Exclusive: LG’s Nexus 5X coming September 29 for around $400
The Nexus 5X will come two years after the popular Nexus 5.
The LG-made Nexus is coming at the end of the month and it will be slightly more expensive that the original Nexus 5.
A source close to the matter has revealed to us details about Google‘s and LG’s plans for the new generation of the Nexus 5 smartphone. The source warned us that this information is not final, and as such, official details may differ, but we feel very confident in the veracity of this report.
First up, our source confirmed that the new Nexus will be made available in the Google Store from September 29. Both the LG Nexus and the Huawei Nexus will be offered at this point. This confirms a recent report from CNET, as well as an older rumor from Korean media.
The LG Nexus will probably go under the Nexus 5X moniker. We say probably because a decision on the final name has not been taken yet at Google HQ. That name makes a lot of sense: it allows Google to keep its “Nexus #” naming convention, while signaling that this is a new device in a much more intuitive fashion than by adding a “(2015)” or “(2nd gen.) suffix.
The Nexus 5X will look a lot like the device pictured in this leaked image.
Next up, we can confirm that the leaks that have been making the rounds showing the design of the Nexus 5X are accurate. The device will feature a circular rear-mounted fingerprint sensor, along a raised camera and the dual LED flash on the side.
The Nexus 5X will be available in white, black, and light blue, and will feature a plastic back and a USB Type-C port.
Perhaps the most important detail we gleaned from our source is the price of the Nexus 5X: the device will be affordable, but not as affordable as the original Nexus 5. The Nexus 5X will cost $50 more than the Nexus 5, according to our source. That means we can expect a starting point of $399 for the 16GB model and $449 for the 32GB model, assuming Google has decided to stick with 16GB for the base version.
Again, this is non-final info so do not take it for granted just yet. That said, this is a very solid source, so we fully expect this info to pan out.
That’s it for now! How do you feel about a $400 Nexus 5X? Let us know your thoughts.
NVIDIA is behind schedule shipping SHIELD Tablet replacements after issuing worldwide recall
Nvidia issued a voluntary, worldwide recall for its SHIELD tablet at the tail-end of July that applied to devices with the ‘Y01‘ battery installed. The recall was issued because the ‘Y01′ battery had been found to overheat, thus posing a potential fire hazard. The way that Nvidia immediately issued a worldwide recall, along with a definitive strategy of making it right by collecting and replacing the affected devices, garnered the company some well-deserved compliments. As is often the case, though, even the best-laid plans can suffer from snags and glitches when exposed to real-world conditions, as shown by the email that is being sent to customers.
While Nvidia and the 3rd-party company it contracted to handle the replacement of affected SHIELD tablets originally envisaged a wait of between 2 and 4 weeks, it seems that things are running behind schedule, with reports of at least one SHIELD tablet owner being without a device for over 5 weeks.
Nvidia’s email:
“Dear NVIDIA tablet owner,
We apologize for the delay in sending your replacement SHIELD tablet.
We are fulfilling claims as quickly as we can, in the order that they were received. In some cases, we are running behind our target delivery of 2-4 weeks. We’re doing everything we can to accelerate the schedule.
We’ll notify you when your unit ships. Ine the meantime, should you have any questions, please contact us at nvidiashieldtablet@stericycle.com.
Thanks for your patience,
NVIDIA”
If you had an affected SHIELD tablet and made a claim, have you received the replacement device yet? And if you are still waiting for your replacement, how long are you prepared to be patient? While NVIDIA, quite rightly received praise for the way it initially handled the recall, if the delay in sending replacement devices runs for much longer, surely it would be in the interests of the consumer for NVIDIA to consider issuing refunds? Let us know your thoughts about the SHIELD Tablet recall situation in the comments below.
Source: Droid-Life
Come comment on this article: NVIDIA is behind schedule shipping SHIELD Tablet replacements after issuing worldwide recall
KGI Expects New iPhones to Have 5MP Front Camera, Retain 16GB, 64GB and 128GB Capacities
KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has issued a note to investors that claims the so-called “iPhone 6s” will be offered in 16GB, 64GB and 128GB storage capacities, the same sizes available for the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus.
Kuo also claims the iPhone 6s will have an improved front-facing FaceTime camera with a 5-megapixel sensor, and reaffirms three much-rumored features: Force Touch, a new rose gold casing color and an upgraded Touch ID fingerprint scanner.
Kuo’s prediction corroborates multiple rumors that claim Apple will retain 16GB, 64GB and 128GB storage sizes for the iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus, which are expected to be announced at the company’s September 9th media event in San Francisco.
Kuo says the iPhone 6s entered mass production in mid-August after some manufacturing bottlenecks due to Force Touch, casing and vibration motors.
