ICYMI: The Kellogg box prize, a souped-up SUV and more
Today on In Case You Missed It: We know guys. You already lost precious time catching up with all the Apple news. That’s why we’re covering a virtual reality experience from Kellogg, which is sending out cereal boxes with instructions for making a VR headset out of them. In other paper-folding news, the cheapest ever foldable microscope (only 50 cents!) traveled to the Amazon rainforest and the pictures are gorgeous. And Range Rover is protecting its wealthiest patrons with an SUV that can take TNT blasts, armor-piercing gunshot rounds and other such spy-level shenanigans.
We’re also updating our story about the European Station Station having an astronaut in space control a rover on Earth because the video is worth a watch.
If you come across any interesting videos, we’d love to see them. Just tweet us with the #ICYMI hashtag @engadget or @mskerryd.
Filed under:
Misc, Meta, Peripherals, Robots, Transportation, Wearables, Science, Internet, Apple
Tags: 50centmicroscope, Amazon, Apple, engadget, engadgetdaily, engadgetdailyshow, engadgetvideo, icymi, InCaseYouMissedIt, Kellogg, Kelloggs, KelloggVR, microscope, papermicroscope, RangeRover, RangeRoverSUV, science, SpySUV, SUV, video, VR
Periscope streamers and viewers can finally watch video the right way
Video should be shot in landscape mode. Look at that giant TV in your living room. Head down the movie theater and check out the silver screen. Both are in landscape and now, finally, Twitter’s live video-streaming app Periscope will support the correct orientation on iPhone and Android. But, if you’re a fan of portrait videos (you monster) you can continue your upright video shooting ways. For viewers, they can watch videos in either landscape or portrait mode regardless of how they are shot. The app will auto rotate the video to compensate how the phone is held.
Twitter recently added wide aspect-ratio video recording mode support to its own apps so bringing it to Periscope isn’t that big of a surprise. Also, with the new tvOS for the Apple TV, you can probably expect a Periscope app to end up on streaming video to your HDTV and for that screen, you want the correct orientation.
In addition to landscape videos, the updated app now tells you which of the accounts you follow shared a video that appears in your home feed. Plus on Android when you start a private broadcast, a list of mutual followers (people you follow who also follow you back) is now available. Periscope says, “we think this list is a more natural selection of people who you are likely to broadcast to.” The company also says that this feature is coming to iOS soon.
Filed under:
Cellphones, Misc, Software
Source:
Periscope
Tags: Android, iOS, Periscope, Streamingvideo, Twitter, VideoLiveStream
Samsung Galaxy S7 internally codenamed “Project Lucky”, could have microSD support and a 20MP camera
The Samsung Galaxy S7 has been internally codenamed “Project Lucky,” according to the Geekbench benchmarking database. And the device could be sporting a serious upgrade in hardware from the last year’s model.
Samsung’s upcoming flagship is being tested with the new Exynos 8890 chipset, which could be the Mongoose SoC seen on Geekbench. However, it didn’t fair well in previous tests due to benchmarking with lower frequencies, but Samsung is reportedly targeting 2.3GHz for this processor. Some Galaxy S7’s could also be powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 processor where CDMA networks are still in play, such as the United States.
The Galaxy S7 also is employing UFS 2.0 storage, which generally isn’t compatible with microSD cards. But SamMobile says their sources are indicating that the Korean tech giant may have found a way around that through interfacing techniques. Considering the Galaxy Note 5 and Galaxy S6 Edge+ don’t have microSD support, I wouldn’t get my hopes up, though.
Lastly, the Galaxy S7 could come with a 20-megapixel ISOCELL rear camera. Samsung is allegedly working on a “all lens cover” project for the device as well, which could indicate that additional lenses are in the works over just the stock rear camera.
Keep in mind that these are just rumors, so it’d be wise to take this all in with a grain of salt. However, SamMobile has been right about a lot in the past, and if any of this is remotely true, we’re sure fans would be ecstatic to have microSD support in the Galaxy S7.
What we do know is that Samsung’s sales and profits have been dropping since 2013, and there are rumors about a salary freeze happening at some point due to these losses. That said, Samsung needs to put out something truly extraordinary to begin recouping its losses, and hopefully the Galaxy S7 is that answer.
What would you like to see in the Galaxy S7?
source: SamMobile
Come comment on this article: Samsung Galaxy S7 internally codenamed “Project Lucky”, could have microSD support and a 20MP camera
Meizu expected to launch new flagship device at September 23 event in Beijing
Meizu is sending out press event invites for September 23 in Beijing, China, where the company is expected to launch its next generation of Meizu smartphones. The promotional photo has the words “MEIZU GO PRO” over a man climbing a snowy mountain.
We’re not sure what this indicates, but it’s something big for sure. This rumored flagship from Meizu is said to be running one of Samsung’s Exynos 7420 chipsets, an FHD 1080p display, 3/4GB RAM and 32/64GB storage options, along with a 21-megapixel rear camera and a 5-megapixel front camera. It should also be running the latest version of Meizu’s Flyme UI atop of Android 5.1.
