BlackBerry Vienna/Mercury: What’s the story so far?

Almost as soon as the BlackBerry Priv – the company’s first Android phone – launched in 2015, there were rumours circulating about another Android-powered smartphone. At the time it was code-named Vienna, which made complete sense following on from the Priv which was code-named Venice. 

Since then, the phone was referred to with code-name Rome, and more recently, Mercury. While naming is important to get a sense of this device’s story, it’s easy to get confused when there are three names being bandied around for a single phone. 

In true BlackBerry style, the Mercury looks to offer a physical keyboard, a uniquely BlackBerry offering when paired with the Android operating system.

Since the early “Vienna” days, there hasn’t been too much to go on in terms of rumours, but we’re slowly getting to grips with BlackBerry’s lineup for 2016/17. 

BlackBerry Vienna/Mercury: Display

Unlike classic BlackBerry handsets the screen won’t be square but adopt a more regular touchscreen aspect, according to leaked images. Venture Beat’s most recent report on the new BlackBerry phones suggests it won’t be the usual widescreen 16:9 ratio, but rather a 3:2 ratio display. In other words: get ready for some heavy letter-boxing on your videos. 

As well as having a slightly shorter display, it’s claimed to measure just 4.5-inches diagonally but still pack in a panel with full HD resolution. Given that 1080p looks great on full-size 5.5-inch screens, the smaller display on the Mercury should be very crisp. 

Mondo BlackBerry

BlackBerry Vienna/Mercury: Design

Unlike the Priv the Vienna isn’t likely to have a sliding display, instead looking like a candybar device following the design of the Leap. In a lot of ways, it looks like a stretched out BlackBerry Classic, with rounded metal edges.

Like traditional BlackBerry phones, and unlike the Priv, the Mercury also appears to have metal frets in between the four rows of keys on the physical keyboard. This helps space out the keys to make typing easier, as well as giving it a solid feel. Above the keys, below the display, there’s the traditional Android trio of capacitive buttons. 

According to the earliest mock-ups from CrackBerry it seemed like BlackBerry would release four colour variants: silver, grey, green and red. However, it’s been a long time since those, and the most recent leaked renders only appear to show a black/silver variant.

Those recent renders from both BlackBerry Central and Mondo BlackBerry show a device with what looks slight curves on the edges of the the screen to give it a seamless look and feel. The bottom edge looks to have a Type-C port in between two grilles. Presumably one of those is the microphone, while the other is a speaker.

The Mercury also has a fairly industrial looking top panel, above the screen, which looks very similar to the Passport Silver Edition. That means that, although it looks nicely curved around the edges and on on the bottom, the top is completely flat and angular. It will be interesting to see if this is the final design, and how it looks in real life. 

BlackBerry Vienna/Mercury: Hardware specs

The most recent report from Venture Beat states that the BlackBerry Mercury will be equipped with a mid-tier Snapdragon 625 processor, as well as 3GB RAM and 32GB storage. Of course, that isn’t confirmed yet, but if true it definitely won’t be the flagship of BlackBerry’s future product lineup. 

It’s also rumoured to feature a huge 3,400mAh battery. With those specs, the smaller screen and modern Android software, we’d be incredibly surprised if it couldn’t last two days on a single charge. There’s no word on whether or not there’s any Quick Charge support, but with a phone that big, we suggest that it would need something to fill it up quickly. 

BlackBerry Vienna/Mercury: Camera

Recent reports have claimed that we should expect to see an 18-megapixel rear camera in the Mercury, similar to the Priv which – although not incredible – was easily the best camera we’ve seen in a BlackBerry. The front camera is likely to be 8-megapixels. 

The mock-ups show an LED flash on the rear and also reveal a front-facing camera.

BlackBerry Vienna/Mercury: Release date and price

BlackBerry’s next QWERTY-equipped smartphone is due to land at some point in the first quarter of 2017. Prices are difficult to guess, early rumours suggested around $500 USD, which would suggest a price around the £400 mark in UK. It’s not a high-end device, so it’s unlikely to cost anywhere near the £580 price point of the Priv. 

Want to know more?

We’ll be keeping an eye on all the rumours surrounding the BlackBerry Mercury/Vienna/Rome (whatever you want to call it) and updating as we learn more. You can follow all the news and reviews on the BlackBerry hub!

