Samsung’s Gear S2 smartwatch goes on sale October 2 for $299
Confirming earlier rumors about the device’s availability, Samsung has just announced that its Gear S2 and Gear S2 Classic smartwatches will be available for purchase Friday, October 2nd in the United States. The standard Gear S2 will be available for $299 and the Gear S2 Classic will run you $349. You’ll be able to purchase the wearables from Samsung.com, Amazon, Best Buy and Macy’s.
As a refresher, the Gear S2 is a Tizen-powered smartwatch that features a 1.2-inch circular display with a resolution of 360 x 360, and it’s powered by a dual-core 1GHz processor, 512MB of RAM and comes with 4GB of built-in storage. There’s also NFC on this device, which will enable users to purchase goods from stores around the world using Samsung Pay. Quite possibly the biggest news with the Gear S2 is that it will be compatible with other Android devices, unlike other Gear smartwatches in the past. There might be a few hiccups in app compatibility here and there, but for the most part, you’ll be able to use Sammy’s new wearable with your non-Samsung Android phone.
See also: Samsung Gear S2 hands-on
Now that we’ve seen a handful of new Android Wear devices make their way to market, are you still interested in the Gear S2? Let us know what you think in the comments.
Microsoft store slip reveals the Lumia 950 a week early
Microsoft has already done a not-so-stellar job of keeping its upcoming Lumia 950 and 950 XL smartphones a secret, and it just erased whatever doubt was left. The company’s UK online store briefly listed both of the unannounced Windows 10 flagships, confirming some of the devices’ juiciest specs. As suspected, both Lumias will have Quad HD displays, 20-megapixel cameras and 32GB of expandable storage. The biggest difference is, as you might have gathered, the display sizes: the standard 950 will have a mid-sized 5.2-inch screen, while the XL bumps that up to 5.7 inches. The pricing was conspicuously absent (not surprising given the accidental listings), but there’s a real chance that you’ll get the full scoop on both handsets at Microsoft’s event next week.
Microsoft has already listed the Lumia 950 and Lumia 950 XL on its own UK store http://t.co/CiVOZaCcpj)() pic.twitter.com/5ot989wSCH
— David Gilbert (@daithaigilbert) September 30, 2015
Source: David Gilbert (Twitter)
Tidal’s music-streaming service reaches 1 million subscribers
Remember when Jay Z said Tidal, the streaming music service he acquired earlier this year, was doing just fine? Well, as it turns out, things are still on a respectable course. The musician/entrepreneur took to Twitter to reveal a significant milestone for Tidal: 1 million subscribers. “‘Nothing real can be threatened, nothing unreal exists,’” Jay Z tweeted. “Tidal is platinum.” To celebrate, Tidal announced it will be hosting a charity concert in Brooklyn’s Barclays Center on October 20th, featuring high-caliber artists such as Beyonce, Nicki Minaj, Prince and, of course, Jay Z himself. And don’t worry if you can’t attend, the service says it plans to stream it to everyone (including non-subscribers) on its website.
While reaching 1 million subscribers is an important feat for Tidal, that figure is still very far behind competitors including Spotify and Rhapsody — which have 15 million and 3 million, respectively. Granted, Tidal hasn’t been around for long since being under Jay Z’s umbrella, so there’s room to grow and try to catch up to its rivals. The last time Tidal shared similar details was back in April, when Jay Z decided to tell the world his service had over 700,000 subscribers to date. “Tidal is doing just fine,” he said. “We have over 770,000 subs. We have been in business less than one month.”
“Nothing real can be threatened, nothing unreal exists” Tidal is platinum. 1,000,000 people and counting. Let’s celebrate 10/20 Brooklyn.
