Talk Android Apps of the Week: January 31, 2016
It’s Sunday, the time of the week when Talk Android brings you a report on some of the very best applications we’ve been using over the course of the past seven days. Today we’re focusing our attention on a fantastic parcel tracking service, an extremely reliable weather forecasting service, a great fitness rewards tool and last, but not least, an essential companion for all you coffee lovers.
ParcelTrack
The first application we’re looking at today is a must-have for anyone who orders quite a bit of stuff on the Internet. ParcelTrack is a one-stop-shop for tracking your packages as it bundles support for over 70 different couriers, including Royal Mail, Parcelforce, UPS, FedEx and USPS.
All you have to do is insert the tracking number allocated to your order when you placed it, and ParcelTrack will fetch all of the relevant details from the courier’s website and present them to you in the easy-to-use application, which means you don’t have to go searching all over the Web to stay up-to-date with the location of your item.
ParcelTrack will notify you each time your package makes a pit stop, as well as when it’s put on the truck for delivery, so you can make arrangements to be at home when it arrives. If, for some reason, you couldn’t make it back in time, the service will inform you where the parcel has been left or request what date is convenient for redelivery.
The Weather Channel
Looking for a reliable weather application? Then, look no further. The Weather Channel is, without a doubt, the most accurate service out there. It provides a flurry of complex information that allows you to understand the current climate in greater detail, like, for example, pressure, humidity and visibility.
Getting started couldn’t be easier. Simply enter your ZIP code and the app will pull a 7-day detailed forecast for your location from its servers. This data is then updated and validated hourly in order to ensure that you have the most recent forecast, and are made aware of any warnings for your area.
In addition to providing the highest-quality forecasts, The Weather Channel also features a gorgeous easy-to-use interface, which displays everything you need to know in one place.
Bounts
If you’re trying to get fitter but are struggling to keep motivated, you’re going to love the third application we’re focusing our attention on this week. Bounts is a unique rewards service that showers you with cash incentives to get and stay fit. The more steps you take and the more often you visit a gym, the more points you’ll earn to put towards gift cards, clothing and even entry to special events, such as marathons.
Its incredibly simple and engaging user interface makes Bounts a pleasure to use. Not only is it ultra-snappy, but it’s also jam-packed full of tips that are designed purely to assist you on your journey to a healthier life and a fitter body. My favourite feature is the ‘Venue Map’, which makes it incredibly easy to find a fitness facility near you when your job takes you on the road — so you can keep topping up those reward points.
Starbucks
The official Starbucks application is essential for any lover of the coffee chain. Whilst using the app, you’ll not only have the facility to pay for your brew from your phone without having to hand over any cash or a card, but you will also be able to customize and place your order before you arrive, which means that you can simply walk in, pay and pick up your daily fix of caffeine.
Another useful feature this service incorporates is that it automatically applies Stars to your account whenever you use the application to pay for your order. This means you don’t have to hand over a loyalty card. When the cashier scans the code on your phone to debit your account for the cost of the items you’re purchasing, it applies your unique loyalty number to the transaction. You also have the ability to redeem any existing Rewards in the same way.
Previous Apps of the Week editions:
Come comment on this article: Talk Android Apps of the Week: January 31, 2016
A closer look at the vehicles designed for the Hyperloop Pod competition
Trains in the US are slow and boring. They may have brought this country together over 100 years ago, but unless you’re commuting, when we think about spanning long distances, we look to the sky. SpaceX and Tesla CEO Elon Musk thinks there’s a better way: a return to the Earth and the rails. Well, actually, just one rail and a very long tube. The Hyperloop, an idea he dropped on the world back in August 2013 is why 120 teams of college and high school students gathered at Texas A&M this weekend in a competition to build the best vehicles to ride those tubes. Here’s a closer look at what they came up with.
The Hyperloop Pod competition pitted teams from all over the world against one another hoping that they would be picked to advance to the next level. The finalists will receive up to $150,000 from sponsors to build small scale versions of their pod designs and have them tested on a track being built next to the SpaceX headquarters in Hawthorne California this summer. Only 22 design and build teams advanced.