Nexus Marlin vs Nexus Sailfish: What’s the rumoured difference?

Google tends to launch its Nexus devices towards the latter half of the year, normally around September/October.

This year’s models have been codenamed Marlin and Sailfish and despite being a couple of months away from hitting the shelves, rumours and leaks have been churning constantly.

This is how the Nexus Marlin currently compares to the Nexus Sailfish, based on the latest rumours.

Nexus Marlin vs Nexus Sailfish: Design

There has been very little leaked in regards to the next Nexuses designs, at least in comparison to what we appear to know about the specs.

The majority of the rumours point towards HTC manufacturing both however, which has led many to believe the HTC 10 will be a starting point for at least Marlin, which is rumoured to be the bigger and more powerful device.

We’d expect a full metal body on at least Marlin and a fingerprint sensor on both devices.

Nexus Marlin vs Nexus Sailfish: Display

As mentioned, the Nexus Marlin is said to be the bigger of the two devices being compared here. It is rumoured to be coming with a 5.5-inch display sporting a 2560 x 1440 resolution and AMOLED technology. This would deliver a pixel density of 534ppi.

The Nexus Sailfish is said to be slightly smaller at 5-inches with a lower resolution of 1920 x 1080. If true, the Sailfish would offer a lower pixel density of 440ppi, meaning it may not be the one to pick for those interested in VR and Daydream.

Nexus Marlin vs Nexus Sailfish: Camera

The Nexus Marlin is reported to be coming with a 12-megapixel rear camera, coupled with an 8-megapixel front facing camera. This would be the same resolutions as the Nexus 6P from last year, which delivered good camera results. Whether it will be exactly the same sensors however is currently unclear.

As yet, there have been no details on the Nexus Sailfish cameras. Given this is claimed to be the lower-specced device though, we would expect a similar difference between Marlin and Sailfish as there was between the 6P and the 5X.

The 5X offered the same rear snapper, but dropped the front camera’s resolution to 5-megapixels.

Nexus Marlin vs Nexus Sailfish: Hardware

The Nexus Marlin is rumoured to be coming with the Qualcomm Snapdragon 821 chip, which is said to be a slightly enhanced version of the SD820. Reports suggest to expect 4GB of RAM, along with 32GB and 128GB storage options.

The Nexus Sailfish is reported to feature the Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 under its hood, suggesting the Marlin will be slightly faster. The RAM is claimed to be the same at 4GB, but it sounds like there will only be a 32GB model for the Sailfish. Neither is likely to offer microSD as Nexus hasn’t ever in the past.

In terms of battery, the Nexus Marlin is rumoured to be coming with a 3450mAh capacity, while the Sailfish is said to be smaller at 2770mAh.

Nexus Marlin vs Nexus Sailfish: Software

It is no secret that the Nexus devices debut the latest version of Android, which this year is called Android Nougat. There are several developer builds of the software out now so we know plenty about it already, even though the final build won’t release until Marlin and Sailfish.

Both devices will offer exactly the same user experience, with vanilla Android 7.0 stealing the show. You can read all about Android Nougat and what to expect in our preview.

Nexus Marlin vs Nexus Sailfish: Conclusion

Details are still a little thin on the ground when it comes to the design of the next Nexus devices, but based on the leaks, it looks like the Nexus Marlin will be the more powerful of the two handsets.

Currently, assuming the leaks are accurate, Marlin trumps Sailfish in terms of display size and resolution, battery capacity, processor and storage capabilities. However, the big difference will be price. As with the Nexus 5X and Nexus 6P, we expect Marlin to challenge flagships, while Sailfish presents a slightly more affordable device.

This may all change nearer launch though and we will be updating this feature, as well as our next Nexus rumour round up as we hear more so keep checking back for the latest.

Disgraced US agent may be responsible for multiple Bitcoin thefts

A US secret service agent already convicted of stealing over $800,000 in Bitcoin during the Silk Road investigation is also suspected of lifting even more of the cryptocurrency from two other cases. According to the affidavit, the former agent is suspected of stealing roughly $700,000 from the secret service’s account months after the agency was urged to block his access. Shaun Bridges pleaded guilty last year and was sentenced to almost six year years for the original theft.