— Mr. Carter (@S_C_) September 29, 2015
[Image credits: Getty Images for Tidal]
Source: Jay Z (Twitter)
Create ‘Gran Turismo 6’ race tracks on your tablet
For ages, Polyphony Digital has been promising a Gran Turismo 6 track editor that lets you build the race course of your dreams. Well, it’s finally here… if not quite in the form you might have expected. Download the Track Path Editor app for Android and iOS and you can design circuits for the PlayStation 3 sim on your tablet. It’s not so detailed that you’ll recreate every nuance of your local raceway, but you can trace paths with your finger, choose themes and add scenery. Think of it as a way to extend the life of GT6 beyond the occasional new concept car — you don’t have to settle for driving on Autumn Ring or Brands Hatch for the hundredth time.
Source: Gran Turismo, Google Play, App Store
Photobucket gives Samsung customers an exclusive photo app that can manage and print photos
Photobucket has partnered with Samsung to bring an exclusive Photobucket app to Samsung devices. The app is similar to Google Photos in that you can store your photos, but goes way beyond that. With the exclusive app, Samsung device owners can not only store and manage their photos, but also print them.
You will receive unlimited high resolution cloud storage for your photos for the first 6 months, but if you order some pictures to be printed from the app that number will double. That means you can print one photo and get a full year of free unlimited storage.
US Samsung customers will also get a 30% discount on print product purchases with free shipping for a limited time.
Download the app in the Samsung Store
Press Release:
DENVER, Sept. 30, 2015 /PRNewswire/ — Photobucket today announced the launch of the Photobucket for Samsung co-developed mobile app, available exclusively to Samsung Galaxy device owners. The newPhotobucket for Samsung app enables Samsung consumers to simply and easily manage their photos, and order personalized print products right from their Galaxy device.
Built on the highly scalable Photobucket infrastructure, the new smart gallery feature within Photobucket forSamsung includes Photobucket’s patented background auto-uploading technology, intelligent photo organizing capabilities and photo privacy. Consumers will receive unlimited cloud storage for original, high resolution photos for six months (expanded to 12 months, with purchase of individual prints through the app). In addition, Samsung consumers can enjoy quarterly offers, as well as a 30 percent discount on print product purchases with free shipping (US only) for a limited time.
The Photobucket for Samsung mobile app allows users to easily view, manage, share and print all of their Photobucket and social networks photos from within the smart gallery. Coupling the smart gallery experience with the Photobucket Print Shop allows users to go from picture to print seamlessly within one app. The print service provides a large selection of print merchandise to choose from, including canvas prints, framed prints and high resolution metal prints.
“The new Photobucket for Samsung app is a valuable advancement in the mobile and photo management markets,” said Tom Munro, CEO of Photobucket. “Needing multiple photo apps has been a major barrier for consumers wanting to centrally manage all their photos from their mobile devices and this new app removes the barrier.”
To download the app, go to:
http://www.samsungapps.com/appquery/appDetail.as?appId=photobucket.pbmobile.esolz.smartgallery.About Photobucket Corporation
With over 100 million registered users, Photobucket Corporation is the world’s leading dedicated photo and video sharing service. The company was founded in 2003. In 2014, Photobucket expanded to include a new web and mobile service for printed products. The Photobucket user community uploads millions of images and videos per day from the web and connected digital devices. Photobucket hosts, preserves and protects photos and videos while bringing members advanced browsing, sharing and editing experiences. Every month Photobucket serves over 120 billion photos and videos to over 3 million websites. In addition to uploading and sharing media, its community can now create and purchase innovative print products from photos that reside almost anywhere including all Photobucket-enabled devices, social services, and photo applications. Photobucket is headquartered in Denver, Colorado. For further information, visit photobucket.com.Photo – http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20150930/272385
Logo – http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20141110/157727LOGO
SOURCE Photobucket Corporation
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Neo N2 smartpen review
The Neo N2 smartpen is the perfect gadget for students who prefer to view their notes on an electronic device but prefer writing with ordinary pen and paper over a stylus. It could also work well for a number of other occasions. Its size and light weight make it feel just like any ordinary pen and the metallic design makes the Neo N2 appealing to the eye and easy to grip. But from the moment the cap comes off, a whole new level of productivity begins.
