual terms haven’t changed — they’re merely better explained — those that agreed to the previous terms won’t need to okay the new set.
Thanks, Joel!
Filed under:
Software
Source:
Spotify
Tags: privacy, PrivacyPolicy, spotify
MIT scientists make it easy to tweak designs for 3D printing
Two different groups of MIT researchers found a way to print out objects with glass instead of plastic and to make a printer spew out 10 different materials at once earlier this year. This particular team along with researchers from the Interdisciplinary Center Herzliya in Israel, however, have chosen to focus on creating a system that makes it possible for even novices to customize the objects they want to print. Designers typically have to adjust a CAD file to tweak the object’s looks by typing in numerical values, and then wait for minutes to hours for a simulation software to make sure the final product is viable. The system this group developed dramatically speeds up the process.
It displays the design along with sliders representing different parameters — say, the height of a shoe’s heel or the base size and width of a mug — on a web browser. The user can then easily play with the sliders to achieve the look they want. Now, here’s the best thing about it: it won’t let you design unstable structures or anything that can’t be printed or used. Nobody has to spend hours waiting for software to make sure the modified digital object is feasible, and all the user needs to do is to send it straight to the 3D printer.
Filed under:
Science
Source:
MIT
Tags: 3dprinter, 3dprinting, MIT
Alcatel reveals the rugged GO Play smartphone and GO Watch wearable at IFA 2015
It’s still IFA 2015, and today we have Alcatel announcing its new line of waterproof, dustproof, and even shockproof devices forming its ‘GO’ series. The GO Play is a smartphone, while as you might expect, the GO Watch is a smartwatch. We have more details after the break.
Let’s deal with the GO Play smartphone first, an all plastic smartphone that carries an IP67 rating, which means it is dust proof as well being waterproof up to a depth of 1m. Alcatel state that the GO Play is also impervious to drops from a height up to 1.5 metres, which combined with the waterproofing and dust proofing, along with the bright colours, gives the impression that the GO Play is aimed at the young at heart.
Specifications:
- Android 5.0 Lollipop
- 5-Inch 720p display
- Snapdragon 410 Quad-core processor @1.2GHz
- 1GB RAM
- 8GB Internal storage (4GB free space)
- MicroSD card support (upto 32GB)
- 8MP Rear camera with flash
- 5MP Front-facing camera
- 2,500mAh battery
- 8.3 Hours of talk time/20 days of standby time/ 55 hours of music playback
- Available in dark grey, dark red, dark green, orange/blue, pink, lime green, blue, and orange
Next up, we have the GO Watch, which is also brightly coloured and plasticky. Like the GO Play, the GO Watch boasts an IP67 rating, giving protection from water and dust.
Specifications:
- 1.22-Inch display with 240 x 204 resolution
- 180MHz Cortex M4 processor
- Android and iOS compatible
- SNS, SMS, emails, calls and weather notifications
- 225mAh Battery (2-5 Days battery life)
- Customizable wristbands and front casing
- Heart-rate sensor
- MicroUSB charging port
The Go Watch’s main claim to fame is its ability to measure emotional pulses. Yup. You read that correctly. Apparently, if you press the ‘GO’ button on the front of the device, an ‘emotional graphic will be created based on the input from the gyroscope, heart-rate sensor and accelerometer.’ You can then share this emotion pulse measurement on social networks or set it as a wallpaper on the device. As previously stated, the GO series appears to be aimed at the younger people, who probably won’t connect the GO Watch’s similarity in appearance with the Casio G-Shock watches.
At present, Alcatel hasn’t revealed any details in terms of availability and pricing for the GO series. What do you think of the GO Play and GO Watch devices? Let us know in the comments if you will.
Press Release:
BERLIN, Sept. 3, 2015 /PRNewswire/ —
GO PLAY
- Robust design, shockproof, waterproof and dustproof with IP 67
- 8 cool colors with waterproof headsets to match
- Record cool stuff playing on your mobile screen and add a voice-over
- Shoot photos underwater
- Long battery life – 20 days standby time, 8.3 hours talk time and 55 hours music playback
GO WATCH
- Robust design, shockproof, waterproof and dustproof with IP 67
- Android and iOS compatible
- Hack your emotions and share with friends
- Notifications – SNS, SMS, emails, calls and weather
- Long battery life for 2-5 days usage
- 100% customizable with changeable front casing and wrist bands
ALCATEL ONETOUCH, one of the world’s fastest-growing smartphone brands, introduces its brand new GO family. GO PLAY and its companion GO WATCH are designed for active users and always ready for action. Take pictures underwater. Roll in the mud. Rave responsibly at a music festival. Drop it from a height of 1.5 meters. It’s all good.
