JINS’ subtle smartglasses turn into sport-centric sunglasses
JINS’ fatigue-tracking smartglasses have a new running-obsessed relative: the Meme MT. At the Japanese glasses makers’ flagship store in Harajuku, JINS is offering free trials for anyone interested, but perhaps hesitating on that 19,000 yen ($160) price tag. Similar to the features we saw on the original Meme glasses, sensors and gyros inside the frames offer highly detailed metrics — enough for software and algorithms to pump running info including your center of gravity, gait and pace to the companion running app. The glasses maker has been making a gradual push into the US, launching another flagship store in the unofficial home of wearable tech: San Francisco. Still, no word yet on when or whether it’ll be offering its smartglasses options there, however.
Via: Engadget Japanese
Source: JINS (Japanese)
Samsung plans to cut smartphone shipments by 12% next year
Samsung released some pretty great phones in 2015, but new reports claim Samsung is planning on reducing their smartphone shipments by 12% in 2016. It sounds like a fairly large cut, but they will still be producing roughly 420-430 million devices.
The reductions will also probably be only from regions where Samsung phones don’t sell as well. Currently, Samsung has a global market share of 20% followed by Apple, and Chinese companies, which they don’t plan on losing any of.
Samsung also plans on keeping the Edge version of the S7 because the S6 Edge has received a better response than anticipated. With the slight reduction and expected high S7 sales, Samsung plans on maintaining its global market share.
Source: Korea Times
Via: SamMobile
Come comment on this article: Samsung plans to cut smartphone shipments by 12% next year
Samsung shares what makes the Galaxy View so great for portable entertainment
The Samsung Galaxy View is basically a huge tablet. Some may even say it’s too huge. However, with an 18.4-inch display, there is no denying it is a media consumption monster. Samsung think this as well, but want to make that point perfectly clear by releasing this infographic explaining why it’s so good.
Probably the best reason as to why it’s so great is its portability. Very rarely can you carry such a huge screen around, but Samsung made it light enough and thin enough that it is very doable. They even built in a handle to make it as easy as possible. Other reasons Samsung gives are, it’s big like a TV, but touchscreen like a phone, has a long battery life, can connect with WiFi or cellular data, great speakers, and more.
Source: Samsung
Come comment on this article: Samsung shares what makes the Galaxy View so great for portable entertainment
Xiaomi Mi5 specs, images and pricing info leak
Xiaomi Mi 5 rumors are going full force as we approach the new year. The Chinese startup is certainly not planning to stay behind, and the latest leak seems to prove there will be plenty to like about the new phone. Today we are looking at a new set of rumored specs, pricing info and a reder of what could be the Xiaomi Mi 5. Shall we take a look?
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Let’s start by taking a look at this leaked press render. As we can see, it does look a bit different from the previous image we have seen, but it still follows Huawei’s general design language. The metal frame with chamfered edges is certainly a look we are getting used to (and works very well). Glass adorns the front and back elegantly. The only main difference we can find is that the fingerprint reader is more elongated, as opposed to the square shape we had seen in the past.
Oh, and yes, that is a USB Type-C port you see on the bottom.
See also: What is USB Type-C? How does it change the game?
Rumored Xiaomi Mi 5 specs:
- 5.2-inch display with either FHD or QHD resolution
- Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 processor
- 3/4 GB of RAM
- 32/64 GB of internal storage
- 16 MP rear-facing camera
- 13 MP front-facing camera
- USB Type-C with Quick Charge 3.0
- 3600 mAh battery
The specs do go (mostly) in line with previous rumors. Main doubts still surround the battery and screen, though. We will just have to keep waiting for more details to arise.
Pricing
The Xiaomi Mi 5 has the specs and design to compete with the very best – does that mean it will cost as much as its competitors? Definitely not. Xiaomi is known for setting the standard on the bang-for-buck race. You can expect a relatively low price, something the latest sources do corroborate.
The latest pricing rumors on the Xiaomi Mi 5 say the version with 3 GB of RAM and 32 GB of storage will go for only 1,999 yuan, which currently equals to about $309 USD. Getting the bigger guy with 4 GB of RAM and 64 GB of internal storage will cost you 2,299 Yuan, which is only a bit more ($355 USD).
