Segway miniPRO by Ninebot Review
Walking on our own two feet just isn’t enough anymore for some people, there now needs to be some style behind the process – or else you’ll look very much like everyone else, exerting energy into it. While some don’t mind it all, others however are finding alternative forms of personal transportation. Over the most recent holiday season, so-called “hoverboards” roared unexpectedly onto the scene and became highly coveted amongst gift hunters, garnering huge sales in the process. Despite the sales surge, controversies surrounding safety recalls and the banning of its use in certain places, seemingly killed the hoverboard’s potential.
Long time connoisseur in personal transportation, Segway, believes that a better alternative will be achieved by the company’s latest, consumer-centric transportation vehicle in the Segway miniPRO by Ninebot. Given Segway’s history and reputation, the miniPRO is clearly distancing itself from being associated with hoverboards in general, as there’s no mention of it being one at all. Instead, Segway is selling it as being a “smart self balancing personal transporter.” This Bluetooth enabled personal transporter can be controlled via your Android smartphone, in addition to delivering vital information about its operation.
Slapped with an MSRP of $1300, it might be regarded as a pricey investment at first, but considering that commercial Segways start at $5,000 at the very minimum, the miniPRO’s cost is definitely easier on the pockets. Is it really worth getting though and is this the future of personal transportation tech?
Buy the Segway miniPRO now!
Design
First and foremost, the Segway miniPRO is a beast in terms of its size and puts to shame how those aforementioned “hoverboards” are built. Right away after taking out of the packaging, it’s tough to overlook the sense of solidness that accompanies its construction and design – one that favors an aggressive styling with its mostly dark black paint job. Meanwhile, the red accents found throughout the body help to exemplify its aggressiveness even more, making those hoverboards appear kiddy by comparison.
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Even though it shares the same foundation as most hoverboards, where it’s essentially a base held together by two 10.5” pneumatic, air-filled tires, which in this case are military-grade shock resistant and durable, the miniPRO is differentiated by a center column that controls its left/right steering by swaying your knees towards the corresponding direction. Again, there’s that sense of meticulousness with its design, as it incorporates an abundant set of LEDs and indicators on the platform to provide lighting while it’s on operation and relevant vehicle diagnostics without having to rely on the app – they include things like the battery level, speed limit, and Bluetooth connectivity indicators.
This isn’t a dainty, hastily put together contraption, like some of those unbranded hoverboards you might find sold at grocery stores. Building on top of its existing reputation in the business, Segway’s devotion in designing a personal transporter for the masses is evident here with the miniPRO’s outstanding design.
Balancing & Movement
Anyone who has experience in riding a hoverboard will undoubtedly have an easier time adjusting to the Segway miniPRO’s operation, seeing that its steering implementation is similar to a certain degree. Forward/backward movement is done in similar fashion by balancing yourself on the board and either leaning towards the appropriate direction. Of course, leaning a little bit makes the miniPRO move slowly, but leaning a lot will naturally make you move quicker. The skill in balancing on the Segway miniPRO might be difficult to newcomers who’ve never used a hoverboard, but once mastered, getting on/off and movement becomes second nature – it’s just finding that sweet spot with your center of gravity.
What’s different, though, is the center column that rests over the knees for left/right steering. This particularly implementation isn’t just safer for the rider, but also more logical because it aids in the balancing. In comparison, typical hoverboards rely on opposing foot tilting, wherein a left turn is done by tilting you left food forward and your right one backwards, which we feel is a more clumsy way of executing it – more so when you’re already trying to keep steady on the board. This implementation is what sets this apart from other personal transporters.
Admittedly, navigating around on the miniPRO was a breeze, even on some steep inclines. With a maximum weight limit of 220lbs, we’re able to safely traverse terrains without any issues, including some uneven areas. However, it’s best to take these types of terrains with caution, since going through them at faster speeds is a cause for some unbalancing.
