Lenovo unveils the VIBE P1, P1m and S1 smartphones at IFA 2015
Lenovo has taken the wraps off quite a few new products today. We’ve already told you about the company’s new YOGA Tablet 3 and Tablet 3 Pro, as well as the PHAB and PHAB Plus smartphones. As if those weren’t enough, Lenovo has just officially announced three new smartphones, the VIBE P1, VIBE P1m and VIBE S1.
For starters, the Lenovo VIBE P1 (pictured above) features a 5.5-inch IPS LCD Full HD display, an octa-core 64-bit 1.5GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 615 processor, 2GB of RAM, 32GB of internal storage and microSD expansion up to 128GB. It also boasts a 13MP rear-facing camera with phase-detection auto-focus, a 5MP front-facing camera, a giant non-removable 5000mAh battery and runs Android 5.1 Lollipop out of the box. The VIBE P1 also sports an aluminum frame, Gorilla Glass 3 on the front, and supports dual Nano SIM cards.
The VIBE P1 will be available in Platinum and Graphite Grey color options in early October for just $279.
Next up is the VIBE P1m, which sports a 5.0-inch IPS LCD Full HD display, a 1.0GHz quad-core 64-bit MediaTek MT6735P processor, 2GB of RAM, 16GB of on-board storage and microSD expansion up to 32GB. It has an 8MP main shooter, a 5MP front shooter, a big non-removable 4000mAh battery and also runs Android 5.1 Lollipop. This one is made of plastic, though it sports a splash-proof nano coating to keep the phone dry. Unlike it’s P1 counterpart, the VIBE P1m supports dual Micro SIM cards.
The Lenovo VIBE P1m will be available in Onyx Black and Pearl White color options in mid-September for only $159.
Last but not least is the Lenovo VIBE S1, which sports a 5.0-inch Full HD IPS LCD display, a 1.7GHz octa-core 64-bit MediaTek MT6752 CPU, 3GB of RAM, 32GB of storage and microSD expansion up to 128GB. There’s also a 13MP rear camera with phase-detection auto-focus, an 8MP main front-facing shooter, and you guessed it, a 2MP secondary front camera. It also has an aluminum frame and a 2500mAh non-removable battery. Like the P1, this device supports dual Nano SIM cards.
The Lenovo VIBE S1 will be available in Pearl White and Midnight Blue color options in November for $299. It should be noted that none of these devices are slated for release in North America, but will still be sold in other regions where Lenovo phones are sold.
So, what are your thoughts? Would you rather spend your money on the more inexpensive VIBE P1 or P1m, or are you interested in the two front-facing cameras on the S1?
Google Docs gains voice typing on the web and new researching tool in latest update
Starting today, Google is making it much easier for users to get work done in Docs. In an update that’s rolling out in the Google Play Store as we speak, the latest version of Google Docs gains a handy new Research tool. Now you’ll be able to search Google without ever leaving Docs, making it much easier to find the quotes or images you need without having to switch between multiple apps. After you grab the update, tap the menu button (three vertical dots), and select the Research option.
Another notable feature in the update is the addition of voice typing in Docs while working in Chrome. This will let you record your ideas through voice with ease. To record your voice in Docs, simply activate the Voice typing feature under the Tools menu when you’re using Docs in Chrome. Once it’s been enabled, all you need to do is tap the microphone button to start recording. What’s more, Google says voice typing is already available in over 40 languages. Unfortunately no other browsers are supported at this time.
Check out the video below for a short tutorial on this feature.
Additionally, Google has made it a little easier to find out what’s been added or deleted in Docs. Now once you leave a document and come back to it later, simply click on the “See new changes” button to see which changes have been made by whom. If you’d like some more information on any of these new new features or improvements, head to the source link below.
Motorola makes it official: This is the second generation Moto 360 lineup
Motorola has finally pulled the curtain back on their second generation Moto 360 smartwatch after months of leaks and speculation. One of the most hotly anticipated devices in recent memory, the Moto 360 is an evolution of the best looking smartwatch on the market with improvements in nearly all areas from the original. Not only did we get our first official look at the second gen Moto 360 but the Moto 360 Sport was also officially confirmed even though officials were tight lipped with details.
The second generation Moto 360 will come in two sizes, 42mm and 46mm. Motorola recommends that women stick to the 42mm version while men can choose from either. There are many more options for design on this version. You can customize everything from the strap, bezel color, case color and the bezel treatments.