Wrapping up
Famous analyst Pan Jiutang says he expects to see the Xiaomi Mi 5 unveiled in January, 2016. Is this to hold true? We don’t know, but plenty of fans are already awaiting the upcoming phone’s arrival. We will certainly be here giving you all the details as soon as they emerge, so as always, keep it tuned to Android Authority.
Are any of you looking to get the Xiaomi Mi 5? At that price and with those specs, I can’t see who wouldn’t like this phone.
Hyatt is the latest hotel chain to spot malware on its systems
Unfortunately, Hilton isn’t the only hotel chain grappling with malware on sensitive computers. Hyatt is now warning travelers that it recently spotted malware on its payment processing systems (on November 30th, the company tells us). It’s still investigating what happened and has precious few details, but it maintains that you can “feel confident” using your card. Unfortunately, that’s not much help if you recently stayed at a Hyatt. How long does it think the malware was hanging around? And how much damage did the rogue code do? Hyatt tells that it’ll share more when the investigation is over. Until it offers the full scoop, your best option is to watch your financial statements for any shady behavior.
[Image credit: AP Photo/Charlie Riedel]
Via: Krebs on Security
Source: Hyatt
Case claiming iMessage set to not deliver to Android dismissed
Apple has come out on top in a legal battle that claimed iMessage was rigged to not deliver to Android phones.
Specifically, the lawsuit in question stated that Apple’s iMessage service “intercepted” and retained messages that were intended to be delivered to Android owners. Despite the claim, federal judge Lucy Koh has chosen to dismiss the case in a single-paragraph order.
This is the second time this year that Apple has won this particular case, following a ruling earlier in the year that decided the group wasn’t eligible for class action, Business Insider reports.
The original class-action lawsuit was filed by a former iPhone user who said that she was no longer able to receive messages from other iPhone’s after switching to an Android device. Following the complaint, Apple acknowledged the issue and released a patch in May addressing the issues, however the suit continued until its dismissal in August.
Back in August, we reported that both Google and AT&T filed motions with the federal courts to access materials being filed during the lawsuit’s discovery phase.
Apple continues to host a service specifically designed to help customers de-register their phone number from the iMessage service.
Another option for those aiming to switch to Android involves disabling the messaging service through the iPhone’s settings before switching the SIM out to the new handset.
Via: ZDNet
Come comment on this article: Case claiming iMessage set to not deliver to Android dismissed
Illinois AG also thinks daily fantasy is gambling
DraftKings and FanDuel are already fighting to keep their doors open in New York City, and now Chicago is also at risk. Today Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan informed state representatives that in her opinion, daily fantasy sports games are unregulated illegal gambling. She did not go as far as the New York AG and attempt to ban their operations (yet), but she did send both companies letters saying they would need to tell IL players they are no longer eligible. Unless new legislation (currently under consideration) is passed, the two could find themselves permanently locked out of one of the United States’ largest cities. In a statement, FanDuel claimed the AG’s opinion banned all fantasy sports, and said it hopes the legislature brings them back. You can read the complete statement below.
IL AG Madigan also sent letter to @FanDuel & @DraftKings noting they will need to post on their sites that IL players are not eligible.
— Danny Ecker (@DannyEcker) December 23, 2015
http://player.cnbc.com/p/gZWlPC/cnbc_global?playertype=synd&byGuid=3000468745&size=640_360
FanDuel spokesperson:
Chicago may be the best sports town in the country. It’s a city — and Illinois is a state — that plays fantasy sports like almost no other. “The League” is even set in Illinois. So why the Attorney General would tell her 13.5 million constituents they can’t play fantasy sports anymore as they know it — and make no mistake, her opinion bans all forms of fantasy sports played for money — is beyond us. Hopefully the legislature will give back to the people of Illinois the games they love. A sports town like Chicago and a sports loving state like Illinois deserves nothing less.