GO PLAY, it’s waterproof!
Chillin’ at the beach and along comes a wave. Splash! Your phone drops into the water. No problem! It’s waterproof. The GO PLAY is not only waterproof, it shoots pictures and videos underwater. Use the GO PLAY to capture underwater fun with its 8 Mpxl rear camera and 5 Mpxl front camera.
Drop it, it’s shockproof!
Waterproof. Dustproof. And shockproof. In a crowded subway and someone pushes you while you’re texting? Crowd surfing and your phone slips from your fingertips? These things could happen to anyone. GO PLAY has you covered when you have the dropsies or just have bad luck.
Record absolute everything live!
Record the cool stuff your screen is playing. Add a photo of yourself and record comments to your favorite tracks, or show your friends your game face on any gaming app. Broadcast your craziness through the cool pre-embedded Periscope, Vine and Zello.
Color Your World and Take Your Sweet Time
GO PLAY comes in eight cool colors to match the latest fashion trend. It is available in dark grey, dark red, dark green, orange blue, pink, lime green, blue and orange. There are also waterproof headsets and protective case to match GO PLAY too. And while you’re playing, take your sweet time. GO PLAY offers 20 days of standby time, 8.3 hours of talk time and 55 hours music playback thanks to the powerful 2500 mAh battery.
GO WATCH. Play in tandem
GO WATCH is the perfect companion for GO PLAY’s adventures. It is waterproof, dustproof and shockproof. It is Android and iOS compatible and has top functionalities to match its robust good looks. It also notifies about SNS, SMS, emails, calls and weather. GO WATCH is 100% customizable with a changeable front casing and wristband. Mix and match with your outfit of the day!
Share your emotions, be a social influencer
The GO WATCH brings a unique experience and lets users hack their emotions. How? Press the GO button to trigger an emotion pulse measurement. An emotional graphic will be created based on the input from the gyroscope, heart rate sensor and accelerometer. Select a theme that matches your mood the best to create your personalized emotion pulse. You can instantly share your unique emotion pulse on social networks or even set it as the wallpaper of your GO WATCH.
Long battery life and easy charging
Stay active! GO WATCH enables 2-5 days usage with its 225mAh battery. No special adapters needed. Simply plug it into any micro-USB charger for quick and easy charging.
Stop by our booth Hall 21B, Stand 104 at the IFA.
Come comment on this article: Alcatel reveals the rugged GO Play smartphone and GO Watch wearable at IFA 2015
Best Android consoles/media players for your TV
The battle for what, or should I say who, controls your TV has been raging for several years now. This battle isn’t about your actual TV, it is about who gets to put content on your TV. In the Android ecosystem there are several important services that allow you to buy, rent or stream media. The most obvious is YouTube, then there is Google Play Movies & TV, plus there is a range of third party services like Netflix or Amazon Prime Video.
All of these services can be used with your smartphone or tablet, however 15 friends trying to watch the latest Marvel movie around a smartphone isn’t going to work. So that is where your TV comes in. There are a variety of solutions that let you watch movies, listen to music, or use a streaming service on your TV. Broadly these solutions can be divided into three categories: Android TV based solutions, Android TV alternatives, and standalone generic solutions (i.e. media players).
Android TV and Chromecast
Android TV is a special version of Android that has been optimized for TVs. The interface has been changed to work better with a remote control or a game controller, and there are also voice controls. There are two ways to get hold of Android TV, either buy a smart TV with it built-in, or buy a set-top box that runs it.
The top two set-top boxes for Android TV are: the Google Nexus Player and the NVIDIA Shield Android TV.
Google Nexus Player
The Nexus Player is kind of the Google’s “official” implementation of Android TV. Nothing extra added, just vanilla Android TV. The “oversized hockey puck” uses a 1.8GHz Intel Atom processor and comes with 1GB of RAM and 8GB of internal storage. The internal storage is for installing games and apps including Netflix, Pandora, and TuneIn Radio. Like so many of Google’s offerings, your content is meant to be streamed to the device and little is stored locally.