For men Moto offers the following:
- Case colors: Black, Silver and Gold
- Bezel colors: Black, Silver and Gold
- Bezel treatment: Chamfer, Micro Knurl
- Bands: Black Metal, Silver Metal, Gold Metal, Black Leather, Cognac Leather
For women Moto offers the following:
- Case colors: Silver, Gold and Rose Gold
- Bezel colors: Silver, Gold and Rose Gold
- Bezel treatment: Peak, Micro Etch
- Bands: Silver Metal, Gold Metal, Rose Gold Metal, Blush Leather, Grey Leather, Blush Double Wrap
If you don’t like the band options offered, you’re in luck. You can buy your own. Since Motorola is now using standard lugs, you can pretty much buy any band you want and put it on your new Moto 360. The smartwatch will feature a quick-release switch so you can easily swap out your bands. On the first generation Moto 360 it was a big pain to swap out bands and you risked cracking the back of your watch.
The flat tire has returned. The black bar at the bottom of the screen contains drivers for the display and according to Motorola allows them to keep down the bezels. The Moto 360 keeps its class leading screen to body ratio, about 71%, with it’s closest competitor being around 50%.
With the launch of the second gen watch, Motorola is putting more focus on fitness. They did let loose word on the Moto 360 Sport (more on that later) but also detailed how they think they’re doing fitness better. Moto Body is Motorola’s take on a fitness tracking center for your watch. The fitness companion will actively track steps taken, calories burned and heart rate. Moto Body is different than other apps, according to Motorola, because it not only records the statistics but provides coaching and feedback to motivate you.
Another feature that you’ll see on the second gen Moto 360 is Live Dials. Live Dials are shortcuts to your most used apps that you can pin on your watch face. If you’re a frequent checker of emails and text messages, you can pin the apps on your screen for quick access and without pulling out your phone. I think this really going to be great for workouts as you can pin your fitness tracking app and your music right to the watch face and you’re up and running in seconds.
- 1.37- (360×325) or 1.56-inch (360×330) display
- Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 processor
- 512MB of RAM
- 4GB of internal storage
- 300mAh or 400mAh battery (with wireless charging)
- Optical heart rate monitor
The second generation Moto 360 is currently available for pre-order from Motorola.com, Best Buy and The Google Play Store. You’ll be able to purchase the watch in late September from Nordstrom, Verizon, Motorola.com, Best Buy and The Google Play Store.
The Moto 360 Sport was also confirmed today. The Sport edition of the popular smartwatch will based on the 42mm version of the second gen Moto 360 and feature more exercise friendly materials instead of leather and metal. You’ll see more rubbery materials that won’t bother you as much while getting a little sweaty.
The screen on the Sport is also a little different featuring a backlit LCD screen that will display normally in everyday situations but also a front-lit reflective screen that will make it easier to see in direct sunlight. This will make it easier to see your work-out stats better outside. The watch will be smart enough to switch whenever it thinks you require a different mode.
If you stream music to your bluetooth headphones while you work out, you’re in luck. Like other smartwatches, the Sport will let you pin music to the watch for easy streaming to your bluetooth headset of choice. There’s also GPS for more accurate tracking of your runs and biking.
There was no date announced for release but availability will become more clear in the next few months.
What do you think? Is the second generation enough of the Moto 360 enough to finally get you interested in smartwatches? Is it enough of an upgrade to get you to purchase it if you already own one? Let us know down in the comments section.
Source: Engadget, TalkAndroid, 9to5Google
The post Motorola makes it official: This is the second generation Moto 360 lineup appeared first on AndroidGuys.
3D printing resurrects Iron-Age Irish musical instruments
While 3D printing is often used for advancements in medicine or science, such as FDA-approved drugs or rocket pumps, this week it made an academic one. A PhD student at the Australian National University recently used a 3D printer to duplicate an Irish artifact previously known as the “Conical Spearbutt of Navan,” thought to be a tool and weapon. Billy Ó Foghlú’s replica was able to prove that the ancient spearbutt was, in fact, an ancient mouthpiece — likely to an iron-age horn.
While bronze-age and iron-age musical instruments, specifically horns, have been found throughout Europe and Scandinavia, the lack of mouthpieces had led historians to believe that Ireland went through a “musical dark age.” Ó Foghlú used the exact measurements of the artifact to produce a 3D copy which he then used with his own horn. He said it produced a “richer, more velvety tone,” and feels that the lack of recovered instruments in the area is due not to a supposed dark age, but because the instruments were “ritually dismantled and laid down as offerings when their owner died.”
