Sony bolsters its growing image sensor business by acquiring Softkinetic Systems
Sony may be considering the future of its mobile division, according the latest reports, but it’s image sensor business is a rising star, generating much-needed profits. It’s doing so well, that its even helping to cover Sony’s losses in its mobile and television divisions. It should come as no surprise then that the Japanese company is bolstering its image sensor business with the purchase of Belgian image sensor technology company, Softkinetic Systems.
Buying Softkinetic Systems will allow Sony to tap into the company’s ‘time of flight‘ technology, which measures the time it takes for light to bounce off an object before returning to the image sensor. Think of it as something akin to the Xbox Kinect system and you won’t be far off, in that it distinguishes human shapes and movements.
The news comes after Sony most recently announced an Android 6.0 beta test for Xperia Z3 and Z3 Compact owners, a list of devices slated to receive the Marshmallow update and the Xperia Z5 range of smartphones.
Source: Reuters
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Samsung’s Galaxy J3 pops up in benchmarks as the SM-J3109
Samsung recently released the Galaxy J2, but a newer version with a model number SM-J3109 has started appearing in benchmarks, which looks like the Galaxy J3.
Hardware looks mid-range, but offers some slight improvements over the Galaxy J2. There’s a 720p display on board, plus a 64-bit processor with 1 GB of RAM. The rear camera is an 8 megapixel shooter with a 5 megapixel front facing camera, and it looks like the J3 will run Android 5.1.1.
It’ll likely be a few months before the J3 becomes official, but expect it to fill out Samsung’s budget-friendly lineup like the J2 and J1 before it.
source: SamMobile
Come comment on this article: Samsung’s Galaxy J3 pops up in benchmarks as the SM-J3109
Review: The Incase x Parabellum Travel Folio Wraps Your Apple Watch in Expensive Bison Leather
Apple’s designed its Apple Watch to meet a wide range of tastes and budgets, offering the device at price points ranging from $350 to $17,000. Recently, the company also teamed up with Hermés for a unique designer Apple Watch collection that features Hermés bands.
Some accessory makers have taken a cue from Apple and have also partnered up with well-known fashion labels to create unique Apple Watch accessories. One of the latest companies to do so is Incase, through a partnership with luxury brand Parabellum. Together, the duo have created the Apple Watch Travel Folio, which is handcrafted in Los Angeles, California from full grain North American Bison leather.
Design wise, the Travel Folio has an impressive attention to detail and impeccable construction, and I would expect nothing less for its premium $250 price tag. The exterior is a high-quality textured leather while the interior is a soft suede to keep the Apple Watch safe from scratches. I am not an expert on leather, but the Bison texture looks nice and it should weather well with daily use.
I used the Incase x Parabellum Travel Folio in Pumpkin, which is a rich orange-tinged brown color that would match well with a Gold Apple Watch and is used for several other Parabellum products. The Travel Folio also comes in a classic black, but both are made from the same bison leather.
Parabellum is known for its style and quality, and while I’m also not a fashion expert, the Travel Folio matches the Parabellum aesthetic and is as stylish as the company’s range of popular bags, belts, and wallets. For someone who owns other Parabellum products, the Travel Folio would fit right in with a collection. Incase and Parabellum only made 150 of the Apple Watch Travel Folio accessories, so each one is a limited edition product.
A dust bag is included with the Travel Folio, and there’s a subtle Incase logo on the snap button (which is made of ceramic) that keeps it closed. An additional cord wrap is included, with a matching button with a Parabellum logo. Inside, the Folio is stamped with the Parabellum and Incase brand names.
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Deal: build robots, light sensors and more with the Complete Arduino Starter Kit & Course Bundle
Looking to build your own circuits and kickstart your new adventures building robots and IoT devices? Arduino is definitely the way to go, and the AA Deals Store has a sweet treat for those aspiring to learn the platform. The Complete Arduino Starter Kit & Course Bundle comes with everything a beginner needs to start manipulating buzzers, light and more. This course prepares you to then move on to making basic robots, mood lights and instruments. Exciting, right?!
We know some of those tech terms can be intimidating, but you have nothing to worry about. There’s absolutely no need for previous experience, soldering or other factors that may push you away from the awesome world of making your own gadgets. The bundle includes a board and all the components necessary for building your own circuits. It is ready to go, full with step-by-step instructions and helpful tips.
You want in? You have only seen the tip of the iceberg. There’s more goodies in this box. Aside from the starter kit, customers will also get some great courses to learn the know-hows of all this tech building. Let’s take a look at what you will be learning.