“The US Secret Service only discovered once it was ordered by a court to pay a portion of the seizure back to affected claimants,” a team of prosecutors wrote in an accompanying motion. It didn’t get quite as dramatic as the previous investigation, which lead the Silk Road chief Ross Ulbricht to plan a murder, for which he’s now serving life.

Source: Reuters

Jesus is coming … to virtual reality

Producers have been fretting about how to do feature films in VR, because the format doesn’t lend itself to traditional Hollywood techniques. However, it’s about to be used on one of the best-known tales of all time: Jesus VR — the Story of Christ, slated to arrive in Christmas, 2016, according to Variety. The 360-degree, 4K film will work on all major VR platforms, including the HTC Vive, Oculus Rift, Samsung Gear and PlayStation VR. Produced by Autumn Products and VRWERX, it’ll tell the story of Christ’s life from baptism to crucifixion.

Film directors are used to controlling what viewers watch, constantly cutting between close-ups, swooping crane shots, special effects shots, etc. However, that doesn’t work well with 360-degree VR, because the total immersion makes scene changes jarring. The medium also makes you feel you’re in the scene, not just watching it. “I think that’s going to be the definition of how you tell a story: Are you an observer, or are you a participant?” art director Robert Stromberg recently told Engadget.

The filmmakers behind Jesus VR haven’t said how they’re approaching the story, but appear to be focused on the immersion aspect. A production still (top) shows that the producers are using multiple head-mounted Sony Alpha 7 cameras, with a Samsung Galaxy Note-equipped VR viewer.

That approach will let them cameraman “be” in scenes and should make for very high-resolution video, though it’ll require a lot of data post-processing to stitch everything together. “The viewers truly feel they are there with Jesus and his disciples,” director David Hansen said. “This is the most powerful story of all time and virtual reality is the perfect way to tell it.”

Source: AutumnVR, Variety

‘BOSEbuild Speaker Cube’ Teaches Kids How to Build Their Own Bluetooth Speaker

Audio technology company Bose this week announced a new wireless Bluetooth speaker aimed at creating a do-it-yourself workflow for kids interested in electronics. Called the BOSEbuild Speaker Cube, the $150 kit connects with a companion Bose app, giving users a step-by-step set of instructions to build a fully functioning Bluetooth speaker, along with other experiments and activities (via TechCrunch).

Once users put the focus on assembling the speaker, no extra tools are required in the process since Bose ships all the necessary equipment in the kit. There are customization options as well, with different colored lighting effects and “swappable silhouette covers” to add a personal touch to the finished speaker.

This is more than just a speaker – it’s a journey. Starting from the very basic elements of sound and speakers, your child will build a deeper understanding as they move toward assembling their Speaker Cube. At every step, exploration is encouraged and curiosity is rewarded.

Everything about the BOSEbuild Speaker Cube is carefully designed with kids in mind. The parts are rugged and resilient, and the app-driven construction steps are clear and easy to follow. Cables and connectors are big, bright, and easy to handle. Even the circuit board is clearly labeled.

The Speaker Cube is just the first in the BOSEbuild line, which the company hopes will help spark the curiosity of its younger users through hands-on experiences and exploration. According to Bose, “when kids build something with their own hands and experience it with their own senses, it does more than just teach – it inspires.”

While hardware-focused, the new BOSEbuild products are similar to Apple’s upcoming app, Swift Playgrounds, which will present a visual, entertaining angle on teaching kids how to code. Currently available in the iOS 10 beta, the final version of Swift Playgrounds will launch for free in the App Store this fall.

Those interested can purchase the Speaker Cube on Bose’s website for $149.00. Although both an iOS and Android device can be used for music playback once the speaker is functioning, the educational discovery and build experience is only available via an iOS app on any iPhone, iPod touch or iPad running iOS 8 or newer, with the exception of the iPad 2.

Tags: Bose, BOSEbuild
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BlackBerry’s smartphone roadmap for 2016/17 revealed

Following the recent leak of an upcoming BlackBerry Android phone, yet more details have emerged about BlackBerry’s plans for this next year. If rumours published by Venture Beat are to be believed, the Canadian tech company is set to launch three phones between now and the beginning of 2017. 