Filed under:
Misc
Source:
Phys.org
Tags: 3dPrinting, AustralianNationalUniversity, BillyÓFoghlú, history, Ireland, MusicalInstruments, spearbutt
Machinima settles FTC charges over paid Xbox One ‘reviews’
Ever watch a YouTube review of a game or console and worry that the reviewer was a little too enthusiastic? You’re not alone. Machinima has agreed to settle Federal Trade Commission charges that it mislead gamers by failing to disclose that Xbox One reviews from YouTube “influencers” (read: popular channels) were really paid promos. Under the terms of the deal, Machinima has to make sure that any promos are clearly disclosed, refuse to pay for those that aren’t, and check in on campaigns to make sure that the disclosures haven’t vanished. And in case you’re wondering: while the FTC has determined that Microsoft and its ad agency were partly responsible, it believes these promos were “isolated incidents” that didn’t reflect those two companies’ policies.
The settlement represents one of the first big steps to acknowledge the widespread problems with paid gaming endorsements in online videos. It’s no secret that console makers and game studios have spent years courting YouTube and Twitch stars, taking advantage of the absence of editorial safeguards (many streamers have to handle marketing requests themselves) and financial vulnerability. Some of those who agree to promos are up front about the payments, but others either downplay the disclosures or don’t include them at all. An FTC crackdown will hopefully push both companies and video hosts to say exactly what’s going on, letting you know right away whether or not that “let’s play” clip is a thinly-veiled sales pitch.
Filed under:
Gaming, Internet, Microsoft
Tags: ads, advertising, endorsements, ftc, gaming, internet, machinima, microsoft, payola, regulation, videogames, xboxone, youtube
WD’s latest cloud tech gives you a reason to forget Dropbox
Let’s be honest: the cloud features bundled with hard drives tend to suck. They’re seldom more than nice freebies that you ignore while you set up Dropbox, Google Drive or another more sophisticated option. However, WD (aka Western Digital) might give you an incentive to try its in-house offering. It’s launching My Cloud OS 3, a platform that gives connected hard drives (including network-attached storage) some of the features you take for granted on dedicated online services. It’ll automatically sync not just between PCs, but from the camera rolls of your mobile devices. You’ll have web- and app-based access to your storage, as well. True, you can find this kind of syncing elsewhere, but this gives you an alternative that won’t leave you feeling pangs of regret… so long as you’re using WD storage, at least.
The platform depends on having the right hardware and software, but you don’t have to wait long for that. WD has already introduced an updated version of its dual-drive My Cloud Mirror that has My Cloud OS 3’s perks, and the My Cloud Albums app for Android and iOS will help you share photos when it arrives in late September. The real question is whether or not WD’s upgrade is enough to get your attention. After all, WD’s arch-rival Seagate is shuttering its Wuala cloud service in the face of stiff competition from the likes of Dropbox and Google. Even though WD is doing a lot to keep its personal cloud option up to date, you may be happy syncing through a service you already use.
Filed under:
Storage, Internet
Source:
Western Digital
Tags: cloudstorage, internet, mycloud, mycloudos3, nas, NetworkAttachedStorage, storage, wd, wdsync, westerndigital
‘iPhone 6s’ Measures Slightly Thicker and Larger Than iPhone 6
For months, rumors have indicated the upcoming “iPhone 6s” may be slightly thicker and larger than its predecessor, likely due to several factors including a change in the aluminum being used for the shell, thickening of weak spots in the case to help address concerns over bending, and new support for Force Touch functionality in the display. The size increase is expected to be only a fraction of a millimeter in each dimension, making it virtually unnoticeable to users and allowing most iPhone 6 accessories to continue to work with the iPhone 6s.
MacRumors has now received several photos showing an iPhone 6s assembled from parts, allowing full measurements of the device to be taken. Of most interest has been the thickness of the device, and photos show the iPhone 6s measuring 7.08 mm thick compared to Apple’s official measurement of 6.9 mm on the iPhone 6. This is in line with previous rumors claiming that each of the new models will be roughly 0.2 mm thicker than the current iPhones, with the iPhone 6s Plus moving to 7.3 mm thick from 7.1 mm.
The new photos also reveal slight increases for the height and width of the iPhone 6s, with the device measuring 138.19 mm tall and 67.68 mm wide, compared to 138.1 mm and 67.0 mm for the corresponding measurements on the iPhone 6. Since the height and width of the device are determined solely by the rear shell, we can also compare these measurements to those taken by Unbox Therapy last month. Those measurements came in at 138.26 mm tall and 67.16 mm wide.
KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo had predicted as early as mid-June that the iPhone 6s could be roughly 0.15 mm taller and wider and 0.2 mm thicker than the iPhone 6, and while there is some variability in measurements likely due in large part to the relatively low quality digital calipers being used for measurements, they do suggest there may indeed be a slight increase in each dimension.