[Image credit: Photo by Jamie Sabau/NHLI via Getty Images]
Source: CNBC
First round in NVIDIA v. Samsung goes to…
Yesterday, a trade judged ruled that NVIDIA violated three separate patents, all relating to GPUs held by Samsung. While this is just the beginning of the legal battle between the two companies, Samsung has landed the first round victory in a match guaranteed to go the full twelve rounds.
These findings will now go to a full review by the International Trade Commission which has the legal authority to block products from coming into the United States. No matter what the ITC decides to do, NVIDIA has vowed to appeal this ruling, arguing that the patents held by Samsung are just dust collectors used only for predatory patent cases just like this.
The irony in this case is that this ruling is being handed down in a retaliatory suit brought by Samsung. About a year ago NVIDIA brought suit against Samsung, alleging that Samsung violated its rights following failed licensing talks. The International Trade Commission claimed no rights were violated, a ruling that NVIDIA has vowed to appeal.
This case is part of a broader strategy by NVIDIA to bring in income from other areas besides its sale of graphics chips. While NVIDIA’s graphics chips are quite popular, it has had a hard time penetrating the enormous processor market. Licensing royalties is an area it thought could bring in more income, claiming that other companies, like Samsung, are using their patented chip designs without Nvidia’s permission. So far this new strategy looks like it is only bringing NVIDIA headaches.
This legal battle is very far from over. Aside from the appeal NVIDIA has already pledged, Samsung has brought a civil suit against NVIDIA which will be heard in Virginia this upcoming January. Get your popcorn ready, this fight is going to be a long one.
Source: Bloomberg
Come comment on this article: First round in NVIDIA v. Samsung goes to…
Free bubble level tool discovered inside Google Search
A Google employee speaking over on Reddit has revealed a free bubble level tool within Google Search and Google Now, activated simply by searching for, not surprisingly, “bubble level”.
Android smartphone and tablets owners may already be aware of a number of cool hidden functions within Google Now, and now we’re looking at yet another. This free bubble level can also be spotted on the iPhone, accessed using the same method.
Google’s nifty new bubble level adapts based on whether you’re viewing it in portrait or landscape, also serving as an alternative to similar apps on the Play Store. Although the look and feel of the tool is very basic, it does what it needs to do.
Android Police points out that an orientation issue reported on Chromium for Android 6.0 may cause the bubble level to malfunction on a number of devices, including the Nexus 5.
Of course, there are plenty of other free alternatives on the Play Store for precise measuring with improved functionality, but it’s nice to know there’s a quick and easy way to use a bubble level now, right within Google’s apps.
Via: Android Police
Come comment on this article: Free bubble level tool discovered inside Google Search
Samsung makes the Galaxy A9 official: Snapdragon 652, 3GB of RAM, 4000mAh battery
After getting caught by China’s TENAA earlier today and a few big leaks from the beginning of December, Samsung has finally taken the wraps off its heavily-rumored Galaxy A9 handset in China.
As of right now we don’t have the entire list of specifications, though the ones we do know are pretty nice. The Galaxy A9 sports a 6.0-inch AMOLED display with 1920 x 1080 resolution, a newly-renamed octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 652 processor, 3GB of RAM, 32 gigabytes of on-board storage, microSD card expansion up to 128GB and dual-SIM card support. It also has a 13MP rear camera with OIS, 8MP front camera, a pretty big 4,000mAh battery and support for Qualcomm’s Quick Charge. In typical Samsung fashion, there’s also a home button-mounted fingerprint sensor that brings along support for Samsung Pay. It will also ship with Android 5.1 Lollipop on board.
See also: Best dual-SIM Android phones (December 2015)
We aren’t entirely sure why this device is launching with Android 5.1 Lollipop as opposed to Android 6.0 Marshmallow, as Google announced the latest version of its OS way back in May of this year. Also, the display might not be at a high enough resolution for some folks out there, but we’re hoping the price point makes up for these two potential caveats.
While the phone is finally official, we still have no information on pricing or availability. We’re assuming this device will start hitting store shelves in China sometime very soon. What are your thoughts? If the price is right, do you see yourself carrying around the Galaxy A9? Let us know what you think in the comments.
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