Of those, the MIT Hyperloop team took the top spot. Team captain Philippe Kirschen thinks what got them the top spot was that they really focused on making something on making something safe, scalable and feasible. They’ll now return to MIT to do a final round of pre-manufacturing design and some testing. While the team formed in June, transportation has long been a passion of Kirschen. “When I was applying to university when I was 16, I wrote about working on maglev (magnetic levitation) trains. Now six years down the line and I’m working on a maglev train,” he told Engadget.
MIT’s focus on making something that’s relatively simple to build and scale echo’s what Musk said during a surprise (but not really a surprise) cameo at the event. When asked about what he would change about his original Hyperloop paper, he answered; “I would advocate starting with the simplest useful system.”
He also said that SpaceX would definitely have more Hyperloop competitions, “I feel really good about this. I think the work that you guys are doing is going to blow people’s minds.”
This weekend’s competition, while intense, was much friendlier than you’d expect. Teams split their time between manning their booths and checking out other schools’ designs. They chatted with each other about proposals and technical issues. They shared ideas. They debated the merits of air bearings and magnet levitation. “I feel this is great opportunity for collaboration. Everyone is rooting for everyone else,” Jonathan Bloom of team HyperLift from St John’s high school (one of four high school teams that made it to the event) told Engadget.
It’s collaboration for the future of transportation in a country that’s clearly not keeping up with the demands of an overly taxed infrastructure. During an address to the group at the end of the first day of competition, US Secretary of Transportation Anthony Foxx talked about the current issues facing how we get around. “We’ve let it slip.The American people know it. If you’re stuck in traffic trying to get from one place to another, you see it,” he told the group.
The short-term outlook is bleak. Even the closest thing this country has to a Hyperloop, the California high-speed railway, is already years behind schedule.
But inside the Kyle Field’s Hall of Champions the future seems bright. Or at least more optimistic. Team after team enthusiastically described their design judges, the public and press. They provided schematics, 3D prints, VR-powered glimpses into pods, even partially working prototypes of design elements.
Teams extolled the pros and cons of their chosen levitation systems. Air bearings seem like a safe bet, but require compressors and in some instances, air tanks. Magnets both passive and active don’t require the burden of turbines. But to get something actually levitating could require magnets larger than readily available. They also might be could be expensive. All of these technical issues and the solutions have to solved quickly. The finalists now have to build their pods by this summer. The weekend and months leading up to it were a race against other teams while trying to create something entirely new.
https://vine.co/v/i55w73IQdxm/embed/simple
But they all seemed up to the challenge. While 23 teams are guaranteed to go to the summer test-track competition in California, SpaceX announced that between three and 10 additional teams from this event could still be heading to Hawthorne.
That’s good news for the passionate and incredibly impressive teams that didn’t get called up onstage. Alas, though, not everyone can get the golden ticket to visit SpaceX. But, as MIT team leader Kirschen told Engadget: “Having great transportation is just great for everyone. Everyone wins if you have good transportation.”
Curiosity rover takes a selfie on a Martian dune
Curiosity continues to explore the red planet almost four year since it landed in 2012, and over the course of its journey, it’s taken the kind of selfies we don’t mind seeing. Its latest self-portrait was captured at a place called “Namib Dune,” part of a dark sand dune field northwest of Mount Sharp. What you see above is a composite of 57 images snapped on January 19th by the Mars Hand Lens Imager (MAHLI) attached to the end of the rover’s arm — think of it as a high-tech selfie stick.
Curiosity visited the dune to scoop up sand for lab analysis as part of NASA’s efforts to understand how the Martian winds move. The space agency has been looking into its wind patterns for years to get a more complete view of the planet’s environment, which will definitely be useful to the first human crew to set foot on Mars.