On a percentage basis, the thickness would see the biggest increase of nearly 3 percent, matching the iPhone 6 Plus thickness. That increase could be enough to prevent some tight-fitting iPhone 6 cases from fitting the 6s, but many cases should have enough wiggle room to accommodate the new models.
Case makers such as Spigen are already announcing cases designed specifically for the iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus, suggesting they are confident in rumors and leaks pointing toward slight size changes, and making early announcements of cases specific to the new models gives the company some additional marketing buzz headed into the release.
Apple will introduce the iPhone 6s and 6s Plus at a media event scheduled for next Wednesday, September 9, an event that is becoming increasingly jam-packed amid reports of unveilings of a new Apple TV, the long-rumored iPad Pro, and a thinner iPad mini 4. Apple Watch tidbits such as new Sport Band color options and final looks at iOS 9 and watchOS 2 before their public launches are also likely to be included.
The Weeknd, The Chemical Brothers, and Take That to Perform at Apple Music Festival
Apple today used Beats 1 radio to announce additional acts for its upcoming Apple Music Festival, confirming The Weeknd, The Chemical Brothers, Take That, James Bay, and Leon Bridges will all perform in London later this month during the 10-day event.
#AppleMusicFestival announcements continue!
Welcome @theweeknd, @ChemBros & @takethat.
More info coming soon. pic.twitter.com/vnx8dGbnNh
— Apple Music (@AppleMusic) September 2, 2015
http://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js
This year’s Apple Music Festival, first announced in mid-August, is replacing Apple’s annual iTunes Festival. Like the iTunes Festival, the Apple Music Festival is a free concert series that will see different artists performing each night, but the 2015 event will last for just 10 days instead of the previous 30 days.
It will run from September 19 to September 28 and along with the acts announced today, Pharrell, One Direction, Little Mix, Disclosure, and Florence + the Machine will perform. The full lineup of acts will be posted on the dedicated Apple Music Festival website.
Each live performance will be broadcast across the world and will be available both live and on-demand via Apple Music. UK residents can apply to win tickets to the Apple Music Festival on Apple Music and through various media partners.
Ahead of the festival’s kickoff, Apple is expected to announce additional performances.
Here’s what the Sony Xperia Z5 Premium camera can do
Alongside the Z5 Compact and Z5 proper, Sony today unveiled the world’s first smartphone with a 4K display, the Xperia Z5 Premium. Of course the big news with the Premium is its big 5.5-inch super clear display, but that’s not the only big upgrade the company’s flagship line is seeing today. Sony also announced its new 23MP Exmor RS sensor that will be included in all three new devices.
Sony says this new sensor is capable of producing the fastest auto-focus experience available on a smartphone, with the ability to focus in just .03 seconds. For those wondering, the average blink of a human eye falls anywhere between .1 and .4 seconds. Sony is also boasting improved Steady Shot features with Intelligent Active Mode for video, 4K video recording, as well as many other improvements.
But just how good is the camera? To give us an early look at just what this camera is capable of, Sony has posted a few camera samples taken with the Xperia Z5 Premium.
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Obviously we’ll need to test out this new sensor for ourselves to make a final decision, but so far, the photos are looking pretty great. We’ll be bringing you our hands-on and first impressions of the device later today, so stay tuned! In the mean time, though, tell us – what are your thoughts on the new Z5 Premium, and more specifically, the new camera sensor?
Huawei Watch and Moto 360 (2015) now available from Google Store
Today has been a pretty exciting day for smartwatch fans with both the Huawei Watch and the Moto 360 (2015) going up for sale through select retailers. For those that prefer buying from Google directly, both watches have now hit the Google Store as well.
The only major downside to getting these watches from Google is that you’re limited on your choices. Huawei and its partners offer multiple bands and material choices but the Google Store only offers the silver version for $399. As for the Moto 360, you’ll be missing out on Moto Maker customization and will have just two options, 42mm in blakc or 46mm in cognac, with the former costing $299 and the latter $349.
![11_Mot_360_StyleSport_Combo_0116_LftWtchMtl_V5_RGB[5][3]](https://i0.wp.com/cdn03.androidauthority.net/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/11_Mot_360_StyleSport_Combo_0116_LftWtchMtl_V5_RGB53-840x560.jpg?resize=640%2C427)
Regardless of which watch you pick up, Google says shipping should start sometime in the next 2-4 weeks. Honestly, we’d say that, in this instance, buying directly from Huawei or Motorola might be the better choice but we’ll leave that decision up to you.
Get the Moto 360 from the Google Store!
Get the Huawei Watch from the Google Store!
AIVAnet 