If you want to know more you can read the full review: Nexus Player review: a good start for Android TV, and if you want to buy one they are currently available for just $69.99 from Amazon.
NVIDIA Shield Android TV
The NVIDIA Shield is arguably the most powerful set-top box in the market, as it was made with gaming in mind. That is one of the reasons the unit looks and feels a bit like a miniaturized gaming console! The NVIDIA Shield Android TV can easily blend into the rest of your home entertainment system. The device’s aesthetics are not too flashy, but it definitely has a good look and serves its purpose.
The top level performance is due to its NVIDIA X1 processor and 3GB of RAM. You also get 7.1/5.1 surround sound support, 802.11ac 2×2 MIMO 2.4 GHz /5 GHz Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.1/BLE, and support for 4K TVs.
If you are on the lookout for a nice set-top box with an emphasis on gaming, the NVIDIA Shield is definitely a product you need to look at. This product won’t come without its downsides, but it’s definitely your best bet. Prices start at $199.99 for the basic 16GB model. If you want 500GB of storage then you will need to pay an extra $100.
Chromecast
Casting is a different approach to getting content on your TV. Rather than needing to build a whole user interface that needs a remote control or a game controller, the idea of casting is that the content you are currently looking at on your phone can be “cast” over on to your TV. Although not running Android TV, I have included Google’s Chromecast here mainly because it comes from the same company.
With a Chromecast all the user interface stuff is handled on your phone. You just sign-in to whatever service it is that are using and then tell the Chromecast to start streaming. The video isn’t streamed to your phone and then re-transmitted to the casting device, but rather the Chromecast is told what to stream and from where.
The Chromecast can current stream media from YouTube, Netflix, HBO Go, Pandora, Hulu, Crackle plus a bunch more. You can see the full list at chromecast.com/apps.
You can read the full review of the Chromecast here, and you can see some of the best apps for Chromecast here, too! Plus we also have a Chromecast vs Amazon Fire TV comparison. You can get a Chromecast from Amazon for just $29.99, Google also sells the Chromecast via the Play Store.
Android TV alternatives
If you aren’t enamored by the Android TV offerings then there are alternatives. The most popular alternatives come from Roku and Amazon. Both companies take slightly different approaches, but the goal is the same, to get content on to your TV.
Roku Streaming Stick
The biggest stand out feature of the Roku Streaming Stick is that it provides over 1,000 actual channels to watch (in the USA), not just individual movies and shows. The remote control is glossy black with purple accents, and feels very durable. It features play, pause, forward and back buttons, a directional pad, and even a few dedicated buttons to connect you straight to Netflix and other popular services.
The set up process is quite easy, but requires you to use a computer. Roku’s interface is very simple. A number of different categories can be found on the left, and all of your content on the right. The dashboard is where you go to purchase all of the media content you’d like, and there’s quite a big selection. You have access to free channels like WatchESPN, Netflix, and HBO GO, among others. While its functionality only extends to a few applications, the Roku ahas casting capabilities, similar to the Chromecast.
When using the YouTube app on a phone or tablet, users can “cast” their content straight to the Roku, without pulling up the dedicated YouTube app. Most of the content you watch on the device, though, will be launched through Roku’s interface. Additional settings include theme adjustment, adding additional controllers, and many more. Also, content discovery is extremely easy, thanks to Roku’s huge content-hungry community.
In all, Roku does a great job at mixing paid and free streaming options, which should make it desirable for cord-cutters who prefer an “a la carte” type of system.
You can currently pick up a Roku Streaming Stick for just $39.99 from Amazon.
Amazon Fire TV and Amazon Fire TV Stick
Amazon has two offerings in its “Fire TV” range. The Fire TV, which is a more traditional set-top box, and the Fire TV Stick, a HDMI dongle similar in size to the Chromecast and the Roku Streaming Stick. These two devices have a lot in common, but also have notable differences when it comes to content delivery. Let’s first start with the Fire TV Stick.