We only had one minor altercation riding the Segway miniPRO, which relates to one incident when we got off it, but our shirt got caught towards the end of the center column – causing the unit to steer towards one direction, as well as the wheels grazing the bottom of our ankle.
Is it a practical form of personal transportation?
Size-wise, the Segway miniPRO offers personal transportation in a package that’s considerably less than your ordinary bicycle, but still bulkier and heavier than a skateboard or scooter. With a top speed of 10 mph and a range of 14 miles, the miniPRO clearly has some advantage over other manual forms of personal transportation, but we wouldn’t recommend lugging around a heavy backpack or other gear while using it. Instability alone, especially at higher speeds, is something we’re afraid of happening in the process. Even by ourselves, we still feel leery about pushing it to its maximum speed limit.
Using it to travel short distances is fine, say somewhere around one or two miles, but bear in mind that factors such as weight, terrain, and the incline will play a role in depleting its battery faster. Speaking of battery life, it might not have gotten close to its rated range of 14 miles from a full charge, but given out weight and whatnot, our 6 miles of usage isn’t too shabby at all. And when it comes to recharging it, the included wall adapter plugs into the port on the front section of the miniPRO, taking upwards of around 4 hours to completely charge.
The premise of the Segway miniPRO is alluring, a personal transporter that gets you from point A to point B in style. At the same time, though, its heavy weight (28 lbs) makes it almost impractical to bring along on the subway – you’ll be exerting more energy just lugging it around and carrying up stairs. Yes, there’s a steering guide at the top of the column that extends that allows us to pull the miniPRO, but it’s still a lot of work bringing it around. In fact, it’s just as heavy as some entry-level folding bikes.
Ninebot app
When it comes to its smartphone integration, the Bluetooth connection paired with the Ninebot app for Android allows us to do a host of things, ranging from customizing the LED lights, calibrating the unit, obtaining diagnostics information, and even remotely controlling it with the app. You can guide the miniPRO using the on-screen controls with the app, allowing for all the same movements available to us as if we were actually riding it. Remotely controlling is neat, obviously, but the only limitation here is the reach of the Bluetooth connection.
And as for security, the anti-theft security alarm feature is only available when the miniPRO is on and connected via Bluetooth to our connected Android smartphone – a Samsung Galaxy S7 in this case. When it’s enabled, the miniPRO will vibrate a little and flash some of its LEDs in the event it’s disturbed, as well as informing us via the app if it’s been moved or touched
Related: Xiaomi backed Ninebot acquires Segway1
Unfortunately, there’s no way to have this feature enabled without having the Segway miniPRO turned on. Add to that, the whole security feature is rendered useless because you need to have it turned on and connected via Bluetooth for it to work properly. If we’re to grab a quick coffee from a store and leave the miniPRO outside, someone could very well snag it quickly and be a good distance away by the time we realize that the Bluetooth connection was severed.
Gallery
Conclusion
The promise of being the next step in the evolution of personal transportation is strongly evident with the Segway miniPRO by Ninebot, since its implementation is something we feel as being far more logical than the typical hoverboard. From its meticulous design, stylish flavor, smooth operation, and smartphone integration, it seems like the personal transporter that we’ve all been waiting for. Accompanied with the established reputation of the name Segway, the miniPRO seems like it’s on its way to success, right?
Now that’s a loaded question to answer, even for us, given that its sticker tag of $1300 will make it a difficult proposition for garnering widespread adoption. Over at Amazon, its price has been lowered to make it $1000, but it’s still a pricey investment for people to justify purchasing over other alternatives. Indeed, it’s a pretty cool gadget that’ll make your friends jealous, and it’s also more affordable than most commercial Segways. At the end of the day, however, it’s just too much of an expensive investment to spur adoption on a mass scale.
And herein lies the biggest issue; just like with smartphones, the tech surrounding personal transportation devices has improved dramatically but, rather crucially, battery technology has progressed at a slower rate.
