Samsung Galaxy Gear 2 and Gear Fit Pricing Revealed
Pricing for the Samsung Galaxy Gear 2 and Galaxy Fit have finally been released by Samsung. You can expect to see the Galaxy Gear 2 landing for $295 and the Gear Fit to pull $197 from your bank account. Samsung has yet to release pricing info for the other watch, the Galaxy Gear Neo, but is expected to be smack in the middle at $250. Both the Gear 2 and Gear Fit are scheduled for a global launch on April 11th.
I am not too terribly surprised at either devices price points. The original Galaxy Gear launched at $300, so it would make sense that its predecessor would launch near the same price. The real question though will be how well the follow up devices will sell. While I find them ‘cool’ the more recent announcement of the Android Wear OS is certainly going to make wearables a bit more interesting. Google did announce that Samsung was one of their partners with the new OS and we fully expect a smartwatch of some sorts to be announced by them. However, I doubt they will make any such announcement until after the three more recent devices have had a chance to make some profits.
Does the pricing of the Gear 2 and Gear Fit temp you to hold on to some cash for April, or are you going to sit this one out and wait for the Moto 360 this summer?
Source: Korea Herald
Via: Android Authority
uNu Enerpak Plus Universal Battery Pack Review: 8K battery power in a pocket-sized Package
The market for portable battery packs is literally flooded with a sea of options these days and it’s almost impossible to differentiate between them, lest you possess some loyalty (or prejudice) for a particular brand. Other times, it’s just a case of working out what’s good value and what’s going to do the job it says its going to do. That’s the market that the uNu Enerpak Plus Universal Battery Pack is aiming to fulfil, and it’s trying to do this by stuffing 8,000mAh into a pocket-sized package; let’s see what it can do.
What’s in the box
The uNu Plus comes with the bare essentials: the battery pack and a micro-USB cable to be used for charging your devices; naturally the cable can also be used to charge the battery pack with a computer or USB AC adapter. To be honest, for a battery pack that costs MSRP 79.95 USD, I expected a little more to be included in the box, like a carry bag or additional cables, but it is what it is; at least it isn’t missing anything. In the end, the primary cost adding feature is the battery capacity (8,000mAh).
The overview
Overall, the uNu Plus is a nice looking battery pack. The smooth, black exterior and the general design of the device make for a very sleek looking battery pack. While the smooth plastic does tend to attract lingering fingerprints, the device overall maintains a very streamlined appearance, and is easily cleaned of any grime.
Being of a smaller size than your average battery pack (4X2.5X.08 inches) and with rounded edges, the uNu Plus is very comfortable to hold in one hand. Similarly, being only 6.8 ounces (or about 200 grams) it’s not heavy at all and makes for a really nice bag, or pocket, carried battery pack. This is perfect since it packs more than enough power for your night out, or even for short trips over several days.
Features of the uNu Plus include an input micro-USB port for charging the battery pack as well as two USB outputs, one labeled for smartphones and one for tablets. According to the spec sheet, the smartphone port is only able to output 5V/1A whereas the other port gets 5V/2.1A which is required to charge tablets (and some phablets); we’ll get onto the uNu Plus’ charging performance a bit later. The uNu Plus also features a LED flashlight, which can be switched on and off by pressing the button (located on the side) twice, while pressing that same button once shows the current charge available to the battery pack on the indicator LED.
I’m not a huge fan of the way the indicator LED is designed, though, as guessing how much charge is left on the device at a glance is quite difficult; the blue LEDs seem to bleed colour throughout the LED indicator which can sometimes give misleading reading. Furthermore, when the battery pack is being used to charge another device, the LED will turn off completely, and you must press the side button to get an update of the device’s charge status. I understand that this methodology likely saves more battery than showing the charge status all the time, however it is a bit of a chore when checking whether the battery pack is actually charging requires you to actively find this information.
The performance
To test the uNu Plus’ charging performance, I used the Battery Monitor Widget app (available here for free) as a measuring tool and checked how long the uNu Plus took to fully recharge my Samsung Galaxy Note 2 from 23%. From the 2.1A port, which is required for the Note 2, it took just over 2 hours to fully recharge my Note 2. This isn’t exactly a perfect estimation of the uNu Plus’ abilities as the charging appears to slow as you approach full charge.
If however, we consider just the periods of peak charge rate i.e. 50% to 70%, which took roughly 32 mins, this equates to about 1% every 1.6 minutes. When compared to the 1% every 1.55 minutes the Ventev battery pack is capable of (which is also capable of a 2.1A output; see that review here), the uNu Plus doesn’t come off too badly in its performance and performs pretty much how we’d expect it to. With 8,000mAh, it should be able to charge most smartphones 2-3 times before needing to recharge the unit itself, which in my experience, can take about 6+ hours, which is slow, but unsurprising given the input is limited to 1A.