Amazon are keen to point out that the Fire TV Stick has superior hardware specifications to the Chromecast, with 4 times of the internal memory (8GB vs 2GB), twice the RAM (1GB vs 512MB) and a dual-core processor. Amazon has also made a fuss about its Dolby Digital Plus surround sound for superior audio and a dual-band dual-antenna WiFi configuration for a more consistent, smoother streaming experience. The TV Stick also comes with its own remote control, giving you control over the system without the need for your smartphone.
As for the Fire TV set-top box, it will blend in well with your existing gadgets and likely go unnoticed. In the box you get the Fire TV device, a game controller, a voice search-enabled remote, and a HDMI cable. The remote is basically the same one that’s included with the Fire TV Stick, but features a voice search button up top.
In terms of the interface, these two devices are exactly the same. You’ll see a big list of categories on the left side, your content in the middle, and you’ll find a list of applications on the right. When it comes to gaming, you can play them on both, but the Fire TV is far superior in this category thanks to its powerful specifications. When it comes down to it, this may be the best way to stream media, just as long as you’re a Prime subscriber. If not, there may be a better product out there for you.
You can get the Fire TV Stick for $39 and you get buy the Amazon Fire TV for $99.
Media players
All of the devices listed above are specialist devices, in that their primary function is to stream and play media from services like YouTube, Google Play Movies & TV, Netflix, or Amazon Prime Video. However there is another category of device which can handle media in more a generic way.
Since operating systems like Android and Linux are adept at handling media, it means that a generic Android or Linux set-top box or dongle can be used as a media player and streaming device. There are lots of different devices out there and the list presented here is only a selection of what is available. The entry qualification for the list is simple: we need to have actually reviewed the device!
CuBox TV
The CuBox TV is a flexible media player which runs Android or Linux. It offers a lot of flexibility, but it really shines when running the Kodi media player. At just 2 inches x 2 inches x 2 inches the CuBoxTV is a marvel of engineering. On one side of the cube is a set of ports including the power socket, HDMI, Ethernet and two USB ports. While the rest of the cube is fairly bland except for various labels, logos and LEDs. It comes in three variants with different amounts of RAM: 1GB, 2GB and 4GB. All three models pack a quad-core processor and you have the option of adding a Wi-Fi module and buying a IR remote control. My test unit is the CuBoxTV 4GB with Wi-Fi and the remote control.
As the “TV” part of its name suggests, one of the primary uses of the CuBox is as a media player. There are several different ways to achieve this, using either Linux or Android. For example, you could use Android with an app like Netflix, or you can use Linux with a media player like Kodi (previously called XBMC).
SolidRun provides a couple of Linux distros that boot straight into Kodi. One is GeexBox XBMC, the other is OpenELEC (Open Embedded Linux Entertainment Center). OpenELEC is a small Linux distribution that turns the CuBoxTV into a Kodi media center.
Raspberry Pi (and friends)
You might consider this an unconventional approach, but there are a plethora of Single Board Computers available like the Raspberry Pi 2, which can very easily handle video streaming and video playback. The key here is flexibility but at the cost of needing to build the systems yourself. Boards like the Raspberry Pi 2 or the ODROID C1 are available for less than $40 and have massive online communities, plus a large number of pre-baked system images, like OpenElec, which are tailored for multimedia consumption.
Tronsmart
Tronsmart has a range of media players which bring vanilla Android to your TV. In my family we use the Tronsmart Draco AW80 to turn our “dumb” TV into something smarter.
At the heart of the Tronsmart Draco AW80 is the Allwinner A80 SoC. The A80 includes an octa-core big.LITTLE Cortex-A15/A7 CPU and a 64-core PowerVR G6230 GPU. The hardware video decoder supports MPEG-2, MPEG-4, H.263, H.264, and H.265.
The device comes pre-installed with Android 4.4.2 along with services like Google Play. It also comes with a special remote control that is designed to work with Android. There are buttons for Home, Back, Menu, volume up, volume down, as well as direction buttons. However you will get the best results from the box by attaching a mouse, and optionally a keyboard.
You can read my full review of the Tronsmart Draco AW80 here, and you might also want to checkout my review of the Tronsmart Orion R28.
Warp-up
Please do keep coming back to this page from time to time as we will update it when necessary with any new information or any new devices that come along. Did we miss your favorite device? If so, please use the comments below to let us know.
AIVAnet 