Overview
The Neo N2 connects to your Android or iOS device though a Bluetooth connection. Using numerous integrated sensors, the smartpen measures your hand strokes and syncs movement with a compatible device in real-time. All you have to do is take notes the way you normally would, and the smartpen will do the rest for you. Everything you write, draw and even shade is recorded and can be viewed later. It also works if you’re away from your compatible device using its sync up later option. Users will need to download the company’s Neo Notes application in order to pair and calibrate the smartpen initially prior to taking down notes. The app also brings many other capabilities such as personalizing your own notebooks, organizing your work, inserting images, syncing with Google Drive and Evernote services and more. Best of all, the Neo N2 supplies enough battery to get you though all your classes without the need to constantly require charging.
Design
The design of the Neo N2 is one of my favorite things about it. Even though it’s not the slimmest pen, its elegant look and metallic coating makes it easy to grip and feel good in the hand. It will turn on by itself when you begin writing and will turn off when it notices it has been sitting for a while. The smartpen is light for its slightly larger size and features an aluminum construction. However, it should be noted that a small fraction of the smartpen is constructed of plastic but it’s not where you would be holding it when writing.
A color-changing LED is located near the top of the smartpen — opposite the tip — and lights up when charging, syncing or simply just using. A micro-USB port is at the top end of Neo N2 allowing users to charge the pen with ease. I found it to be a convenient location because the wire doesn’t get in the way and can be used when charging if you’re at a nearby outlet. The pen includes a cap to put on top of the tip just like any ordinary pen and can be placed at the opposite end so you don’t lose it. Overall, you can’t really complain about the smartpen’s design. The Neo N2’s premium materials and sleek design make it one of the most attractive of its kind.
Functionality
The more time I spent with the Neo N2, the more capabilities I found out it had. There was so much to learn about this smartpen.
The purpose of the Neo N2 is to have an easy way to display your notes all in a single place. The smartpen uses integrated sensors to record the movements you make when writing. Users will use it just as he or she uses a normal ballpoint pen. No additional learning or getting used to is required. Extra pen ink is included with the purchase of the device. Users simply switch the pen tips and it’s as easy as that. Once that runs out, more can be always be purchased from NeoLAB’s website.
With purchases of a Neo N2 smartpen, plenty of notebooks are supplied to make sure users don’t run out of space. Each notebook features a different line scaling. For example, some have wider lines than others. In addition, the company includes some notebooks with boxes for making graphs and some plain for sketching and scribbling. Each notebook also has a different size. Small ones are great for on-the-go purposes such as making to-do lists. Others are larger for more sophisticated notes and drawings. When writing, you have the option to change the thickness of the pen as well as the color in which the notes are being displayed.
When a user writes in his or her notebook using the smartpen, it will automatically recognize which notebook you’re writing in; therefore, notes are easy to locate and well-organized in the Neo Notes app. The only downside of this is that users must use the notebooks provided. You can still use the pen for its writing capability elsewhere, but you’ll have to deal with just the paper version.
When you begin writing, the Neo N2 will automatically turn on and begin recording. At this time, the smartpen will make a short beep sound indicating it has turned on. I found this a little annoying because many could hear it, especially if you’re in a quiet room. Hopefully the company will push out an update allowing users to mute the noise. The LED will light up a whitish color when using the smartpen.
Other than taking handwritten notes, the smartpen can also transcribe your writing into digital characters. It isn’t the most accurate in the world, but if your hand writing is fairly good, it will get the gist of it. The smartpen also lets users record and playback handwriting with its audio synced notes. Although very cool, I found myself not using it nearly as much as I wanted too. Notes can even be displayed on a large monitor or a television so long as the user has the proper equipment.
