Vivo begins teasing its upcoming X6 handset
Teaser images show off a monster handset in the Vivo X6. It features a large 6-inch display, top-notch specifications and a brushed metallic design.
Vivo has begun teasing its X6 handset, which is clearly aiming for the high-end market. Some specifications include a 6-inch QHD display, a deca-core Helio X20 processor, 4GB of RAM, a 21MP rear-facing camera, Android 5.1 out of the box and a beastly 4000mAh battery. These are about the best specifications one will find in an Android smartphone these days. The handset will also include force touch for some added capabilities. The design features an all-metal design that fits the standards as a premium handset. Multiple color options are also said to be available time come launch. We’ll find out all the details on November 11.
Source: Weibo
Via: gforgames
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Score a Pebble Time for $149.99 ($50 discount)
There’s plenty of smartwatches out there; some are fancy, some are flashy and some will do everything you can think of, but most also share a common caveat – their battery will run out in no time. This is why I am a huge fan of Pebble‘s wearables. Thanks to their simpler operation and resourceful e-ink displays, these bad boys can come close to a full week of usage on a single charge!
The newer Pebble Time even has a color e-paper panel that makes things a little more fun without sacrificing on battery, but it doesn’t come too cheap at $199.99. If you have been hoping to get a deal on it, be sure to take advantage of today’s. In fact, this may be the best deal we have seen on the Pebble Time!
Also read:
- Pebble Time review
- Pebble Time Round announced
- Pebble Time now available from Best Buy stores for $200
Both Amazon and the official Pebble site are now selling the Time for $50 off, making the final price a very convenient $149.99. This specific gadget managed to get a 9/10 score in our review, so you best be sure it is worth your… time. In fact, we found very little to complain about. Our main gripes are the thicker bezel and the lack of attractive replacement bands.
We are not sure when a similar deal will show up, so if you have been looking for a smartwatch with formidable battery life, you best take advantage of this offer. We also don’t know if this price cut is temporal or not, but I would assume it is. Who’s signing up?
Buy the Pebble Time from Amazon
Buy Pebble Time from the official website
Circle with Disney makes it easy to control your kids’ screen time
When I was younger, I had a friend whose dad would shut down their house’s internet connection every 12AM without fail. He’d love Circle with Disney if his children were still kids. It’s a cube (despite its name) that pairs up with your WiFi network and gives you the power to control your kids’ internet activities. The device’s creator, Jelani Memory, originally tried to raise funds via Kickstarter a couple of years ago, but the campaign didn’t reach its goal. It turned out to be, as Memory told Wired, “a really great failure,” because the startup found a powerful partner in Disney.
Via: Wired
Source: Circle
California police use these biometric scanners
Police are increasingly turning to biometric tech in the field. It’s supposed to help cops verify the identity of suspects, but there’s a real concern that they could abuse this to get personal details on record — and the Electronic Frontier Foundation wants you to know when this hardware might come into play. The rights group has published a report detailing the biometric scanners in use by California law enforcement, and they’re in more widespread use than you might think. Mobile fingerprint readers are in use at several departments, and face recognition is getting traction. The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department is using tattoo recognition, and some police departments are looking into iris scanning.
Source: Electronic Frontier Foundation
Google Maps for iOS Updated With Spoken Traffic Alerts
Google today updated its Google Maps app to version 4.12, adding spoken traffic alerts in navigation mode as well as the ability to easily add new or missing businesses from the app’s sidebar.
Spoken traffic alerts will tell users about traffic congestion and incidents on a user’s route. Additionally, users will get traffic descriptions summarizing traffic conditions before they set off on their journey. The feature is similar to Google-owned Waze’s notifications, which also verbally points out traffic congestion, incidents and the location of police in the area.
Google Maps is a universal app available for free in the App Store. [Direct Link]
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tvOS 9.1 Code Hints at iOS-Like Folder Support for New Apple TV
Yesterday, Apple seeded the first beta of tvOS 9.1 to developers, the first software update to tvOS 9.0. While the release notes didn’t indicate any big new features, developer Steve Troughton-Smith has explored the code and found that HeadBoard, tvOS’ UI, includes support for folders.
Image via Steve Troughton-Smith
Folders on tvOS currently work in a similar way to iOS, notes Troughton-Smith. A user would just have to drag one app over the other to create a folder. Users would also have the ability to rename folders. Troughton-Smith was able to activate the folders using the LLDB software debugger. The folders appear to use a 3 x 3 layout and sit alongside apps on the Apple TV’s home screen, just like folders do in iOS.