Source: NASA
Looking for accessories for your Nexus 6P or 5X? Here are our favorites
So you have a shiny new Huawei Nexus 6P or LG Nexus 5X. How do you make the most of it? How do you protect it? It’s been hard sledding trying to find a wide range of accessories so far. These are by no means Samsung or Apple phones where you can find hundreds of cases, screen protectors, and cables in a ton of designs and variations. In a previous post, I declared this USB Type-C dock my favorite Nexus accessory, but here are some more contenders for the crown.
USB Type-C Dock
This is a product I have on the way to my house right now from across the ocean, so I can’t give a first hand
review of it. Users in the Nexus 6P subreddit do seem to like it though. You won’t be getting quick charging speeds from this dock, but that’s fine in my opinion. My phone almost never needs to charge rapidly when it’s sitting on my bedside table, but I would love a nice dock to keep it upright and easy to grab.
You can also daisy chain some cables using this dock. It comes with MicroUSB in and USB Type-A out, perfect for also charging your smartwatch. This dock is very light, so you may need to tape it down to keep it in place, and appears to be case friendly. And for $4, you can’t beat the price.
Ebay: USB 3.1 USB Type-C Dock
For this dock, we’ve picked something a little more substantial. This USB Type-C dock has the Benson seal of approval, which means it will charge your phone rapidly and safely. If you don’t know who Benson is, he’s an engineer at Google who has taken the time to do a ton of product reviews to let the community know what cables and accessories are safe. Some cables don’t use the correct standard and can damage your battery when charging. You can check out his reviews here.
Back to the dock. This NXET dock has a USB Type-C connector that sits on a hinge so it won’t break off with when you grab your phone with a little bit of force. The dock is case friendly, and can also act as a data passthrough to a computer. Perfect for keeping on your desk at home or work. An AC adapter is NOT included here so to get rapid charging, be sure to use the one that came with your phone or another third party adapter that supports quick charging.
Amazon: NXET Type-C Dock
I’ve previously written about the next entry in our list in my post where I laid out why it’s my favorite accessory for the Nexus 6P. This USB Type-C dock is a little different from the first two. This dock, instead of giving you somewhere to charge your phone, lets you charge your friends’ phones.
The USB port on the Nexus 6P and 5X allow you to transfer power from your phone to a friend’s. If you have a USB Type-C to USB Type-C cable this is as easy as plugging the phones into each other. If you happen to have friends that use the older Micro USB or Apple’s Lightning connector, you can use an adapter like this to charge their phone.
This dock in particular has two USB Type-A and two USB Type-C ports out ports on it, but you can find other docks with things like card readers on them if that’s what you’re looking for. There are a lot of options here, most of them ranging between $20 and $30. I also picked up this cable with the heads for USB Type-C, Lightning, and Micro USB connections so I only need to carry one cable, no matter who needs some juice.
Best Buy: Insignia 4-Port USB Type-C Hub
Wraps
If you want to protect that phone from scratches, or give a new look without making it super bulky, a wrap may be in your future. Our own Derrick Miyao was not shy about telling us how much he thought of the dbrand copper skin last month. His exact words were “My Nexus 6P looks better than yours thanks to my dbrand copper skin”, and I have to agree with him.
dbrand just makes great products. I’ve owned at least a dozen of its skins because it make a ton of designs for a multitude of phones and accessory out there. Right now, you can head over to dbrand’s website and grab a skin for the back of your phone for $10. Crazy cheap.
It will let you customize your skin any way you want. If you want the cutout on the back to show the full Nexus branding, just the X or cover the entire backing, you can do that. You can also pick up a colored X in a ton of colors to make endless combinations, or a multi-colored Nexus X. There are other companies that make wraps and skins, but dbrand is the best for a reason. Quality.
dbrand: Nexus 6P and Nexus 5X
Cases
Cases are pretty subjective. People have their own personal tastes, and have to weigh the protection vs. looks aspect of each case to decide if it is for them. Here are a few of my favorites.
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Verus makes a very nice hybrid case that has a strong bumper around the edges of the thin rubber case, and a raised lip over the front of the screen to protect your Nexus 6P from all sides. The design is refined and you’ll have no issue using your phone in any setting.