For half the cost, alternatives like a decent folding bike or electric scooter, will offer more versatility for those who really need to cover distances. And of course, bikes and scooters only have to rely on the energy level of its rider – whereas the Segway miniPRO won’t be much of a help when its battery is depleted. And herein lies the biggest issue; just like with smartphones, the tech surrounding personal transportation devices has improved dramatically but, rather crucially, battery technology has progressed at a slower rate. As far as the technology goes however, the Segway miniPRO is a lot more comfortable than alternatives like a hoverboard.
What do you think of the Segway miniPRO and would you buy one? Let us know your views down below!!
Buy the Segway miniPRO now!
ZTE Axon 7 review
It was merely a year ago when we found out that ZTE was behind the mysterious “Axon Phone,” a promising offering which aimed to keep the consumer in mind. With its Axon sub-brand, ZTE hoped to capture more of the U.S. market by striking a balance between affordability and premiumness.
Interested in ZTE?
- ZTE Axon 7 hands on
- ZTE VR announced
- ZTE ZMAX Pro hands on
- ZTE Grand X Max 2 review
After testing the original ZTE Axon extensively, we granted it our 2015 Editors’ Choice award for its incredible value. Although the original Axon wasn’t perfect by any stretch, it did incorporate unique features like a two-year premium warranty while still making only a few compromises.
On the surface, the succeeding Axon 7 appears to be a major step forward once again, considering the many improvements ZTE has made. It is evident that the ZTE Axon 7 is more than just a minor refinement to the ZTE Axon, but in an increasingly-competitive “flagship killer” market, has ZTE really done enough to make the Axon 7 worthy of your consideration? Let’s explore that question and more with our comprehensive ZTE Axon 7 review!
Buy the Axon 7 now!
Design
The Axon 7’s design could be viewed as a normalization of that of the first Axon, as ZTE has both literally and metaphorically smoothed the edges. Although the updated design is less likely to raise eyebrows, it certainly has character. Unlike many metal smartphones, the Axon 7 does not incorporate plastic caps in its design and instead embraces an aluminum unibody free of any edges.
Although the updated design is less likely to raise eyebrows, it certainly has character
The curved back, although similarly done before, is elegant and feels excellent in the hand. The build quality is great, and it’s very unlikely that you’ll be able to get the Axon 7 to bend, even if you try. The power and volume buttons, which are now both on the right side of the device, as well as the recessed fingerprint reader are very ergonomic. The latter may seem senseless, but it is actually very nice when trying to differentiate it from the camera module.
Some of our keen-eyed readers have likely already noticed and may have even already objected to the Axon 7’s camera hump. Thankfully, it’s not thick enough to cause the phone to wobble when typing on a table, except when typing with excessive force.
ZTE has implemented antenna lines in a such a way to compliment the design rather than blemishing it. The chamfer found where the aluminum meets with the front of the device is also quite nice and feels natural, next to the very slightly curved display.
The “Designed in the USA” tag located on the rear of the Axon 7 may prompt some questions, considering that ZTE is, after all, a Chinese smartphone manufacturer. However, ZTE tells us that they collaborated with Designworks, a US-based BMW Group subsidiary, when designing the Axon 7. This can definitely be seen in the Axon 7’s design, most noticeably with the phone’s curved shape.
I wish the phone wasn’t so slippery in the hand
Although I really like the Axon 7’s design overall, I do wish that the phone wasn’t so slippery in the hand. The Axon 7’s size, smooth metal, and curved side edges combined certainly do not help make the device easier to grip. Although I eventually became accustomed to the Axon 7’s slippery profile, its height is still somewhat problematic. Reaching for the top to access the notification panel can be very interesting at times, given that any adjustment in the hand must be done very carefully due to the phone’s lack of grip.
The three non-illuminated capacitive keys on the U.S. Axon 7 do the job, but could be spaced out a bit more. I am nearly sure that the current implementation was designed to cater to aesthetics, but it can be difficult, especially at first or in a dark environment, to locate the side keys, as they are curiously closer to the center than to the edges of the display.