The verdict
Rating: 3.5/5
Overall, the uNu Enerpak Plus Universal Battery Pack is a solid, likeable entry in the portable battery scene. I like the way it looks and I like that it has solid, consistent charging performance. It does have its pitfalls, but in a portable battery market that is increasingly being flooded with cheap imitations and being able to consistently deliver at least 2.1A to charge higher powered devices becomes more important, the uNu Plus assures you of what you’re getting.
The uNu Enerpak Plus Universal Battery Pack is available for $79.95 USD from uNu’s website which you can visit here.
Gallery of Photos
It’s Time: Meet Moto 360 Hangout Video Talks Design and a Little Bit More
Motorola had a live Hangout this morning at 11 a.m. PST to offer up a sneak peak and talk about design of the Moto 360 watch. I missed it unfortunately, but the video is live and available for you to watch on your own time.
If you can’t spare the 22 minutes to watch the whole thing, let’s give you a brief. It is round, it is a watch, it was built from the ground up and it is fashionable. Not surprising, they didn’t talk about any specs or pricing. They did say that battery life is a priority and power management is a big part of the Moto 360.
As for its connection ability. It will work with all Motorola smartphones, not surprised, but it will also work with any android device with Android 4.3 or newer. That is good to hear when you think about Samsung and the proprietary Gear devices.
It is water resistant, but no specifics were outlines.
On the Motorola blog a few little details were mentioned such as the Moto 360 will be available in a variety of styles globally this summer, starting with the U.S. Not that I am surprised that the U.S. will have the first chance at it, but it does let all the global on lookers know a small bit of the plans.
Swappa expands to wearables, get your gently used futuristic watches now
Swappa, a marketplace of gently used smartphone and tablets, recently started expanding its offerings to smartwatches, which are becoming a norm in the world of technology.
If you head over to the site now, you can pick up either a Samsung Galaxy Gear or Sony Smartwatch 2, while there are also placeholders for the Motorola MotoActv, Omate TrueSmart and the original Pebble and Pebble Steel.
Swappa even has been taking to Google+ to ask its supporters what devices it would like to see on the site, so you may see more soon.
One person asked if used Google Glass would be available through the site, which there was no reply, but in a previous dealing them them, I was able to find out that since selling it is against Google’s terms of service with the original purchaser, it will not allow people to buy and sell Explorer Editions on the site, but that could change once it’s commercially available.
“Unless otherwise authorized by Google, you may only purchase one Device, and you may not resell, rent, or lease your Device to any other person. If you resell, rent, or lease your Device to any other person without Google’s authorization, Google reserves the right to deactivate the Device, and neither you nor the unauthorized person using the Device will be entitled to any refund, product support, or product warranty.”
Hopefully the public release of Google Glass will be coming soon and we will start to see other smartglasses come to market as well.
If you’ve been in the market for a wearable, but didn’t want to pay full-price for a new device and wanted one in top condition, be sure to check Swappa out.
Just a quick note, here at AndroidGuys, while one of our writers, Tony McAfee, is the director of customer service at Swappa and many of us here are supporters of the marketplace since it is usually a better option than buying on Ebay and easier than selling in other markets that may take a higher percentage of the sale, we are here to cover the news either way.
Swappa Smart Watch via Google+
The post Swappa expands to wearables, get your gently used futuristic watches now appeared first on AndroidGuys.
Samsung’s new phone case uses ultrasound to detect people and objects
Samsung’s Galaxy S5 may be getting lots of smart new accessories, but the Korean smartphone maker is also making sure its lower-powered phones get some love too. After including various software usability functions in the Galaxy Core Advance at the end of last year, the company today introduced three new accessories that have been designed specifically to help disabled or visually impaired users do more with their Android device. First up is the Optical Scan Stand, a raised bracket that automatically triggers the phone’s OCR features to recognize and read aloud text placed in front of the phone. There’s also Voice Labels, which are similar to Samsung’s NFC-equipped TechTile stickers, but let visually impaired users make voice notes or record short explanations on how to use various devices around the home.
Perhaps the most impressive accessory of the three is Samsung’s Ultrasonic Cover: a specialized case that uses sound waves to detect people or objects (in a two-meter radius), helping users navigate new surroundings by sending vibration or spoken alerts. Even without the accessories, the Galaxy Advance Core features a trio of physical buttons on the front and dedicated camera and voice recorder buttons on the side, assisting smartphone owners that don’t want to rely solely on on-screen controls.
Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, Samsung
Source: Samsung Mobile Press
Spigen Lists Beautiful New Cases for the All New HTC One
It always happens: anytime a new phone is about to be unveiled, a company that makes specialty cases for that phone, lists them early. Spigen is no stranger to this, and they have posted new cases for the All New HTC One. Oh do they look glorious.
Spigen are naming these new cases “Slim Armor”, and I must say they are pleasing to my eyes. These new cases are going for $25, and they will be in stock come mid-April. So if you are thinking about getting yourself the All New HTC One, I suggest grabbing one of these bad boys to protect it. Head over to Spigen right now if you want to grab yourself one. Let us know if you do.