Oh hey. Nailed it. 😎 pic.twitter.com/Be1Oc7SbaU
— Steve T-S (@stroughtonsmith) November 5, 2015
http://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js
In recent days, Apple has been updating the Apple TV’s new App Store with Top Charts and Categories for better discoverability. However, those updates were server-side updates that didn’t require users to update their software. Folder support would require a software update, but it’s unclear which software update Apple would enable it in. Last year, iOS 8 code pointed to split-screen multitasking, but the feature didn’t become official until iOS 9 almost a year alter.
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Samsung CEO has called for a change in culture at Korean manufacturer
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Yesterday, we heard an analyst predict that Samsung would exit the smartphone business in 5 years because it was suffering from the phenomenon known as “The Innovator’s Dilemma” – it was suggested that Samsung has failed to innovate for future consumer needs, rather than current consumer needs. As it turns out, Samsung is aware of the strife it is in and most recently, Kwon Oh-hyun the Samsung CEO has called for a change in culture at the manufacturer. Kwon said:
“We should adapt ourselves to the new environment instead of sticking to our success in the past. I believe now is the time for us to turn ourselves into a first mover from a fast follower.”
This might just be where the rumours of an extreme downsizing of Samsung’s workforce is coming from as the company is looking to streamline the company and improve efficiency. The previous figure of 30% was also confirmed by Business Korea who originally reported this story, though they are calling it relocation rather than strictly lay-offs. Either way, it looks like Samsung has had enough with all its losses and wants to find a way to take its Android crown for good.
What do you think about Samsung changing its culture? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
Source: Business Korea via Phandroid
The post Samsung CEO has called for a change in culture at Korean manufacturer appeared first on AndroidSPIN.
Google Maps for iOS speaks out traffic warnings while you drive
If you’re carrying an iPhone, Google Maps just got much more helpful in those moments when you’re determined to avoid gridlock. As on Android, Maps’ iOS app now speaks out traffic warnings in navigation mode. You’ll get a verbal summary of conditions before you start moving, and alerts for any congestion or crashes while you’re on your way. Is this a simple addition? You bet — but it could mean a lot if it helps you take a detour.
Source: App Store
Sony’s A7 II camera gets a faster and more accurate autofocus
The Sony A7 II is one of the best mirrorless cameras available right now, although it isn’t perfect. After trying it out earlier this year, one of our main issues with the full-frame shooter was its autofocus performance, which was at times slow and unreliable. But Sony has an update coming soon that, along with bringing a new feature, promises to fix some of these woes. In addition to activating the phase detection AF on the A7 II, the company’s also turning on support for uncompressed 14-bit RAW image capture — something that already exists in models such as the A7S II, A7R II and RX1R II. You can grab the refreshed firmware, version 2.0, on November 18th from Sony’s support website.
Source: Sony
Google is relaxing Android One guidelines to try and capture the Indian market with new phone
Android One was Google’s great idea for capturing emerging markets with cheap smartphones. On paper, it’s a fantastic idea. In reality, it hasn’t really done so well. Google is sticking with it, though, and they’re taking a slightly more hands off approach for their upcoming devices.
Google has partnered with Lava International Ltd. to create a new, cheap device to lead Android One devices in India. We’ve been hearing rumors about a sub-$50 Android One handset on the horizon, and it sounds like this could be that device. This new device will supposedly give a little more freedom to Lava, and subsequently, other Android One OEMs, in an effort to bring a little more variety to the program to give it the shot in the arm it needs to be successful.
Currently, Google mandates many specific requirements on Android One devices, which include forcing manufacturers to buy certain components from limited manufacturers, and that it makes it difficult for some OEMs to differentiate from other devices. Android devices are a dime a dozen all over the world, and they all need some kind of unique feature to really stick out from the competition. This guaranteed a certain level of quality, but it hurt profit margins and slowed down new devices. With Google taking a more hands-off approach here, we’ll likely see tons of new Android One devices trying many different things.
India is a key market for tons of manufacturers, and Google has a personal interest in getting as many people online as possible to use Google services like Gmail and YouTube. We’ve seen tons of growth in India recently, especially in the budget-friendly, large screen sector of the market. This is exactly the kind of market that Android One was created to capture, and with a refreshed take on the program Google stands to gain some ground in India with more Android devices.
source: Wall Street Journal
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