For what it’s worth, however, I really enjoyed the ability to change the key layout. The indeterminate iconography may be a bit jarring for first-time users, but oftentimes becomes irrelevant after a day or so of use.
Display
ZTE has definitely exceeded my expectations with the Axon 7’s display. Whereas many similarly priced options compromise on either resolution or panel quality, the Axon 7 offers one of the very best displays I have seen on a smartphone. It’s a Quad HD 5.5″ AMOLED display with a pixel density of 538 PPI, which translates to excellent sharpness, punchy and saturated colors, deep blacks, great color reproduction, and excellent contrast and viewing angles. It’s most definitely worthy of competing with the highest-end of displays, like those found on phones such as the Samsung Galaxy S7.
The edges of the display glass taper down to meet with the chamfered aluminum
Sunlight readability is also good, and the display also seems to get dim enough in darker environments. The larger screen size is great for any type of content, without being too big to hold comfortably in many cases. The Corning Gorilla Glass 4 protection is also great to see, so users should not have to worry about scratching the display. The edges of the display glass taper down to meet with the chamfered aluminum, which gives the Axon 7 a consistent premium feel when swiping near the edges.
Performance
Under the hood, the Axon 7 is powered by a quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 820, with two of the cores running at 2.15GHz and the other two running at 1.6GHz. The Snapdragon 820 has been used in every major flagship smartphone this year, and for good reason, as it is an absolute beast of a processor, offering up some of the best performance to date. It’s a notable step forward from last year’s Snapdragon 810, which was plagued by overheating rumors.
The overall experience is remarkably smooth
In addition to a Snapdragon 820, however, the Axon 7 includes 4 GB of RAM, which is enough for even the heaviest of multitasking. Day-to-day performance was absolutely wonderful and the overall experience is remarkably smooth. The Adreno 530 GPU is also more than enough for mobile gaming.
Although benchmark scores aren’t everything, it is clear that ZTE’s software optimization and selective component choices have paid off. The ludicrous 140,393 score in Antutu is undoubtedly incredible as it reflects actual performance quite well.
Hardware
Last year, we were slightly disappointed that the Axon was only available with 32 GB of non-expandable storage. With the Axon 7, however, ZTE has included not only double the amount of storage (now 64 GB), but has also included a microSD card expansion slot, which accepts up to 256 GB.
Please do keep in mind, however, that you will need to give up one of the SIM card slots if you’d like to take advantage of microSD card expansion. Regardless, this is an invaluable inclusion for those needing lots of space, and may just give the Axon 7 a slight edge over much of the competition.
The ZTE Axon 7 is an unlocked dual-SIM device which works with all major carriers in the United States, so regardless of whether you’re on T-Mobile’s Band 12 or Verizon, you’ll be receiving full coverage. Since the Axon 7 isn’t officially supported by Verizon or Sprint, however, you will need to contact ZTE if any issues arise.
Even when plugging in a pair of $8 earbuds, the difference in audio quality is noticeable
Although ZTE did implement high-quality audio with the first-generation Axon, the Axon 7 takes it to the next level. With dual independent Hi-Fi audio chips, the AKM AK4961 and AKM AK4490, both recording and listening to audio on the Axon 7 is an excellent experience. Even when plugging in a pair of $8 earbuds, the difference in audio quality is noticeable, especially when streaming at higher bitrates. The audio sounds fuller and the volume isn’t as limited as it is on other devices.
If you’re interested in how the Hi-Fi audio recording sounds, you should have a listen of our video review found above, as the voice over was recorded using the Axon 7 and a Rode smartLav+ microphone. For informal recordings, ZTE states that the dual noise cancelling internal microphones are able to clearly capture voices up to eight meters away from the phone, which is quite impressive.