Amazon: Verus Nexus 6P case
Adopted has been on the new Nexus hype train from the beginning. I ordered my Adopted case with my Nexus 6P, and have loved it ever since. Here is the same Adopted case for the Nexus 5X. It provides a lot of protection without bulking up the phone, or hitting your bank account too hard. I can definitely recommend this case from personal use.
This listing is for the Carbon version of the case, but Adopted also has the Quartz version. The Quartz case is pretty cool, but costs about double. The Carbon case is made from elastomer, which is just rubber. The Nexus 5X doesn’t need a ton of help with gripability but this will add some more since it’s rubbery. I’ve never had an issue getting it in and out of my pants pocket, and it helps to keep your phone in place on a slippery surface.
B&H Photo: Adopted Nexus 5X Case
Screen Protectors
Orzly’s screen protectors aren’t perfect, but it’s good enough for me to keep on my daily driver. It make a tempered glass screen protectors for both the Huawei Nexus 6P and the LG Nexus 5X, and coming in at only $9 with prime shipping, it isn’t going to break the bank.
I’d love it if these screen protectors were edge to edge, but sadly it’s not. It stops just short of the edge, but it honestly doesn’t bother me that much. I hardly ever notice anymore. There are cutouts around the speakers with special attention to the proximity sensor on top. The screen protectors have an Oleophobic coating which Orzly says reduces the amount of fingerprints and smudges on the screen. Coming in at only .24mm thick, these shouldn’t interfere with a lip on a case like the ones we linked above.
Amazon: Orzly Tempered Glass Screen Protector for the Nexus 6P and Nexus 5X
Cables
There are a ton of cables out there with USB Type-C connectors on one, or both ends of them. If you have any question whether it’s a quality cable, I encourage you to stick to cables that Benson has reviewed. He’s widely recognized as the authority on this. Both of these cables have his seal of approval, which is the only reason I’d recommend them.
If you still want to use your USB Type-A ports and old adapters, then Orzly has the perfect pack for you. Orzly is selling a 4-pack of USB Type-A to USB Type-C cables for $20. This multi-color 4 pack has black, white, blue, and orange cables inside. The cables support USB 3.1 which is important if you also have a Macbook because some accessories require SuperSpeed operations to function, which USB 3.1 enables.
These are high quality cables, and come in at only about $5 per cable, which is impossible to find individually. These get the Benson seal of approval, and my recommendation as well.
Amazon: Orzly USB Type-A to USB Type-C 4 pack
Next we have Anker’s USB Type-C to USB Type-C cable. It’s appropriately priced at about $9 with Prime shipping for the 1 meter (3.3 foot) version of the cable. Depending on the power source and adapter you’re plugged in to, you’ll get quick charging and fast data transfer speeds.
This USB Type-C to USB Type-C cable will let you transfer data and power between you and any other USB Type-C device, and comes with an 18 month warranty for peace of mind.
Amazon: Anker USB Type-C Cable
Power Banks
Even though the Nexus 5X and 6P have great battery life, you may still find that you need to charge up when you’re out of the house. Power Banks have caught on in the last few years due to their convenience, portability, and price. The power bank we’re going to look at is one of the best all around packages.
The RAVPower 20,100mAH External Battery Bank is huge. Not in size, but in capacity. It holds enough power to charge the Nexus 6P about six full times and the Nexus 5X a little under seven and a half times. Not only is it big, but it’s fast too. The battery bank supports Quick Charge 2.0 input and output so you can charge your phones quickly, and recharge the battery bank quickly.
The one final feature that makes it a killer for me is that the RAVPower battery bank has a USB Type-C port on it! The battery bank has a USB Type-C 3A, Quick Charge 2.0 USB Type-A port, and a 2.4A USB Type-A port that will charge Apple devices at their top speed. This battery bank has everything.
Product Website: RAVPower 20,100mAH External Battery Bank
Amazon: RAVPower 20,100mAH External Battery Bank
That wraps up our list! What are your favorite accessories for the new Nexus devices? Let us know down in the comments what you have to make the most out of your Phone!