Apple Sells Over 1 Million Apple Watches in China, Increases ‘iPhone 6s’ Orders Ahead of Launch
Apple is believed to have sold over over 1.07 million Apple Watches in China, according to data analysis company TalkingData (via Business Insider). The company uses a monitoring platform supported by over 80,000 mobile apps — including the country’s most popular app WeChat, with over 1 billion registered users — to receive its data.
Many remain curious as to how many Apple Watches the company has sold specifically, but Apple continues to remain firm on not assigning a tangible number to the sales figures of its new wearable device. After a few weeks of speculation, in July CEO Tim Cook gave the closest hint to the success of the Apple Watch, stating that its sales had “exceeded expectations” at the company.
Also of note today is a new report from Japan Display Inc. CEO Mitsuru Homma, who stated that the display manufacturer’s “biggest client” is ramping up orders ahead of an upcoming launch for the unnamed company’s newest smartphone (via Reuters). JPI has been known to work with Apple in the past, and was reported earlier in the year to be seeking a partnership with the Cupertino company in becoming its go-to manufacturer for iPhone screens with a $1.7 billion display plant.
Mitsuru Homma, who was appointed CEO in June, said weakness in China’s smartphone market, the world’s biggest, amid that country’s broader economic slowdown was not affecting the orders for display screens it was getting from its top client.
“They’re coming to us with more orders, saying ‘give us more, give us more’. They keep increasing,” he told Reuters in an interview.
Homma fielded questions about “difficult technology” causing production stalls in the manufacturing process — most likely this year’s inclusion of Force Touch — but he still believes that “ramp-up is going well.” The big reveal of the “iPhone 6s” and “iPhone 6s Plus” is just under a week away on September 9. The latest rumors point to a slightly thicker and larger “S” generation device, with the possibility of Apple Watch-like motion wallpapers and a slightly overhauled iOS thanks to the addition of Force Touch.
(Deal) Grab any of these great deals for VPN subscriptions from only $29
Privacy, security and anonymity. Show me anybody who doesn’t want these key pieces and I’ll show you someone vulnerable to hacks, attacks and manipulation. We’ve covered quite a few VPN services, to great response, and we’re taking a moment, today, to highlight a few of our favorites. This roundup ensures you’re getting the best bang for your buck from providers you can trust.
Say goodbye to throttled connections, region-specific blocks and lackluster data encryption. Adding a VPN to your arsenal is one of the most important steps in winning the fight for online privacy. Starting at just $29 for lifetime access, there’s really no reason not to protect and empower yourself.
TigerVPN Lifetime Subscription – $790 $29
TigerVPN Lite tries to bring a safer internet, one of which that will protect you from those hackers who attempt to get all your information. With a TigerVPN subscription, you will get top-notch security, 256bit SSL encryption, 10Gbps servers, easy-to-use mobile apps, and much more for only $29 for life.
VPN Unlimited Lifetime Subscription – $130 $39
With this lifetime subscription plan from VPN Unlimited, you’ll have access to worry-free browsing, unlimited bandwidth, and the ability to unlock territory-restricted content by choosing a server from the country of your preference. Some users have found that, through bypassing their ISP’s restrictions, they’ve even increased their transfer speeds.
Wifi Protector VPN Lifetime Subscription – $295 $49
Wifi Protector is offering a lifetime subscription to their online privacy service which includes unlocking blocked content sites (Netflix, Hulu), unlimited bandwidth and secure connections. Enjoy a quicker and more reliable online experience with worry-free protection on your PC or Android device.
VPN Land Lifetime Subscription – $199 $49.99
There’s no time like the present to start protecting your data from hackers and nosy advertisers. VPN Land is a private piece of Internet where you can browse freely and securely while utilizing over 400 reliable servers. Use VPN Land’s speedy service on desktop and mobile platforms all over the world, and you’ll never browse unprotected again.
If you’re interested in picking up and of these great deals, head over to the AndroidGuys deal page, provided by Stack Commerce, and grab any of these VPN services at great prices today. You can find this, and many other great tech bargains through our Deals page. Backed by Stack Commerce, there are daily promos, giveaways, freebies, and much more!
The post (Deal) Grab any of these great deals for VPN subscriptions from only $29 appeared first on AndroidGuys.