The listening experience with the Axon 7 is extraordinary
Unlike its predecessor, the ZTE Axon 7 features dual-front facing stereo speakers with Dolby Atmos surround sound technology. The listening experience with the Axon 7 is extraordinary; the sound is impressively clear, loud, and full. There’s very little distortion, even at full volume, and the audio is surprisingly immersive. The quality is nearly unmatched, and gives the speaker found on the HTC 10 a run for its money. Whether you choose to listen to music, play a mobile game, or watch a movie, the Axon 7’s speakers will impress you.
The fingerprint reader on the back of the Axon 7 is both fast and accurate, easily beating out comparable devices like the Huawei Nexus 6P. The reversible USB Type-C port is also great to see, and Quick Charge 3.0 (QC3.0) delivers on its promise of providing a 50% charge in just a half hour. Unlike some manufacturers, ZTE has included a QC3.0 complaint charger in the box, so you won’t have to worry about buying one yourself.
Need an extra charger? Best USB Type-C Cables14
Battery Life
The Axon 7’s 3250mAh non-removable battery may seem somewhat small after factoring in the powerful processor and high resolution display, but it actually holds up quite well. Battery life with the Axon 7 is excellent; I was consistently able to achieve upwards of five hours of screen on time with a full day of heavy use. With moderate usage, six hours of screen on time was achievable.
I was consistently able to achieve upwards of five hours of screen on time with a full day of heavy use
Overall, battery life is very comparable to that of the Galaxy S7, which is excellent considering the phone’s price. It does lack wireless charging, unfortunately, but that’s because of the Axon’s metal body. Thankfully for ZTE, many users prefer the much faster QC 3.0 wired charging anyway.
Camera
ZTE has included a 20 MP f/1.8 rear camera with optical image stabilization and phase detection autofocus. In good lighting conditions, the camera does quite well. Images come out sharp and detailed with good contrast and accurate color reproduction. It doesn’t always set exposure correctly, however, and some images can look a bit washed out. Otherwise, the camera is a great performer in good lighting. The 8 MP front-facing camera also performed very well.
ZTE Axon 7 camera samples:
With its fast f/1.8 aperture and OIS, it seems that the Axon 7 would offer great low-light performance. Unfortunately, this is simply not the case; images taken in darker conditions were soft with muted colors. This seems to be more of a software issue as there is an excessive amount of noise reduction taking place in most images. The good news is that this may be able to be at least partially corrected with a software update as the hardware doesn’t seem to be the issue.
The camera performance is where the Axon 7 feels most compromised
It’s difficult to deny that the camera performance is where the Axon 7 feels most compromised. The camera is great, but it’s simply not as excellent as those found on the Galaxy S7 or even Xiaomi Mi 5.
With that said, ZTE’s camera app is very nice and easy to use. The automatic mode will automatically turn on HDR and night mode for you and the manual mode is very comprehensive. There’s also a bunch of filters and additional modes like Panorama and Timelapse. The simple “capture” and “cheese” voice commands to take a picture worked surprisingly well, and using the fingerprint reader on the back as a shutter button is ingenious.
Software
Although the Axon 7 runs ZTE’s MiFavor UI 4.0 over Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow, a “stock Android” theme is available and selected by default. When using the stock Android theme, the launcher is like the Google Now Launcher with a transparent app drawer and a few bonus features like the ability to change the home screen transitions. The multitasking menu is pretty much the same as well, but with a very handy “clear all” button.
ZTE’s software feels like stock Android with a very slight tasteful twist
Overall, ZTE’s software feels like stock Android with a very slight tasteful twist. I found myself really enjoying the full screen notification panel and editable quick toggles, and the “frequently used” settings page seems like a nice touch.
Many of the other changes made are either too subtle to mention or purely functional. The latter changes include, for example, a lock screen wallpaper which changes each time you unlock the device. We haven’t seen that feature here in the U.S. yet, but it works quite well and is a nice differentiation. There are also gestures like double tap to wake and shake for the flashlight which are always nice to have, and the power saving modes are comfortably advanced.