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- ARDX Arduino Starter Kit – Tackle 13 different projects with this fully-stocked beginner’s toolkit ($69.90 value)
- Arduino Step-by-Step ‘Your Guide to the Internet of Things’ Course – Explore the world’s friendliest electronics Prototyping Platform ($200 value)
- Arduino ‘Make a Remote-Controlled Car’ Course – Advance your skills & build a full-featured remote-controlled car ($150 value)
- Beginning Arduino ‘Make Your Own Environment Monitor System’ Course – Create a gadget that posts your environment data to a web logging service ($100 value)
OK, so how much will this adventure cost you? The whole bundle is priced at only $75.99, and considering the ARDX is priced around $60 on Amazon alone, this is a pretty good deal considering the extras you get like the step-by-step guide, the Make a Remote-Controlled Car course, and the Beginning Arduino Make your Own Environment Monitor System course.
Buy the Complete Arduino Starter Kit & Course Bundle for $75.99
Verizon raising unlimited plans by $20
For better or worse (though arguably often the latter), Verizon has made a lot of changes to its plans, pricing, and general strategy over the years. For its part, however, Big Red is fairly good about grandfathering its customers into old deals. Not only do they allow contract customers to continue down that path if they so choose, they also have been good about allowing unlimited data subscribers to keep their plans – albeit with increasing restrictions. Of course, that doesn’t mean that Verizon isn’t slowly trying to force these unlimited customers onto different plans.
In their latest effort towards this goal, Big Red is raising up pricing on these unlimited grandfathered plans by $20 per line. That brings the charge for unlimited data up to $50, in addition to whatever charge a customer pays for their voice/texting side of the plan. On the plus side, the new change does open up a new door for unlimited customers: the ability to purchase new phones through a monthly device payment plan. In the past, you couldn’t renew a contract or even participate in monthly payment plans without giving up your unlimited data, meaning buying outright was the only option.
For those who still happen to be on a contract for unlimited data, the new price rate won’t take effect until your contract expires. For everyone else, the new price hike will go into effect in mid-November. This latest move is obviously designed to take away some of the value of unlimited data, but for those who are super-heavy users, the extra price my still very well be worth it.
See also: Best Verizon Android phones (July 2015)
What do you think, with an increase in pricing, is the Verizon Unlimited Data plan still worth hanging onto? For those that feel it isn’t, are you going to switch to another plan with Big Red, or jump ship to another carrier? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.
You’ll soon be able to run Windows programs on select Android devices, thanks to WINE
While most Linux purists prefer to stick to programs natively designed to run on their favorite distros, there are times when a user runs into a wall. Maybe they absolutely need Microsoft Office, or perhaps their favorite game just isn’t Linux compatible. That’s where WINE and CrossOver come in handy, making it possible to run some Windows applications with relative ease. And now that same magic is making its way over to the world of Android.
For those that don’t know, WINE is an application layer that fills in the missing ‘bits’ that aren’t found on Linux and other non-Windows platforms (okay, an obvious oversimplification.. but you get the idea), allowing Windows programs to work at essentially the same speed as they would on Microsoft’s own OS. How well these programs work varies from nearly perfect to buggy as all get out.
Crossover is coming to Android by the end of this year, with WINE to follow sometime shortly after.
What WINE isn’t is an emulator, and is instead billed as a “compatibility layer”. In fact, WINE actually stands for “Wine Is Not an Emulator”. As for CrossOver? This is the commercial side of WINE, with more app/game specific optimizations. CrossOver actually funds WINE, and in return utilizes WINE’s progress to help further its own goals.
So back to the main topic here: Crossover is coming to Android by the end of this year, with WINE to follow sometime shortly after. It’s unclear how Crossover and WINE might differ from their Linux counterparts, but the end goal is the same: the ability to run popular Windows programs on your Android device. Considering that many traditional Windows programs are designed with touch in mind, we imagine this will be more useful for tablet users that want to improve their productivity and aren’t afraid of attaching a keyboard and mouse to do it.
Running Android apps on Windows: BlueStacks vs Andy – The best Android emulators on PC
If the idea of running Windows programs sounds at all intriguing to you, don’t get too excited yet, as there is one big caveat. Because WINE and Crossover aren’t emulators, Windows programs will still require an x86 processor. That means that the majority of Android devices, which run ARM-based chips, won’t be able to utilize this tech. On the bright side, the number of Intel-powered Android devices is on the rise, especially in the budget tablet segment. Even the smartphone world is seeing a few well-received Intel-powered options, like the Asus ZenFone 2.
If you happen to have an Intel-powered Android device, or are considering getting one in the future, you can sign up to be notified when the CrossOver for Android “Technology Preview” is ready to go. What do you think, any situations where you think that being able to run Windows programs on Android would come in handy?
Xiaomi’s new Mi 5 flagship rumored to launch in December for $314
Xiaomi’s Mi 5, what is the company’s alleged new flagship device, is expected to launch some time in December with a shocking 1,999 Yuan ($314USD) price tag, according to a new leak from Chinese social media leakster Leaksfly.
Considering that the Xiaomi Mi 4 was priced around the same range, it’s not a far-fetched idea. The Mi 5 is rumored to have a Snapdragon 820 chipset, 4GB of RAM, and a 16-megapixel rear sensor, Android 5.1.1, and a full metal body. Those are some impressive specifications for the rumored price point. However, other leaks claim that Xiaomi is skipping the Snapdragon 820 all together and opting for the Helio X20 from MediaTek.
