ASUS ZenWatch 2 now available in the Google Play Store
The ASUS ZenWatch 2 follows its predecessor’s steps by offering an enticing design for a price point that very few competitors can match. It’s a sweet deal for those who want to get into the Android Wear game without spending too much cash, and today marks the new watch’s arrival to the Google Play Store, where you can buy the ZenWatch 2 for only $149.99.
Not sure whether you want to go for this Android Wear device or upgrade to another one? Though the ASUS ZenWatch 2 is cheaper than your conventional wearable, we have to tell you there is not much to sacrifice with it. It did pretty well in our full review and it comes with very similar specs compared to the others.
The ASUS ZenWatch 2 features a Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 processor, 0.5 MB of RAM and 4 GB of internal storage. It’s also worth mentioning there are two sizes, which will make many of you very happy. The largest version’s dimensions are 49.6 x 40.7 x 9.5 mm, features a 320×320 AMOLED display and a 400 mAh battery. Meanwhile, the smaller iteration measures in at 45.2 x 37.2 x 10.5 mm, has a lower resolution 280×280 AMOLED panel and is powered by a 300 mAh battery.
We didn’t have much to complain about during our full ASUS ZenWatch 2 review, either. Our main issue was with the bezels, which are still pretty large. Otherwise, the device features a great battery life, fast magnetic charging, different prices and a price point that makes it one of the most luring Android Wear products around.
Will any of you be buying it? Just head over to the Google Store to put your name on one. It’s shipping now, so have no doubt that you will be rocking your own in just some days!
ASUS’ ZenWatch 2 is being sold through the Google Store
Another Android Wear device has been made available through the Google Store. ASUS’ ZenWatch, the smartwatch that was announced way back in June, is being sold by Google for $149. The Google Store is offering the ZenWatch 2 in two sizes, each with its own color option. The 45mm size comes in Light Aqua with a rubber strap while the larger 49mm size is Navy Blue and has a leather strap.
The ZenWatch 2 features all-day battery life and is said to take sixty minutes to reach a charge of 80%. This is in addition to powering the built-in biosensor that measures a user’s activity and relaxation levels for the ZenWatch Wellness Manager app to analyze. For smartwatches with square-edge displays, ASUS definitely has one of the nicer models.
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Asus devices will come bundled with Microsoft Office to avoid a lawsuit
After years of suing everyone in sight, it appears that Microsoft is in the market to make some friends. This week they’ve announced a deal to end a patent war with Google and now they’re buddying up with Asustek.
In a deal announced on Thursday, it appears Microsoft will agree not to sue Asus for their Android patents if Asus agrees to bundle Microsoft software, including Office, on their tablets and phones. The agreement calls for “closer integration” between the two companies that currently share a patent agreement. The deal will see Asus …”pre-install Microsoft Office productivity services on Asus’ Android smartphones and tablets” like the popular budget Asus Zenfone 2. The companies also announced that they will work together on future new projects.
““Beyond ensuring continued improvements to our products, it opens the door to the kind of collaboration between Microsoft and ASUS made possible only through mutual respect and alignment on intellectual property.”“
This isn’t the first time Microsoft has struck a deal to bundle their software onto phones and tablets for an agreement not to sue. Samsung owners were greeted with a Microsoft folder in their application tray in this generation of flagships that had apps like Office, OneNote and OneDrive inside.
Microsoft has continued a strategy of pushing their mobile apps into the view of customers any way possible. Whether these agreements are smart or annoying is based solely on which side of the table you sit. For Microsoft, it definitely extends the reach of their products and getting your software on a users device is a huge advantage to lock them into your ecosystem. For users, extra added software out of the box, or bloatware, is annoying and if it’s impossible to remove, can build resentment. Luckily carriers like T-Mobile and Sprint make the applications uninstallable.
What do you think of Microsoft’s strategy? Will moving their apps into the mobile world pay off big or cost them? Let us know what you think.
Source: PCWorld
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Asus illustrates the dangers of selfies while promoting the ZenFone Selfie
According to media reports, more people die taking selfies than from shark attacks, which is a staggering thought considering the fearsome reputation that sharks have. Thinking back, though, how often have you lost sight of your surroundings in the search for the perfect selfie? Whether you are leaning over a bannister, stepping backwards without looking or simply sticking your head out of a window, they are all decidedly risky propositions. ASUS France has published a small infographic, detailing how not to take a selfie. Of course, it’s no coincidence that the Taiwanese handset maker also sells a smartphone called the ZenFone Selfie.
In case you were wondering, the ZenFone Selfie sports a 5.5-inch Full HD display, a Snapdragon 615 octa-core processor, 2GB of RAM, 16GB/32GB of internal storage, MicroSD card support and a 13MP rear camera with dual-flash. There’s also a more than handy 3,000mAh battery to get you through the day. As is fitting for the device name, the Selfie features a front camera with a whopping 13MP sensor, along with dual-flash.