You can simply hold the phone up to your ear and the phone will ask who do you want to call?
My favorite addition, however, is the “My Voice” app, which allows you to use genuinely useful voice commands throughout the interface. For example, as long as the screen is on, you can simply hold the phone up to your ear and the phone will ask “who do you want to call?” You can say the phone number or a contact name and the dialer app will place the call. It’s a really cool and unique feature that I wish Google themselves would take note of.
While this is the best software we’ve seen from ZTE to date, there are still areas that could use some additional polish. For example, some translations are grammatically incorrect, the dialer app doesn’t work with third party services like Google Voice, and functional changes like My Voice could be better integrated within Android. With that said, the minor changes needed are just that: minor.
Gallery
Price
The ZTE Axon 7 is available in the United States for $399.99 from Amazon, Best Buy, B&H Photo, Newegg, and directly from ZTE. That’s a surprisingly low price for what the Axon 7 is, considering that it is unlocked and compatible with every major 4G LTE network within the United States.
There are two color options available: ion gold and quartz gray. The Ion Gold model ships on July 27th and the Quartz Gray model ships on August 17th. Both models are now available for pre-order.
Unlike virtually every other smartphone out there, the Axon 7 includes a two-year warranty. ZTE’s Axon Passport 2.0 program provides everything from upgrade, replacement, and setup assistance to unlimited out-of-warranty repairs for a deductible. Each repair, whether in or out of warranty, will include a free advanced exchange and free two-way shipping. There’s also a 30-day risk free trial period, during which you can return the phone to ZTE for a full refund if you’re unhappy with it.
Conclusion
ZTE’s Axon 7 blows past the competition by providing amazing hardware, great audio fidelity, an exceptional display at a price point that should worry the competition.
It is clear that ZTE has put a massive amount of time and effort into the Axon 7, making it one of the best smartphones we’ve encountered. It’s surprisingly similar to popular offerings like the Galaxy S7 and HTC 10, while costing much less. It’s one of the very few smartphones that feels largely uncompromised, even next to the very best. If you’re looking for a flagship smartphone and don’t need the absolute best of cameras, we cannot recommend the ZTE Axon 7 enough. Simply put… ZTE’s Axon 7 blows past the competition by providing amazing hardware, great audio fidelity, an exceptional display at a price point that should worry the competition.
Interested in ZTE?
- ZTE Axon 7 hands on
- ZTE VR announced
- ZTE ZMAX Pro hands on
- ZTE Grand X Max 2 review
So, what do you think of the ZTE Axon 7? It will certainly be interesting to see how ZTE’s strategy plays out. Are you considering purchasing the Axon 7? Do you already have one on pre-order or does another device take your fancy, and if so, which one? Please do let us know your thoughts in the comments below!
Buy the Axon 7 now!
‘No More Ransom’ helps you fight ransomware without paying
Ransomware is one of the most chilling type of malware floating around the internet: an attack that locks a user’s files hostage behind an encrypted paywall. Universities, hospitals and even seats of government have fallen victim to these kinds of attacks, paying thousands of dollars in ransom to cyber-criminals in hopes of recovering precious data. Now, authorities and IT companies are fighting back. Intel Secruity, Interpol, the Dutch police and Kaspersky labs have teamed up to create No More Ransom, a web-portal with tool that help users remove ransomware without paying off their attackers.
At a glance, NoMoreRansom.org looks like a “best-practices” site, dispensing the usual prevention advice: use back ups, only open attachments from people you know and trust, use anti-virus software and so on — but it also features ransomware detection and decryption tools. Users can upload encrypted files to see what kind of malware they’re infected with, and then check to see if it can be removed with the 160,000 decryption keys at the organization’s disposal.
Beyond simply helping infected users get back on their feet, the organization hopes to deter ransomware by reducing criminal income. “The biggest problem with crypto-ransomware today is that when users have precious data locked down, they readily pay criminals to get it back,” explains Jornt Van der Wiel, from Kaspersky Labs. “That boosts the underground economy, and we are facing an increase in the number of new players and the number of attacks as a result.”