I found that the battery life of the Neo N2 smartpen was enough to make it through the typical day of classes, with very little time left over. If you’re constantly taking notes down all day like me, you might want to charge this often to ensure it doesn’t die during the middle of a class or lecture. I found myself getting around two full days on a single charge with fairly high usage, meaning the smartpen hardly ever turned off. But if you daydream in class, and the smartpen recognizes it has been sitting for a while, it will send off a beep prior to shutting down and save you some extra life. I found standby on the Neo N2 to be very good.
Charging the smartpen will take anywhere from sixty to ninety minutes when going from 0% to 100% depending on your source. It includes a standard USB to micro-USB cable for charging via your computer or laptop. No wall adapter comes included. When charging is in progress, the LED indicator will light up red and the same beeping noise will go off so you know it’s connected. Included manuals help initially pair the smartpen to your device and gives some useful tips.
Neo Notes App
Inside the Neo Notes app you’ll find a bevy of options that make the Neo N2 even better. When you open up the app for the first time, he or she is prompted with instructions on how to pair the smartpen. Once that has completed that, you will have full access to the app’s features. The top right corner displays a small icon of a pen tip that when clicked, its battery life and unused memory space. Swiping from the right edge of the display will give you access to all the features the app has to offer along with the settings.
The Notebook section is where you’ll see all the notes you have taken. You notes are organized into the notebook in which you have written inside. Users can customize the look of the cover by tapping on the information icon in the top right corner. Users can change the notebook cover to one of the included backgrounds or an image from their gallery. You could also add tags, check how many pages are used and their amount of recorded data. The date it was created appears at the top along with the name of the notebook, which can be changed by simply pressing down on the title.
Other features include a built-in calendar that keeps track of the changes you made, where they were made and when you made them. This can be seen by clicking on the date of the month in which you want to view.
Tags help users search for certain topics and pages. This can be helpful when trying to find the notes taken down on a particular topic so that there is no need to dig through pages of notes. Users can go about this by simply searching a term in the search box under tags and/or note search.
One of the best things about the Neo N2 smartpen is its great integration with popular services such as Google Drive an Evernote. Using the manager in the settings, you can export your pages or even a full length notebook into PDF’s. Users will have the option to set them to upload automatically over Wi-Fi in order to view them across all their favorite devices, anywhere, anytime. Sharing has also been made easy. Users have the option to save their notes on the original paper type they wrote it on, with a white background or even a transparent background. Sending is as easy as picking a page, selecting an app to share with and sending it off. You’ll also have the option to select the format in which you want to send it. Choices include PNG (image file), PDF, text file and SVG files.
In settings, users can enable or disable notifications, choose from 14 supported languages and more. The company provides a button on the bottom in which you can contact for support including a web chat option for quick help. The ‘News & Tips’ section shows the current status of updates, tips and tricks and other helpful information. The company is very good about rolling out updates to ensure their customers get the best experience possible.
Closing
After spending time with the Neo N2 smartpen, I believe it’s a worthy update. However, I think it’s for a small crowd of people considering that not many are willing to adapt this type of learning just yet. It works well for the capabilities it has but does hiccup from time-to-time. I found that sometimes when pressing lightly, the line wasn’t recorded in the app but was visible on paper. Sometimes the smartpen doesn’t turn on automatically and requires you to push the button. I also experienced some connection issues after first connecting with my phone, but after playing around with it for some time I can usually get it to work without an issue. On the other hand, the Neo Notes app has so much to offer. Its customization options, useful tools and key settings make the Neo N2 one of the most adaptable smartpens to a user’s preferences I have ever seen. The beautiful design is one of the best out there, being very portable to bring just about anywhere.
This smartpen comes in two color options: titan black and silver white. It’s compatible with Android devices running version 4.1.2 and higher so long as it has Bluetooth 2.1 or newer. It also works with iOS 7.1 or higher. Pricing runs between $150-$200 depending on where you look and ongoing promotions. The bottom line is, even though the company is not that well-known, don’t get turned off by it, nor any cons I have mentioned. The experience and simplicity for portraying as well as sharing notes alone is like no other and worth taking a look. With a few small software tweaks, I believe the Neo N2 smartpen will set the mark for others to follow and will make a great gift for smarties time come the holiday season.