As per the norm, there’s not much basis for these rumors, so it’s best to take these things with a hefty grain of salt. But if the rumor is true, Xiaomi’s Mi 5 announcement could be just over the horizon.
Xiaomi recently launched an enhanced Redmi 2A with 2GB of RAM in China for just $549CNY.
source: Weibo
via: Mobipicker
Come comment on this article: Xiaomi’s new Mi 5 flagship rumored to launch in December for $314
Google Fiber subscriptions still small, but potential lurks
With more than half a dozen Google Fiber markets currently under development, a new study looks at how Google Fiber is performing in the initial markets in terms of attracting customers to choose Google Fiber over other options. Bernstein Research conducted a door to door survey in Kansas City where they determined Google had signed up around 20% of the homes they passed within a year of launch. Bernstein says this is “putting it well on the way to exceed 40% of homes passed and realize attractive ROIs.”
A factor that was identified early when Google first announced their concept to bring gigabit fiber to the home was that this was more a move by Google to put pressure on local ISPs to improve services and cut subscription rates. Bernstein found that Google Fiber probably only has 100,000 to 120,000 subscribers, so that pressure may not be as significant as some thought. Bernstein says it would be a mistake on the part of ISPs to ignore Google Fiber as a small, fringe experiment based on those numbers. Google Fiber could scale to 15 – 20 million homes within six to eight years, putting a lot of pressure on incumbent providers and disrupting markets.
Google Fiber currently offers service in Kansas City, Provo, and Austin with work underway in Charlotte, Raleigh/Durham, Nashville, Salt Lake city, Atlanta and San Antonio. Many expect Portland to be added to the ranks soon and Google is supposedly eyeing Louisville, Irvine, and San Diego for expansion.
source: DSLReports
Come comment on this article: Google Fiber subscriptions still small, but potential lurks
[TA Deals] iBlazr 2 Flash Bundle (Multiple Colors)
Unless you’re living under a rock, you’ve probably noticed that our smartphones have become the dominant method in taking photographs in the last decade. For the average person, that is.
For professional-level photography, there are quite a few more things needed in order to achieve that grade of pictures. Different lenses, film over digital in some cases, and flash set ups for example, and over the years we’ve seen a lot of peripherals made for smartphones in order to bridge that gap.
This brings us to our Talk Android Deal that we’d like to showcase for you today: the iBlazr 2 Flash Bundle with multiple colors. This wireless flash can snap on to your phone or DSLR and will definitely annihilate any low-light situations around your subjects.
The specs:
- Use to illuminate portraits, selfies, videos & more
- Easily adjust the color temperature & brightness to your liking
- Confidently take pictures without red-eye effects
- Use as a selfie remote thanks to the Bluetooth technology
- Illuminate a large surface area w/ 75-degree beam angle
- Utilize w/ free native camera apps through Bluetooth 4.0 (iOS, Android)
- Take advantage of built-in rechargeable battery
- Use w/ a flexible charger: doubles as a portable table or keyboard lamp
- Sync up to 10 iBlazr flashes to enlarge the amount of light
- Available in black, gray, or white
- Brightness: 300 Lux
- Bluetooth v4.0 (low energy)
- Temperature adjustment 5600-3200K
- Touch sensor
- Native app sync
- Shutter remote
- No red-eye
- 75-degree beam angle
Normally this gadget has an $80 price tag, but we’re bringing it down to $55.99. That’s 30% off the normal retail price, plus we’re throwing in free shipping. If you’re interested in scooping up this gadget, you can click on the link below!
Come comment on this article: [TA Deals] iBlazr 2 Flash Bundle (Multiple Colors)
Mitsubishi set to show off its latest far-out EV concept
You may have though Mitsubishi’s Tron-like EV concept was a one-off when the company revealed it nearly four years ago. But the Japanese company has been toiling away on the Emirai ever since, and is finally set to unveil a third-generation version. The roadster style electric car looks like it flew in from the future, and has the toys to back it up, most notably the pair of huge, optical-bonding, LCD panels that allow for high visibility and user-selectable layouts. The system also detects hand movements, letting you operate the infotainment system and other controls without looking down.
The “Emirai 3 xDAS” has a “combiner” 3D heads-up display (HUD) that places navigation and other data at a simulated 10 meters (33 feet) ahead of you, further helping you keep your eyes on the road. Finally, the vehicle sports a camera and non-contact cardiograph to sense the driver’s line of sight and provide “predictive assistance based on (their) behavior.” It can even analyze your physical condition and find a rest stop if it feels that you’re fatigued. Details are lacking on the powertrain and other info (if one even exists), but we’ll be on hand at the Tokyo Motor show on October 29th to get more info.
Source: Mitsubishi
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