The post Looking for accessories for your Nexus 6P or 5X? Here are our favorites appeared first on AndroidGuys.
Life with the LG V10 and its oddball second screen
I was initially skeptical of LG’s V10. Both the second screen and dual selfie cameras struck me as classic phone gimmicks in the vein of the Samsung Continuum or Kyocera Echo: They seem like good ideas when you’re in the store, but you’ll forget that they exist in a matter of weeks. But are they really that frivolous? And could the fingerprint reader, tougher body and better video recording controls come in handy, too? There’s only one way to find out. I’ve spent several weeks living with the V10, and I was pleasantly surprised: It’s clear that LG’s extras can be genuinely useful. This isn’t a flawless phone, though, and you’ll still want to think carefully before picking one up for yourself.
I’ll say this up front: The V10 has the best second-screen implementation I’ve seen to date. That’s partly because earlier approaches tended to be utterly impractical (who actually wrote dual-screen apps for the Echo?), but I was still happier to use LG’s 1,040 x 160 mini display than I had anticipated. At a basic level, it was handy for notifications. I could glimpse at a download progress meter or email subject line without having to pull down the notification bar and distract myself. The always-on passive mode was useful, too, since I could see if there was a new message without waking the screen.
As for the second-screen features that require your active attention? They’re a mixed bag. I got the most use out of the audio controls, which made it easy to check track titles or start playing with just a tap. The app shortcuts helped make the most of my screen real estate, too, even if it took ages to train myself to launch apps from there instead of the main display. However, I struggled to get much mileage out of the other features. No, LG, I don’t need to have my favorite contacts and upcoming appointments in constant view. The V10’s extra LCD is ultimately worthwhile, don’t get me wrong; it’s just short on consistently useful features that would make it a must-have.
The rest of the selling points left me similarly conflicted. The two front-side camera lenses struck me as overkill, for one thing. I’m not a habitual selfie shooter, but I still struggled to justify flipping between close-cropped and wide-angle photo modes in my tests. I’d rather just leave it on one mode the entire time, and I suspect most people will do the same thing. The manual video controls are smartly rendered, letting me refocus shots or tune the white balance, but I just didn’t find nearly as much need for them as I did for the equally excellent controls for still shots. They’ll certainly help if you’re a budding filmmaker or video blogger, but not as much if you’re just trying to post a quick clip to Facebook or Vine.
The fingerprint reader, meanwhile, occasionally drives me mad. It’s fast and convenient when everything works correctly, but it’s both located in the wrong place (you can’t use it while your phone is on your desk) and too small to be reliable. There were more than a few times where I had to tap the reader multiple times to unlock my phone, all because my fingertip wasn’t placed on the power button just so. The front-facing fingerprint readers on the iPhone 6s Plus and Galaxy Note 5 are much better if you want to avoid PIN codes or patterns.
LG’s much-vaunted design left me torn, too. I didn’t have to test the V10’s improved drop resistance, thankfully, but I did appreciate the grippier-textured back. The steel rails, however? Not so much. While they do give the handset a sturdier, more premium feel, they’re somehow both slippery and prone to biting into my hands. This isn’t the phone you want to hold during a lengthy call, folks. And even among large smartphones, the V10 is on the big side. The extra display and side rails result in a tall, wide device that’s not very forgiving to smaller pockets.
It might sound like I’m trashing the V10, but I’m not. At its heart, it’s still an extremely capable phone. The Snapdragon 808 processor isn’t cutting-edge, but it and the 4GB of RAM meant that I was never hurting for performance. LG’s custom interface remains distinctive without being overly burdensome, the battery life is adequate for most days and the call quality is above-average. And yes, the 16-megapixel rear camera (first seen on the G4) is superb. Combined with the manual controls, I could take photos that are difficult to manage on any smartphone, such as extraclose macros and long exposures. The V10 may not have the abundant resolution of legendary camera phones like the Lumia 1020, but it has just about everything else and then some.