[Neo Smartpen] [Amazon]
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Google Now on Tap quick look
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Back at Google I/O, we got our first glimpse of Google Now on Tap. The simple, but very powerful functionality promises to scan your screen for stuff and then deliver valuable information on that stuff such as directions to places, information on movies, and a whole lot more. We’ve got our hands on it so let’s take a quick look!
How does it work?
Google Now on Tap is actually very easy to use. To engage it, simply pull up the information you want Now on Tap to analyze and then press and hold the home button. This will bring up Now on Tap which, after a few moments of loading, will display any information it can about whatever it is that’s on your screen in card format. Below that is a Google button that will simply open Google Now.
Once the card pops up you have a few options and they’re all listed as icons across the bottom of the card. You can Google it, find images, open Maps, open social media pages, and a lot more. How much information that’s available depends on the subject. Hockey players generally have a Google Search button and images while restaurants will have plenty of other options.
It works well most of the time and you can use it inside of applications. During our testing, we used Google Newsstand, Google+, Hangouts, Slack, Google Chrome, and a few others. Now on Tap had no issues parsing the information from each one and delivering results.
How well does it work?
Results are generally easy to pull up as long as the subject is clearly written. For instance, a friend was talking about his Galaxy Nexus and Google Now was able to pull up a card. However, when Nirave asked about “Marvel’s Avengers”, Now on Tap couldn’t figure out what it was supposed to be searching for. Hilariously, when you go to the IMDb page for The Avengers, Now on Tap has no issues pulling up a card about the movie.
We found that there really are a ton of results. We found hockey players, movies, actors, fictional characters, little Chinese restaurants in New York, landmarks from Europe, and a bunch more. There really is a lot more here than we originally envisioned.
On the other side of the spectrum, there were things we expected Now on Tap to be able to find easily to no avail. It was able to find the Galaxy Nexus from a text message, but nothing about the Nexus 6P from an article title.
Really, your mileage may vary. If you only use it for certain things then cards will almost certainly pop up every time. Pulling up Now on Tap on every page that pops up on your smartphone will likely not work the majority of the time.
Wrap up
Google Now on Tap is, for the most part, impressive. Having the ability to instantaneously glean information on whatever happens to be on your screen is both enjoyable and functional. Of course, there are some issues here and there and the service will likely get updated over time to overcome these early flaws. We imagine many of them will be ironed out by the time stable Marshmallow starts making its way around.
If you’re interested in getting Now on Tap, you’ll need a device running Marshmallow and you’ll need to be updated to the latest version of Google Play Services as well as the latest version of the Google App. It should start working from there. Everyone else will have to wait.
XKCD webcomic turns 10 years old today
Combine math, science, romance and crudely-drawn stick figures and you’ll get something approximating XKCD, a webcomic that’s celebrating its 10th anniversary today. Created by Randall Munroe (a former NASA roboticist and programmer) in 2005, the strip doesn’t seem like much — after all, it’s just stick figures — but its combination of smarts, humor and a touch of whimsy that make XKCD one of the most beloved comics on the web. It’s even helped Munroe develop a successful publishing career, with his What If book (which offers “serious scientific answers to absurd hypothetical questions”) rocketing to the top of Amazon’s bestseller list in just 24 hours. Widely shared and celebrated not just among us nerds but also anyone who appreciates a good joke, XKCD has certainly gained cult status on the internet and beyond. To celebrate that, we’ve compiled a gallery of our favorite XKCD strips, which you can peruse below. If you’ve got your favorites, let us know in the comments too.