As for the dangers of taking selfies, as the image suggests, taking selfies while driving, cycling, jumping out of helicopters, during a lightning and thunderstorm, standing on the train tracks with an approaching train behind you, or indeed, posing next to a grizzly bear, are not recommended. Chances are, if you insist on taking selfies in situations such as those mentioned, you may well end up mentioned in the Darwin awards. So be careful out there.
Via: PhoneArena
Source: Asus France (Twitter)
Come comment on this article: Asus illustrates the dangers of selfies while promoting the ZenFone Selfie
Microsoft and ASUS agree on expanded patent licencing agreement
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Microsoft‘s name has appeared in more Android news that most manufacturers in recent news, primarily due to its recent push for Microsoft apps to be fully integrated into the Android ecosystem. Today, Microsoft and ASUS have made the news after they agreed to expand their existing patent licencing agreement – one immediate result of this will be Microsoft Office apps coming pre-installed on ASUS’ smartphones and tablets from now on. Behind the scenes, this should help both sides continue on the paths that they’ve started to carve out for themselves in the Android world.
As ASUS General Counsel, Vincent Hong says:
“This agreement will give us both a greater ability to innovate for our customers. We see it leading to broad partnership opportunities for future technologies and a strengthened relationship between our two companies as leaders of the technology industry.”
Seems like a win-win-win to us. What do you think about the licencing deal between Microsoft and ASUS? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
Source: Microsoft via engadget
The post Microsoft and ASUS agree on expanded patent licencing agreement appeared first on AndroidSPIN.
Microsoft and ASUS agree on expanded patent licencing agreement
(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push();
Microsoft‘s name has appeared in more Android news that most manufacturers in recent news, primarily due to its recent push for Microsoft apps to be fully integrated into the Android ecosystem. Today, Microsoft and ASUS have made the news after they agreed to expand their existing patent licencing agreement – one immediate result of this will be Microsoft Office apps coming pre-installed on ASUS’ smartphones and tablets from now on. Behind the scenes, this should help both sides continue on the paths that they’ve started to carve out for themselves in the Android world.
As ASUS General Counsel, Vincent Hong says:
“This agreement will give us both a greater ability to innovate for our customers. We see it leading to broad partnership opportunities for future technologies and a strengthened relationship between our two companies as leaders of the technology industry.”
Seems like a win-win-win to us. What do you think about the licencing deal between Microsoft and ASUS? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
Source: Microsoft via engadget
The post Microsoft and ASUS agree on expanded patent licencing agreement appeared first on AndroidSPIN.
Microsoft and ASUS agree on expanded patent licencing agreement
(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push();
Microsoft‘s name has appeared in more Android news that most manufacturers in recent news, primarily due to its recent push for Microsoft apps to be fully integrated into the Android ecosystem. Today, Microsoft and ASUS have made the news after they agreed to expand their existing patent licencing agreement – one immediate result of this will be Microsoft Office apps coming pre-installed on ASUS’ smartphones and tablets from now on. Behind the scenes, this should help both sides continue on the paths that they’ve started to carve out for themselves in the Android world.
As ASUS General Counsel, Vincent Hong says:
“This agreement will give us both a greater ability to innovate for our customers. We see it leading to broad partnership opportunities for future technologies and a strengthened relationship between our two companies as leaders of the technology industry.”
Seems like a win-win-win to us. What do you think about the licencing deal between Microsoft and ASUS? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
Source: Microsoft via engadget
The post Microsoft and ASUS agree on expanded patent licencing agreement appeared first on AndroidSPIN.
Microsoft persuades ASUS to install Office on its Android phones
ASUS will install Office apps and other “innovative product solutions” from Microsoft on its Android phones thanks to a new patent licensing deal. The arrangement builds on an existing, private deal over Android phones between the two companies, according to ZDNet. Despite holding most of the patent cards, Microsoft magnanimously said the pact “opens the door to the kind of collaboration between Microsoft and ASUS made possible only through mutual respect and alignment on intellectual property.” ASUS joins Samsung, LG, Sony and 20 or so other manufacturers that signed deals with Microsoft to bundle Office apps on Android devices.
Last year, ASUS dropped several laptop/tablet hybrids that dual-boot Windows and Android, reportedly at the behest of Microsoft. Redmond has not been afraid to flex its patent muscles as the head of the Rockstar patent consortium that includes Apple, BlackBerry and Ericsson. The group also sued Google over phones (and Google sued it back over Xbox video), but the two tech giants recently decided to resolve all 20 ongoing patent disputes.