Nothing has been made official yet, so it’d be wise to take all of this with a hefty grain of salt. The event is only a couple of weeks out, so there’s not much of a wait to see what Meizu will be surprising us with next.
Do any of you own a Meizu smartphone? What would you like to see in the company’s next smartphone?
source: Gizmochina
Come comment on this article: Meizu expected to launch new flagship device at September 23 event in Beijing
(Deal) Build and program your own little robot for $79
Have you ever wanted to build your own little robot? What about learning how to program something from the ground up? Today’s deal from AndroidGuys and StackCommerce is one that will help you do both.
The Makeblock Arduino Starter Robot Kit allows you to create either a robot tank or three-wheeled robot car. In addition to building your own little robot, this kit will also teach you how to program a microcontroller board. By programming this board, you will learn what it takes to control physical objects using sensors.
- Learn electronics, robotics & Arduino w/ beginner-friendly instructions
- Build a robot tank or a three-wheeled robot car
- Construct a solid machine w/ aluminum extrusion structure
- Easily wire w/ no soldering required
- Study Arduino programming w/ included guides
Normally priced at $150, you can grab this great little Makeblock Arduino Robot kit for only $79.99. At a savings of 46%, this is a great deal to be able to build your own little robot. Not only do you learn how to build this robot, but you also will learn how to program this robot to do whatever you may want for it to do, within reason of course. So be sure to head over to the AndroidGuys Deals page, and grab this robot today.
You can find this, and many other great tech bargains through our Deals Page. Backed by StackCommerce, there are daily promos, giveaways, freebies, and much more!
The post (Deal) Build and program your own little robot for $79 appeared first on AndroidGuys.
Report: Samsung to focus on profits rather than growth
It’s no secret that Samsung has been having a tough time maintaining its previously strong profit levels over the past few quarters and it has caused many to speculate about how the electronics giant will pull itself out of this problem. According to an anonymous, but apparently high ranking source, Samsung is preparing to adjust its approach to focus on profitability rather than trying to grow its existing business any further.
This news suggests that Samsung may be looking to further cut costs to boost profits, if it no longer believes that it can expand its existing business much further. Some sources suggest that Samsung may examine its current staffing levels, but there’s no official indication as to exactly how or where the company will make such savings. At the beginning of the year, Samsung planned to reduce its marketing budget, but many expect that it will have to go further to boost its profit levels.
“The market growth in smartphones, televisions and home appliances, the current key revenue channels for Samsung, has flattened due to heated competition and widened consumer options. This situation is focing Samsung Electronics to cut expenditure in operations and other fixed costs,”
Samsung is apparently struggling with high costs as a result of its expansion over the past few years, such as a large increase in its wage bill. The company now employs some 320,000 staff, almost double its 180,000 headcount back in 2008. However, Samsung recently rebuffed reports that it was planning to reduce staff levels in Korea. Instead, the company is looking to relocate some managers.
“The Samsung Future Strategy Office has no plan to order group affiliates to cut their workforce,” – Lee Joon, Samsung chief communications officer
If the company is planning a business shift, Samsung will likely want to ensure than any changes to the company’s structure don’t affect its existing successful product lines. This rumor certainly doesn’t mean that Samsung won’t be continuing to invest in R&D and new product lines. Instead, the company may end up slowing down or abandoning some of its future expansions plans, to consolidate its focus on existing divisions and improving their profitability.
While smartphone and consumer electronics sales may be slowing, Samsung’s semiconductor business has been generating much needed additional revenue for the company. This could be key to Samsung’s future profitability.
Report: Samsung to focus on profits rather than growth
It’s no secret that Samsung has been having a tough time maintaining its previously strong profit levels over the past few quarters and it has caused many to speculate about how the electronics giant will pull itself out of this problem. According to an anonymous, but apparently high ranking source, Samsung is preparing to adjust its approach to focus on profitability rather than trying to grow its existing business any further.
This news suggests that Samsung may be looking to further cut costs to boost profits, if it no longer believes that it can expand its existing business much further. Some sources suggest that Samsung may examine its current staffing levels, but there’s no official indication as to exactly how or where the company will make such savings. At the beginning of the year, Samsung planned to reduce its marketing budget, but many expect that it will have to go further to boost its profit levels.
“The market growth in smartphones, televisions and home appliances, the current key revenue channels for Samsung, has flattened due to heated competition and widened consumer options. This situation is focing Samsung Electronics to cut expenditure in operations and other fixed costs,”
Samsung is apparently struggling with high costs as a result of its expansion over the past few years, such as a large increase in its wage bill. The company now employs some 320,000 staff, almost double its 180,000 headcount back in 2008. However, Samsung recently rebuffed reports that it was planning to reduce staff levels in Korea. Instead, the company is looking to relocate some managers.
“The Samsung Future Strategy Office has no plan to order group affiliates to cut their workforce,” – Lee Joon, Samsung chief communications officer
If the company is planning a business shift, Samsung will likely want to ensure than any changes to the company’s structure don’t affect its existing successful product lines. This rumor certainly doesn’t mean that Samsung won’t be continuing to invest in R&D and new product lines. Instead, the company may end up slowing down or abandoning some of its future expansions plans, to consolidate its focus on existing divisions and improving their profitability.