Sony Xperia Z2 can be charged wirelessly; Sony to release charging Accessories
Wireless charging is always a nice thing to have available for your smartphone, yet it doesn’t seem to be as widely utilized as some of us might like; I love wireless charging, particularly as I can just place my phone on the charging plate without needing to feel around for my charging cable and then plug it in. Sony, however, may be joining the light side with this iteration of its devices as Clove has listed a wireless charging case and wireless charging plate for the Sony Xperia Z2, suggesting that the Sony Xperia Z2 can be charged wirelessly.
While Clove doesn’t have any product images yet, it says that Sony is going to be offering the WCR12 Wireless Charging cover in black and white for £69.99 as well as the WCH10 Charging Plate which is going to go for £54.99. Much like other manufacturer branded accessories, these ones err on the side of expensive, though we’re anticipating that the charging cover is simply going to enable Qi-wireless charging, which will open the door for you to get a much cheaper charging plate.
What do you think about the Sony Xperia Z2 getting the ability to charge wirelessly? Let us know your opinion in the comments.
Source: Clove via XperiaBlog
Chromecast coming to “many more countries” in next few Weeks
Google is loved and hated all across the globe. When a new product or service is launched we primarily see it only available in the U.S. for quite some time before it goes global. This is understandable due to legalities and regulations in other countries, but it is also very frustrating to those that live outside the U.S. Google’s Chromecast device is one of those magical little devices that people all over the globe want to get their hands on, but very few actually have the ability. In a recent Keynote speech from Sundar Pinchai at SXSW, he revealed that the Chromecast dongle will go on sale in “many more countries”.
It isn’t surprising that it will be making it over the ocean to other lands, but the statement is about as vague as you can get. No specific country was mentioned nor was anything other than a few weeks noted for a time line. Google had mentioned that the Chromecast would be coming to the UK in the beginning of March, but it has failed to appear on the suggested retailers website, Curry’s. I suppose the beginning of a given month has a different meaning to those that say it. I personally think the first 7 days, where I have talked to others who say the fist 14. It was also rumored that it would be coming to Australia soon with extra content from Telstra.
We will be keeping our eyes peeled for the Chromecasts release in overseas markets and let you know when it becomes available. Until then, check out the official apps that Google worked with, some of the ones we dug out a few weeks ago and for new ones.
Via 9to5Google
Source: TNW
BRAVEN launches the new BRV-X; The TrueWireless Rugged Outdoor Speaker
We have always had a special place for BRAVEN. We have been fortunate enough to spend countless hours pumping tunes through various BRAVEN speaker models over the years and with every new model they only get better. We first saw the new BRAVEN BRV-X at CES 2014 and have been eagerly waiting for them to launch the device. The BRV-X is the big brother of the BRV-1 that they launched last year that we were able to review for you guys as well. Along with the BRAVEN 850 and the BRAVEN 855s.
The new BRV-X is capable of pumping out HD sound for a continuous 12 hours thanks to the 5200 mAh battery inside. That is some serious all day rocking during your adventures this summer. It is also IPX5 water-resistant rated giving you piece of mind when out rafting or boating. Add in the indoor/outdoor switch to instantly adjust the sound for the environment you are in, the omnidirectional passive bass radiator and the heavy-duty strap and you have a beast by your side. It also offers fast and easy pairing via NFC, only weighs 1.5pds and will charge your phones/tablets and anything else that might be dying on your trips.
hopefully the good weather is on the way and you all have some outdoor trips planned, I know I sure do. We will be doing a review on this bad boy shortly, so stay tuned. If you know the brand and the name well, then you know you can buy with confidence. Currently we only see them available for purchase at Braven.com in black. The press release shows us a white one as well with a price tag of $229.99. They will find their way to Amazon and other retailers shortly. Until then, head over to BRAVEN to check it out.
[LEAK] Flip cover case for the All New HTC One leaks out, as well as suggestion of a Google Play Edition
We’ve all seen the Samsung S-View cover and everybody’s attempts to recreate this flip cover case in one way or another. While this kind of case is tried and true, we’ve been waiting to see if someone can do something original and thankfully, it looks like HTC has. Evleaks leaked earlier today the above image which appears to show a flip cover case for the All New HTC One, but instead of having a window to show notifications, this particular flip cover case looks like it uses holes in the cover to give a dot matrix-like read out. It’s a very intriguing idea and there’s a lot that can be shown on such a read out; it’s obviously not as precise as having a window to your screen, but it can be very useful for just getting general notifications or the time.
A few hours later, evleaks also posted this picture, which appears to show the previously mentioned flip cover case but in different colours. The original tweet that these cases were leaked in also had the following comments: “look for M8 to arrive as a Google Play Edition“. That’s not so much a surprise as the HTC One was also made into a Google Play Edition, but for those of you who like your devices with stock Android, you’ll be happy to know you can go that route with the All New HTC One.
What are your thoughts on this type of flip cover case? And would you get the All New HTC One Google Play Edition? (that’s quite a mouthful) Let us know what you think in the comments below.
Source: Twitter (1), (2)
AIVAnet 