So why all the peacemaking from Microsoft? CEO Satya Nadella recently resolved to stop stop focusing on beating Google in the smartphone OS arena, as former Microsoft chief Steve Ballmer did. Instead, he wants to get Microsoft products onto as many Android phones as possible, a strategy that’s clearly working out better.
Source: Microsoft
Microsoft and ASUS expand on their patent deal
Today, Microsoft and ASUS expand on their joint patent deal. The deal is a broad cross-license covering things like “Android-based phones and tablets and Microsoft software, devices and services.”
With this new agreement, ASUS promises to pre-install Microsoft Office services on their Android smartphones and tablets in the future.
Nick Psyhogeos, president of Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC. said:
“This agreement delivers significant value for both companies. Beyond ensuring continued improvements to our products, it opens the door to the kind of collaboration between Microsoft and ASUS made possible only through mutual respect and alignment on intellectual property,”
ASUS General Counsel Vincent Hong said:
“This agreement will give us both a greater ability to innovate for our customers. We see it leading to broad partnership opportunities for future technologies and a strengthened relationship between our two companies as leaders of the technology industry.”
Press Release:
REDMOND, Wash. and TAIPEI, Taiwan, Oct. 1, 2015 /PRNewswire/ — Microsoft Corp. and ASUSTeK Computer Inc. (ASUS) on Thursday announced the expansion of an earlier patent licensing agreement between the companies. The deal includes a broad cross-license covering, for example, ASUS Android-based phones and tablets and Microsoft software, devices and services. It paves the way for closer integration between the two companies, including pre-installation by ASUS of Microsoft Office productivity services on ASUS Android smartphones and tablets. The agreement also facilitates technology sharing toward the development of new, innovative product solutions.
“This agreement delivers significant value for both companies. Beyond ensuring continued improvements to our products, it opens the door to the kind of collaboration between Microsoft and ASUS made possible only through mutual respect and alignment on intellectual property,” said Nick Psyhogeos, president of Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC.
ASUS General Counsel Vincent Hong said, “This agreement will give us both a greater ability to innovate for our customers. We see it leading to broad partnership opportunities for future technologies and a strengthened relationship between our two companies as leaders of the technology industry.”
About ASUS
ASUS is a worldwide top-three consumer notebook vendor and maker of the world’s best-selling, most award-winning motherboards. A leading enterprise in the new digital era, ASUS designs and manufactures products that perfectly meet the needs of today’s digital home and office, with a broad portfolio that includes motherboards, graphics cards, optical drives, displays, desktop and all-in-one PCs, notebooks, netbooks, servers, multimedia devices, wireless solutions, networking devices, tablets, smartphones and wearables. Driven by innovation and committed to quality, ASUS won 4,326 awards in 2014 and is widely credited with revolutionizing the PC industry with its Eee PC™. ASUS has more than 16,000 employees around the globe with a world-class R&D team of 5,200 engineers. Company revenue for 2014 was approximately US$14.5 billion.
About Microsoft Technology Licensing
Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC was formed in 2014 to acquire, manage and license Microsoft’s patent portfolio.
About Microsoft
Microsoft (Nasdaq “MSFT” @microsoft) is the leading platform and productivity company for the mobile-first, cloud-first world, and its mission is to empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more.
Come comment on this article: Microsoft and ASUS expand on their patent deal
ASUS joins ‘Make in India” initiative with help from Foxconn
As one of the hottest mobile device markets around the world today, India’s government took some steps to capitalize on the interest shown by manufacturers in selling to their citizens. The “Make in India” initiative was created to encourage production of smartphones within the country rather than having them shipped there from other manufacturing plants in other countries. The project appears to be proving successful with several smartphone manufacturers announcing plans to locate production facilities in India. The latest to join the list is ASUS, in partnership with Foxconn, which announced plans to commence production of some of their Zenfone series of devices in India.
According to sources, ASUS will start producing their Zenfone 2 Laser device and the ASUS Zenfone Go smartphone in India. Early indications are that the facility will be capable of producing 150,000 units on a monthly basis. At current levels, this would meet about 80% of demand for ASUS smartphones in India. Peter Chang with ASUS says the manufacturer is hoping to capture 5% of market share in India. Chang added,
“India offers us a huge opportunity as smartphone penetration is just 10%. We are excited to announce our local manufacturing facility that will cater to the growing demands of the market. The Indian government’s focus on ‘Make in India’ has opened a plethora of opportunities for international companies. It is an opportune time to make the announcement as it will enable us to bring our cutting-edge products to consumers who are looking for features and design sensibilities of a high-end smartphone at an economic price.”
To celebrate the announcement, ASUS India released the video below.
Click here to view the embedded video.
source: PhoneRadar
Come comment on this article: ASUS joins ‘Make in India” initiative with help from Foxconn
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