Would I recommend the V10, then? That’s a tough call. It’s certainly the ultimate expression of LG’s circa-2015 design. If you liked the idea of the G4 but wished that it had a bit more performance and resilience, you’ve met your dream machine. It’s also worth picking over the Galaxy Note 5 or S6 Edge+ if you’d prefer a second screen, a semirugged design, a removable battery or expandable storage over Samsung’s prettier bodies and (on the Note 5) stylus input. I have yet to see what Samsung’s 2016 lineup will bring as of this writing, but the V10 is your best bet if you want a big, brawny phone that still lets you swap power packs and microSD cards.
The problem, as I see it, is that the V10 doesn’t go quite as far as it should in justifying its existence. Unless you absolutely have to get that second screen, extra selfie cam or fingerprint reader, the G4 will get you nearly all the way there for considerably less cash. It’s about as fast, takes similarly great photos and isn’t that much smaller. You might even prefer it if you find the V10 too unwieldy.
Moreover, it’s awkwardly timed. Unless you bought the V10 right when it arrived in midfall, you’re probably better off waiting to see if the G5 gives you some of the features (a fingerprint reader and manual video controls seem like shoo-ins) on top of CPU and camera upgrades. That’s not even including what rivals like HTC, Samsung and Sony might offer. By all means, get the V10 if you like it. It’s a good phone whose special features usually transcend gimmickry — I’ll miss that second screen, even if it’s not a lifesaver. Just know that LG’s flagship won’t be the top dog for much longer.
U.S. consumers can now buy the Honor 5X for $199
Many people have waited years, but the day is finally here. Honor, the sub-brand owned by Huawei, has released its very first phone in the United States. The Honor 5X can be bought from Honor, Amazon, and Newegg for just $199.
This first push from Honor in the United States is a lighter one as the Honor 5X is a modest device. The Honor 5X has a 5-inch Full HD (1920×1080) display, Qualcomm Snapdragon 615 processor, 2GB of RAM, 16GB of internal storage and a microSD card slot, 13MP / 5MP cameras, 3000mAh battery, and Android 5.1.1 Lollipop (with Marshmallow on the way) sitting behind the company’s EMUI software overlay. Honor also included a fingerprint scanner on the rear to enhance security. Everything the Honor 5X has is wrapped in a metallic body inspired by the Guggenheim Museum in Spain.
Honor is hoping the $199 off-contract price attracts consumers seeking to get a good value without carrier limitations. For now though, the issue seems to be availability. While Honor and Newegg still have units in stock and remain on schedule, Amazon is seeing high demand (or maybe there was just little inventory). Dark Grey and Daybreak Silver color options are delayed at Amazon, with the latter not shipping for 5 to 8 weeks. The Sunset Gold color option is the only Honor 5X model in stock and ready to ship right away from Amazon’s warehouses.
If you’re seeking to get a good bonus out of buying the Honor 5X, get the phone from Newegg because the online retailer is throwing in a free 32GB microSD card. But you may want to stick with getting the phone from Honor itself because of the official accessories offered there. Two sets of earphones are available in addition to the flipcover case. Honor is also selling its Honor Band Z1 right now for $79.
Congrats to Honor (and Huawei) on making it to the United States! We wish them luck.
Come comment on this article: U.S. consumers can now buy the Honor 5X for $199
[Deal] A purchase of a Google Nexus 6P will get you a free FREMO 11000mAh power bank today only
Today only, online retailer Newegg is offering a great offer on the Nexus 6P.
First off, you should know that the deal is only for those who purchase the Nexus 6P in gold with either 32GB/64GB of storage space. You’ll get $50 off your purchase, which is good for 10% off. Rather than costing $500, buyers today will only pay $450. What makes this deal even sweeter is Newegg’s added freebie. Newegg is including a FREMO 11000mAh power bank totally free of charge with your purchase. This has a crazy $85 value and will work seamlessly with your brand new golden Nexus 6P. Additionally, Newegg will ship both your phone and charger for free.