It’s an uphill battle — and malware will probably never be eliminated entirely — but it’s a war worth fighting. Think you might be infected with ransomware? Check out the website at the source link and get your files checked.
Via: CNET
Source: No More Ransom, Europol
Go Time! Episode 2: Love at the Dog Park
Welcome back to our weekly Pokemon Go Podcast!
Our Instinct, Mystic, and Valor team members have returned for another episode of Go Time! to talk about everything happening in the world of Pokemon Go. There are tales of Dog Parks, tips on how to use web apps to give you an edge in the game, and some helpful suggestions on upgrading your phone on the cheap if you’ve discovered your existing hardware isn’t quite enough to get you though a Pokemon Go session.
We’re here to help and have fun, and we hope you subscribe!
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You can also join our Facebook page to keep up on all things Pokémon Go. See you in the world!
Pokémon Go
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Kevin Spacey is investing in a mysterious gaming smartphone startup, Wonder
A new report claims to have some information on a startup called Wonder. The company is apparently working on a gaming-themed smartphone and counts actor Kevin Spacey among its investors.
At the moment, the official Wonder website is pretty bare bones, with an astronaut helmet logo and a “Coming Soon” label, along with an email address signup bar to get more updates as they are revealed. TechCrunch says it has a little more information on Wonder’s plans:
According to sources close to the team, Wonder plans to create a smartphone for gamers. Apparently the goal is to build an object so futuristic, it becomes a style icon, starting conversations wherever users go.
The article adds that some of the other investors in Wonder include Atari founder Nolan Bushnell, former NBA Commissioner David Stern and former Facebook COO Owen Van Natta. Wonder currently has a 30-person team and it just hired Tyler Carper, who worked as VP of Engineering at both HTC and more recently Cyanogen:
Carper says “I love the idea of innovating and disrupting the fast changing environment around mobile technology and entertainment. It’s one of the biggest consumer market opportunities in the world”, implying a gaming-focused phone is indeed Wonder’s product.
What do you think Wonder might be up to? Let us know your speculation in the comments!
CEO of Cyanogen says it will remain an OS company
Kirt McMaster, the CEO of Cyanogen, has denied recent reports that the company is switching its strategy to apps, saying, “We are an OS company and our mission of creating an Open Android stands.”
Late last week, rumors hit the internet that Cyanogen had laid off as many as 20% of its team members. McMaster admitted to some layoffs, without revealing specific numbers, on his Twitter account:
really sad we had to let go of some wonderful folks this week. startups and disruption are brutal.
— Kirt McMaster (@cyanogenone) July 23, 2016
Those same reports suggested Cyanogen was going to work more on apps rather than its alternative smartphone OS as part of a shift in its business. Today, McMaster posted again on Twitter to deny those rumors:
Cyanogen NOT pivoting to apps. We are an OS company and our mission of creating an OPEN ANDROID stands. FALSE reporting was outstanding.
— Kirt McMaster (@cyanogenone) July 25, 2016
The Cyanogen OS has made its way in a few phones, most notably those made by OnePlus, but it has yet to have a huge impact on the market.
Save on Chromebooks, Chromecast, and more in the Google Store’s back to school sale
The back to school shopping season is here, and the Google Store has now marked the occasion with a number of deals on Chromebooks, Chromecasts and more. Of particular interest are the deals on select Chromebooks, which include $30 off on both the Acer Chromebook R11 and the Acer Chromebook 14. For those keeping track, that drops the Chromebook R11 down to just $280, while the Chromebook 14 comes in at $270.
If an Android Wear watch is more your style, Google is also advertising a $50 price cut on both the Huawei Watch and the Huawei Watch Jewel and Elegant, bringing prices down to $350 and $450, respectively.