TomTom’s newest fitness watch plays music too
As sales of satellite navigation units slowly dry up, TomTom is making the gentle transition into a fitness and wearables company. That’s why the firm decided to smash up its existing range of bulky running watches in favor of a ground-up rebuild. The result is that TomTom is launching the Spark, which look pretty much like the previous generation of devices, albeit after a very good diet. The most notable addition to the range this year is Bluetooth music playback, although that’s made matters a little more confusing than in previous years. Slideshow-317011
Rather than selling just one or two variations on the same watch each year, there are actually four, with a bare-bones GPS, sleep and activity tracking model at the bottom. Then, you can opt to get a version with an optical heart rate monitor, or 3GB of built-in storage, while at the top of the range you can get both. There’s also two extra models that come with a pair of company-branded Bluetooth headphones if you don’t already own a set. The company’s Walter Hermsen isn’t worried about confusing his customers, however, saying that this way it’s easy for people to only pay for the things they’ll actually use.
The hardware itself looks like an evolution of last year’s model, shrunk down to better hide under your shirt cuff. The charger’s been redesigned, too, with a clicking latch that makes enough noise so there’s no longer a risk that you’ll think it’s connected, but isn’t. Unfortunately, the four-way joystick button remains below the watch itself, and it’s still as obviously fitness-orientated as before — although Hermsen feels that that’s the point. After all, as he says, “if you’re spending your days sat on your couch, this watch is not for you.”
The company has also tweaked the way it represents activity tracking, giving you a seven-sided polygon to represent your working week. “The idea is to walk 10,000 steps a day, but really people don’t behave like that. Instead, they walk more on the weekends and less in the office.” As such, you’re given a weekly view of your movement so you can fill out the shape rather than feel guilty of failing to hit the target during the 9-5. You’ll be able to track two weeks at a time before you need to re-juice the Spark, although that battery life drops to 11 hours if you use GPS and just five if you’re using GPS, optical HRM and the music playback at the same time.
TomTom is promising that smartwatch features will come to the various Spark models before the end of 2015, although it’ll be limited to just Caller ID and Message ID. It was felt that anything more would be a distraction, even though the watch comes with a Pebble-esque 144 x 168 high-contrast LCD display. There’s also no option to change the face from the default, which is something of a disappointment.
Pricing isn’t yet set for each of the more granular models, although we can all probably work it out on the back of an envelope. All we know so far is that the flagship Spark Cardio + Music that comes with all the trimmings will be priced at €249 / £189.99 and that the range will hit stores this October.
Check out all the news from Berlin at our IFA 2015 hub.
Tags: Bluetooth, GPS, hands-on, ifa, ifa2015, MultiSport, Running, Spark, TomTom
UK police arrest pirate who cost the music industry ‘millions’
In its ongoing fight to reduce online piracy in the UK, the Police Intellectual Property Crime Unit (PIPCU) often targets people suspected of illegally sharing movies, music and other digital downloads. In Liverpool, the City of London division has today, with help from Merseyside Police and UK copyright agency PRS for Music, arrested a 38-year-old Liverpool man linked with illegally distributing the UK’s Top 40 singles via download sites.
PIPCU says the man distributed the top-selling tracks and acappella music (songs that feature only vocals) via his website, netting him “significant advertising revenue” in the process. According to TorrentFreak, the uploader is also known for sharing his collections on two of the world’s biggest torrent sites: The Pirate Bay and KickassTorrents.
City of London Police Detective Inspector, Mick Dodge, said: “This is a crime that is costing the UK creative industry hundreds of millions of pounds, money that not only supports the artists but the thousands of technical and support staff working in this sector.” It marks an active few months for UK police, after forces successfully began putting the squeeze on pirate site advertising and seized thousands of modified Android streamers.
Filed under:
Internet
Source:
Merseyside Police
Tags: pipcu, police, prs for music, thepiratebay, torrents, uk-feature
Airbnb’s Apple Watch app focuses on putting hosts and guests in touch
The last year or so has seen Airbnb put a major focus behind design, from its company logo and identity to new apps for phones and tablets. Now, it’s putting its attention towards a new platform: wearables. Starting today, the iOS Airbnb app is compatible with the Apple Watch. Fortunately, Airbnb put a lot of thought into what features would make the most sense living on your wrist rather than try and cram the entire experience onto the smallest screen in your life. To that end, the first iteration of Airbnb’s Watch app will focus primarily on messaging, so hosts and guests can stay in touch quickly.
Airbnb went through numerous tests of the Watch’s capabilities to decide what made the most sense for its app, and told us that enabling hosts quickly respond to booking inquiries and questions was one of the most important things it thought it could do. When you receive a message, you’ll get a notification on your watch that you can respond to using your voice or one of the pre-written responses, just like Apple’s own messaging app. The coolest thing Airbnb is doing here, however, is that it lets you write your own pre-selected responses. So if you’re tired of guests pinging you for your WiFi password, you can set up a response with that info and have it always at the ready for a quick reply. You’ll have the same features at your disposal if you’re traveling, but we figure that hosts will probably be more likely to benefit from the fast interactions the Watch offers.