While smartphone and consumer electronics sales may be slowing, Samsung’s semiconductor business has been generating much needed additional revenue for the company. This could be key to Samsung’s future profitability.
Adobe Claims iPad Pro Has 4GB of RAM
Adobe published a press release on Wednesday (via G4Games) to highlight its new Creative Cloud mobile apps, and in doing so has seemingly revealed the new iPad Pro has 4GB of RAM.
iPad Pro is great for creative workflows with a high res 12.9″ touch screen display at 2732 x 2048 pixels, A9X chip, and 4GB RAM.
Apple does not list the iPad Pro’s RAM on the tablet’s tech specs page, but a teardown of the device in the near future should reveal if Adobe’s claim is accurate. We’ve also reached out to Apple for comment.
iPad Pro features a 12.9-inch fully laminated display with a 2732×2048 pixels resolution at 264 PPI, 64-bit A9X processor, four-speaker audio system, 8-megapixel iSight camera, Touch ID, Smart Connector, Lightning connector and dual microphones.
Apple also introduced two new accessories for the iPad Pro: the Smart Keyboard and Apple Pencil. Apple Pencil ($99) is a precise drawing tool for iPad Pro, while the Smart Keyboard ($169) is an attachable, full-size keyboard cover.
iPad Pro launches in November in Silver, Space Gray and Gold, starting at $799 for a 32GB Wi-Fi only model. A 128GB Wi-Fi only model will also be available for $949 and a Wi-Fi + LTE 128GB model will retail for $1,079.
HTC One A9 (Aero) spotted on GeekBench, its MediaTek Helio X20 chip posts impressive results
While many would associate September 29th with the launch of Google’s new Nexus handsets, it’s important to remember that HTC is also holding a device launch party on that same day. The Taiwanese handset maker is expected to take the wraps off two new flagships, one of which is believed to be called the HTC One A9 (Aero). HTC must be stepping up final testing of the device because it has been spotted making the rounds on the GeekBench benchmarking site, with its deca-core MediaTek Helio X20 processor posting impressive results.
The MediaTek Helio X20 (MT6797) processor consists of ten cores set in a tri-cluster configuration, with two A72 cores and eight A53 cores providing the grunt. The combination of the different types of cores aims to maintain great battery life while providing power when needed. The Graphics chip is a new T8xx series chip that is more powerful than the PowerVR G6200 found in the MT6795.
As you can see from the image above, the MediaTek powered HTC One A9 achieved 1835 in the single-core test, which is close to what the Nexus 9 scores with the dual-core Tegra K1 processor. In the multi-core test, the MediaTek Helio X20 chip even managed to beat the Exynos 7420 that powers Samsung’s Galaxy S6, finishing with an amazing score of 5884 points. Truly staggering. The Helio X20 appears to represent a huge step up in performance for MediaTek.
The benchmark also revealed a couple of specifications for the HTC One A9, namely that it will carry 4GB of RAM and run Android 5.1 Lollipop. It’s also rumoured to carry ground-breaking camera technology, which sounds intriguing, to say the least. There isn’t too long to wait until the HTC One A9 is made official, and I’m sure they’ll be more leaks in the meantime. September 29th is shaping up to be a busy day for new devices.
Source: 8080.net
Via: GizmoChina
Come comment on this article: HTC One A9 (Aero) spotted on GeekBench, its MediaTek Helio X20 chip posts impressive results
Samsung could release the Tizen-powered Z3 smartphone as late as October, report says
Samsung will release the second Tizen-powered smartphone, the Z3, in the near future after being approved by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), according to industry sources. This will be Samsung’s second Tizen-powered smartphone, with the Z1 launching earlier this year in January.
Samsung’s Z3 is rumored to have a 5-inch 1280 x 720 display, a quad-core 1.3GHz Spreadtrum SC7730S CPU, 1.5GB of RAM, an 8-megapixel rear camera, and a 5-megapixel front camera. The device should also be sporting Tizen 3.0.
Some industry sources are also saying that Samsung could showcase the Gear S2 alongside it, as the smartwatch is also running the Tizen operating system. Samsung’s rumored to show both off at the upcoming Tizen Developer Conference next week in Shenzhen, China, and could launch the Z3 as late as October, around the same time the Gear S2 is set to officially become available.
Samsung sold over 1 million Z1 units in India, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka during the first quarter of 2015. That said, it’s seen some fairly good success in emerging markets, indicating that Samsung will expand the availability of the Z3 to India, Bangladesh, Nepal, and the Middle East, including Egypt.
The Korean tech giant isn’t expected to launch the device in Western markets, considering that Tizen doesn’t really offer consumers anything that the two dominating players don’t: Android and iOS.
Tizen is still somewhat in its infancy, but what might help it really take off, is a high-end device that can compete with the likes of the iPhone or Nexus 6.
Would you buy a Tizen-powered smartphone?
source: Business Korea
via: SamMobile
Come comment on this article: Samsung could release the Tizen-powered Z3 smartphone as late as October, report says
AIVAnet 