The offer won’t last much longer, so don’t wait too long! Whether you’re replacing your old Nexus, coming from a different Android phone, iPhone, or no phone at all, the Nexus 6P was one of our favorite devices of the year and will fit just about all your needs. If you need help deciding, our overview of the Nexus 6P will surely help.
[Newegg]
Come comment on this article: [Deal] A purchase of a Google Nexus 6P will get you a free FREMO 11000mAh power bank today only
Leaked teaser points to February 21 for #TheNextGalaxy from Samsung
It’s all but confirmed that we’ll see the Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 Edge appear at MWC 2016 in Barcelona next month. Almost guaranteeing that we’ll see the two phones on the much-anticipated February 21 date are two stills shared by Evan Blass, presumably taken from a teaser video that has yet to be released by Samsung.
The images show that #TheNextGalaxy is coming on February 21, 2016.
FYI pic.twitter.com/j6CdsN6Gl5
— Evan Blass (@evleaks) January 31, 2016
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The two Samsung flagships, which are the same outside of size and display structure, are said to be redirecting the company back to its old ways in order to woo consumers. That means we’ll see a microSD card slot, water resistance, and a large battery featured with both the Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 Edge. An alleged Samsung employee spoke to Nader last week and also revealed exactly what should be expected. This person repeated much of what we’ve heard and said Samsung is following the recent trend of lowering megapixels and choosing a better module to handle various lighting conditions. And, on the software side, Samsung wants to combine an Apple Live Photos-like feature.
As mentioned before, February 21 will be a very busy day for the mobile industry if Samsung hosts something. Why? Because LG is preparing to debut what will likely be the G5.
It’s likely Samsung chooses this week to send out invites to a media event for MWC 2016 considering February 21 is just three weeks away.
Source: Evan Blass (Twitter)
Come comment on this article: Leaked teaser points to February 21 for #TheNextGalaxy from Samsung
Samsung Galaxy Tab S3 tablets may be in the works
Every year Samsung feels obligated to release new tablets. The company’s most high-end tablet line, the Galaxy Tab S, may be in for a refresh soon.
The Indian-export tracker Zauba just caught two listings of what appear to be new Galaxy Tab S models. Last year, Samsung released two models with a new form factor, one being an 8-inch slate and the other being a larger 9.7-inch one. The leak suggests that this year’s refreshed tablets will keep the same display sizes.
The SM-T719 and SM-T813 are the model numbers for the leaked handsets and will be destroyed upon testing. The 8-inch SM-T719 made way to India this past Thursday and was listed with a value of $204 USD. The larger 9.7-inch SM-T813 variant was valued at $255 USD. These prices obviously mean nothing to us because the price-tag time come launch will be much steeper. No specifications, rumors or availability details have surfaced, so an official release should be a good amount of time from now. We’ll keep you posted when we hear more about the slates. If you want to see the listings, click the source link.
Would you be interested in a refreshed Galaxy Tab S2 slate? Let us know in the comments.
Source: Zauba
Via: Phone Arena
Come comment on this article: Samsung Galaxy Tab S3 tablets may be in the works
MIT students win Hyperloop pod design competition
Crews are already building the first Hyperloop tracks, but how about the vehicles to run on those tracks? Don’t worry, they’re coming soon: MIT has won a SpaceX competition that challenged students worldwide to design a pod for the ultra-fast tube transportation. The school’s team gets to build a vehicle that will run on a yet-to-be-built test track near SpaceX’s California headquarters. Not that some of its rivals will be left out, mind you. All told, at least 22 teams will advance to the next round and eventually build pods. There could even be as many as 10 more, if further judging deems others to be worthy.
This was billed as the “first-ever” Hyperloop competition, and it likely won’t be the last. While the technology is the brainchild of SpaceX founder Elon Musk, the company is only there to spur things on — it’s counting on other companies and institutions to do the heavy lifting. Challenges like this could overcome some of the larger technical hurdles for Hyperloops without requiring any one company to make massive investments.
Via: AP (Phys.org)
Source: Texas A&M
AIVAnet 