Lastly, you can pick up a Chromecast or Chromecast Audio for a $5 discount, bringing the price of each down to just $30. Google is also advertising a $100 drop on the price of the Nexus 6P, which is a continuation of a previous deal.
Are you planning to pick anything up from this back to school sale? Be sure to give the sale a look and let us know in the comments what you think!
See at the Google Store
Google brings spam call protection to some Nexus and Android One phones
Google is rolling out an update for the Android phone app that will warn you about spam callers. The update, currently for Nexus or Android One phones on Marshmallow, lets you block and report these numbers.
From Nexus on Google+:
Today, we’re beginning to update your Google Phone app with spam protection on #Nexus and #AndroidOne devices to warn you about potential spam callers and give you the ability to block and report these numbers. If you already have Caller ID turned on, spam protection will be available on your phone once your app updates to the latest version.
Spam call protection will be turned on in the phone app by default. In addition to new incoming calls, you will also be able to mark old calls as spam in your Recent calls section in the app.
Google Maps rolls out a cleaner look and adds areas of interest
Google Maps is getting a makeover in an update that’s currently rolling out to its mobile apps as well as on the desktop. It will offer a cleaner look to the maps themselves while also adding new “areas of interest”.
In a blog post, Google stated:
The world is full of information, which means highlighting necessary info on the map without overcrowding it is a balancing act. So as part of this update, we’ve removed elements that aren’t absolutely required (like road outlines). The result is a cleaner look that makes it easier to see helpful and actionable information like traffic and transit. And we’ve improved the typography of street names, points of interest, transit stations, and more to make them more distinguishable from other things on the map, helping you navigate the world with fewer distractions.
The update also includes new orange spots that represent large concentrations of places like restaurants, bars and shops:
To find an “area of interest” just open Google Maps and look around you. When you’ve found an orange-shaded area, zoom in to see more details about each venue and tap one for more info. Whether you’re looking for a hotel in a hot spot or just trying to determine which way to go after exiting the subway in a new place, “areas of interest” will help you find what you’re looking for with just a couple swipes and a zoom.
Finally, the update includes some changes to the maps’ colors so that users can quickly identify man-made and natural features, along with a better way to find important locations like schools, hospitals and more.
Apple brought back a longtime executive to oversee its car project
One of the highly-regarded executives that helped make Apple what it is today has returned to the company to head up a secretive car project.
Bob Mansfield, who join Apple in 1999, has been appointed to oversee Project Titan, according to The Wall Street Journal, and all senior managers working on Apple’s rumoured electric vehicle will report to him. The executive technically retired from his full-time post at Apple in 2012, but he stayed on in a minimal capacity and has made regular appearances on campus as an adviser.
He previously served as senior vice president of Technologies and worked on Apple’s “Special Projects” team. He’s also one of the few executives to frequently appear – with Jony Ive, Apple’s design chief – in Apple’s product videos, as he was instrumental in the development of Apple’s most flagship products, including the MacBook Air, iPhone, iPad, and Apple Watch.
Employees at Apple have apparently noticed in the company directory that all the senior managers on the car project have begun reporting to Mansfield, whereas Dan Riccio, senior vice president of Hardware Engineering, was thought to be overseeing Project Titan. Steve Zadesky also had a senior role on the project, leading one of multiple teams, but he left for personal reasons in 2014.
Project Titan is kind of a mix bag right now in terms of talent. Apple has reportedly recruited tonnes of people to work on Apple Car, the rumoured name for its vehicle, including engineers from Tesla, Ford, GM, and others. The electric vehicle should be ready to roll by 2021 and is currently being developed at an R&D facility in Sunnyvale, California, according to several reports.
Apart from being electric, the car is presumed to have a unique design and autonomous capabilities. You can read more speculation about the upcoming vehicle from Pocket-lint’s rumour round-up.
- Tim Cook on Apple Car: ‘It’s going to be Christmas Eve for a while’
- Apple Car has 2019 ship date but likely won’t be fully autonomous
- Apple Car should have Tesla very worried indeed