Similarly, hosts will have the ability to respond to booking inquiries from their wrists. When an Airbnb user submits their request, you’ll see all the details in the notification, including your guest’s name, the dates they want to stay and their full message. You can accept right then or send a message back if you’re not ready to confirm the booking. On the guest’s side, you’ll get a notification when your booking request is accepted.
That’s about all the app can do, and that’s probably for the best. If you open the app without a notification prompting you, you’ll just get an overview of your messaging box; you can look at the conversation thread and respond if you’re so inclined. Otherwise, it’s pretty bare bones — there’s just no reason to use such a tiny screen to do things like search for listings or do more detailed management of your upcoming reservations. That’s all stuff better suited to a bigger screen. That said, we feel like the “canned” responses that Airbnb are including in the Watch app could be just as useful in the full-sized iPhone version — but as of today, that app is unchanged. Hopefully the next update will change that; for now you can go grab the Apple Watch version of Airbnb in the App Store today.
Tags: airbnb, airbnbapp, apple, applewatch, booking, messaging, travel
ICYMI: Self-driving golf carts, water hoverboards and more
Today on In Case You Missed It: A new golf cart that can drive itself has been designed, complete with a tool to let people schedule pickups and drop-offs. Like *cough* Uber *cough*. A Canadian inventor is showcasing his water hoverboard that we all now want. And we get to toss in a reference to the person who says he just caught a fish with a drone, which is really the point here, friends. Also, motorized tricycles for adults are a thing and a pretty fun looking one at that.
From the strange video files: A iPhone’s ringtone putting ants into a trance, forming a circular, moving mass around it.
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, Robots, Transportation, Science, Internet
Tags: video
Sphero’s BB-8 is the ‘Star Wars’ toy everyone will want
Back when Disney released the first trailer to Star Wars: The Force Awakens, one of the characters that caught most people’s eye was BB-8. And for good reason: it’s an adorable rolling droid. Now, Disney is bringing it to everyone through Sphero, the company known for its connected robotic toys. Meet BB-8 by Sphero, a toy version of the ball-shaped personality you’ll see in the next Star Wars episode which opens in theaters December 18th. Although this droid comes on a smaller scale than the prop introduced at the Star Wars Celebration a few months ago, it is as close to the real thing as you’re going to get. Best of all, it is arguably one of the best (and cutest) Star Wars toys to date — and that’s saying a lot.Slideshow-315970
Like Sphero’s other toys, the BB-8 connects to iOS or Android devices, though there’s no need if all you want to do is keep it safe in the box or on a shelf. Once paired, the companion app offers access to three modes: Driving, Holographic Messaging and Patrol. For the second mode, Sphero used its augmented reality engine to turn videos into Star Wars’ trademark holo messages — those are recorded and viewed on the application. Patrol, meanwhile, shows a real-time log of BB-8’s movements, based on the gyroscope and accelerometer sensors from your smartphone or tablet. Sphero says it chose to have these event logs because, even if it’s a toy, it wants to encourage kids to learn about programming.
At launch, BB-8 won’t be compatible with other Sphero apps, most of which are education-focused, but the company’s CEO Paul Berberian says the plan is to work with Disney and Lucafilm to add more functionality in the future. “It is a connected toy. It will only get better with time as we get exposed to the story [Star Wars: The Force Awakens]”.
“As we get to learn more about the character, we can bring more to it.” Berberian adds that his firm is really interested in the notion of physical hardware, emphasizing how BB-8 is a new kind of toy. “It’s not a plush toy, this is it. It is a robot. Now that we have that capability, it opens up this whole new realm. How do you tell a story with a physical robot? This is the perfect character to do it.”
Compared to the regular Sphero, essentially a blueprint for this BB-8, Sphero improved the internals in a couple of ways. Other than the obvious changes, like having magnets to support BB-8’s head, there’s low-energy Bluetooth for the first time and its charging crate can now plug in directly into a USB port for power, rather than depending on an outlet. But the best parthttp://www.sphero.com/starwars about the toy, which fits in the palm of your hand, is simply how detailed it is — just look at those tiny BB-8 antennas. That said, I do wish it looked more worn, stratigh out of the box , similar to the bigger BB-8 from the Star Wars Celebration convention. Still, I’m sure that’s possible after playing with it for a few hours. And you’ll want to do that as much as possible, because it’s a ball of fun to control a rolling droid.
BB-8 by Sphero will be available at midnight for $150, but you better act fast — we have a hunch it’s going to be in high demand. Worst case scenario, you could always try to make your own.Slideshow-317007
Source:
Sphero
Tags: BB-8, BB8, hands-on, hdpostcross, Robot, Robots, RobotToy, Sphero, StarWars, Toy
AIVAnet 