[Image credit: XKCD]
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Next Issue, the Netflix for magazines, reborn with a fresh design and new name
For those who haven’t heard of it, Next Issue is best described as the Netflix of magazines: It’s an app that, for a monthly fee, gives you all-you-can-read access to a large library of digital magazines. It first launched on Android in 2012 and eventually made its way to the iPad and Windows devices, although it’s been ages since it received any substantial updates. That changes today, however: The app is relaunching with a new look, new features and even a new name — it’s called “Texture” now, thank you very much.Slideshow-324198
Although the app has the same concept, and is priced the same as before ($10 a month and up), it now places a bigger emphasis on individual articles, as opposed to just whole issues. For starters, there’s a “New & Noteworthy” section, curated by human editors behind the scenes. That same team also puts together “Curated Collections,” groups of stories around a theme — say, the anniversary of Hurricane Katrina. On the other hand, you can be a curator too, and save stories to your own collections. In that respect, Next Issue’s new approach reminds me not just of Netflix, but Spotify too. I could, if I wanted, listen to the same songs on repeat or read the same two fashion magazines. Or, I could avail myself of playlists (collections) curated by humans with good taste. I like that I can do both.
To be clear, you can still mark whole magazines as your favorites and set the app to automatically download new editions as they come in. But Next Issue, which is owned by a handful of traditional media companies like Conde Nast, knows that nowadays people are used to getting their news on Twitter, web logs and Facebook. To the extent that you’re used to just clicking on random links, it was important to Next Issue that Texture look a little like a home page. And indeed it does.
Also like a regular news site, there’s a built-in search feature that gives you access to an archive of more than 15,000 back issues and 500,000 stories, which you can read separately from their original issues. So, if I typed in the word “marathon” (I’m a marathoner), I’d see articles not just from Runner’s World, which I subscribe to, but also Running Times, which I never read. That’s obviously good for publishers, which want to gain new readers. (Next Issue Media pays them based on how much time readers spend reading their stories, so there’s an incentive to reach more people if possible.)
But this design is good for me too: If we’re going to continue comparing Texture to Netflix, then it’s worth pointing out that one of the things that makes Netflix so appealing is the way it helps us discover new stuff. If Netflix is great because of its algorithm, and cable TV is great because of its TV guide, then Texture is compelling because it can point me toward things I wouldn’t have read otherwise.
Texture arrives just as Apple is launching its own news app, albeit with a very different approach. Apple News is free, and only includes access to articles from websites. That means you’ll get some magazine stories — say an article from Wired.com — but never whole issues. At first glance, Apple might seem to be the winner, if only because it doesn’t cost anything. But remember, Texture’s monthly fee includes magazines — complete editions that you’d have to pay for regardless, either through a subscription or at a newsstand. If you primarily read news sites, you’re better off with Apple News or a similar app like Flipboard. But if you love magazines, you’re going to have to pony up at some point, and you only have to download a few titles each month before Texture’s $10 fee becomes worth it.
Texture is available in the US and Canada, with subscriptions starting at $10 a month for monthly magazines only. There’s also a $15-month-tier that includes weeklies as well. If you go with that plan, you can expect around 160 titles in total. Look for the updated app tomorrow on iOS, Android and Windows.
Microsoft’s flagship store in NYC opens October 26th
The Big Apple’s very own flagship Microsoft store is opening soon. Today, the Windows maker announced that its massive five-story, 22,269 square foot retail space in the heart of New York City will open October 26th. This new shopping outlet, which has been in development for nearly a year, is located at 677 Fifth Avenue — a few blocks away from Apple’s iconic “Cube” store. In addition to NYC, Microsoft says it’ll also be inaugurating another flagship store in Sydney, Australia, but that won’t be until November 12th. Of course, if you happen to pay a visit to either, you can expect a grand showcase of all-things-Microsoft, including Windows 10 devices, the Xbox One and whole lot more.
Renders of Microsoft’s Fifth Avenue flagship store in NYC (top) and Sydney (bottom).
Source: Microsoft
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