The first phone rumoured to be on its way out of BlackBerry’s doors is named Neon. This particular device is claimed to be on the lower end of the market, and will feature a full HD 1080p 5.2-inch display. Like many modern mid-tier phones, the Neon is rumoured to feature an aluminium frame with a soft-touch plastic back panel.

Inside, we’re told to expect a mid-range Snapdragon 617 processor, 3GB of RAM and 16GB internal storage as well as a 2,610mAh battery which has Quick Charge 2.0 support. Other details include a 13-megapixel rear camera and eight-megapixel front camera. It’s expected to hit the market at some point in the next two months. 

This particular device looks very much like an Alcatel Idol 4, and for good reason: reports have suggested BlackBerry phones are now being built by TCL Communication, the same company that makes Alcatel smartphones. 

Following on from the Neon is the BlackBerry Argon, which is being lined up for an October launch. From the rumoured spec sheet, it certainly seems that this is the flagship of BlackBerry’s refreshed lineup. Like the BlackBerry PRIV, it’s rumoured to feature a 5.5-inch Quad HD screen. This Android phone is likely to be powered by the latest Snapdragon 820 processor paired 4GB RAM and 32GB internal storage. 

Additional features include a 21-megapixel rear camera, eight-megapixel front camera, a fingerprint sensor and USB Type-C port. Quick Charge 3.0 support and a 3,000mAh battery round off the spec sheet. 

• It looks like BlackBerry Hamburg won’t even be made by BlackBerry anymore
• BlackBerry Rome and Hamburg: New renders show midrange Android phones
• BlackBerry says it’ll launch two mid-range Android handsets in 2016

BlackBerry fans will be pleased to know the company isn’t expected to go all touchscreen. The long awaited physical keyboard-equipped Android phone – previously referred to as Vienna – is due to arrive in the first quarter of 2017. Unlike the PRIV, this phone isn’t a slider, and will more closely resemble the traditional BlackBerry form factor. Similar to the Classic and Passport, the Mercury is expected to have a large touchscreen above a physical QWERTY keyboard.

To fit both the screen and keyboard in one device, the display is rumoured to be 3:2 ratio and measure just 4.5-inches diagonally. With just full HD resolution and a Snapdragon 625 processor, along with 3GB of RAM, it’s clear this phone isn’t being aimed at the top end of the market. Rather, it seems it’s being launched as a mid-tier alternative to the PRIV, or an Android-powered replacement for the BlackBerry Classic.

Other specifications purportedly include a large 3,400mAh battery and an 18-megapixel main camera as well as an 8-megapixel selfie cam.

A lot rides on these handsets for the Waterloo-based manufacturer. If BlackBerry can’t start making a profit on hardware, John Chen – the company’s CEO – has long-stated that they would have no qualms shutting down their hardware business. 

Jaguar wants you to Feel Wimbledon, with VR experience and Andy Murray japes

Jaguar has turned to VR to support its position as Official Car of The Championships Wimbledon, creating a VR experience. Not only is the company supplying 170 vehicles in support of The Championships, but it’s having a little fun with Andy Murray too.

Jaguar has created a Wimbledon VR experience, giving you the change to fly into Centre Court and “feel Wimbledon” from Murray’s perspective. Narrated by Murray, who has been captured and rendered using 125 motion cameras, it’s a surprisingly emotional VR experience if you’re a tennis fan.

Yes, flying past the Jaguar F-Pace is a little corporate, but on the whole, the atmosphere and the tone, with narration from Andy Murray himself, makes it a worthwhile experience. 

To support the Feel Wimbledon campaign, Jaguar is going to be giving out 20,000 Google Cardboard headsets, so you can slip your phone in and watch Jag’s 360 YouTube video for yourself – they’re available at Jaguar showrooms, handed out to commuters at Waterloo station and to Tennis fans at Wimbledon.

Of course, once you have a headset, you can enjoy a full range of compatible Google Cardboard apps and a wide range of YouTube 360 videos.

But aside from the VR experience, there’s also the chance for a little fun. Murray is collected by Jimmy Carr to be driven to Wimbledon for training and the results are worth watching…

Fitbit Alta review: High praise for low-level fitness tracking

Fitbit is arguably one of the most well-known companies when it comes to activity tracking, monopolising around 70 per cent of the market. It not only offers a huge selection of devices in comparison to its competitors, but it also offers an excellent interface to match.

One of the most recent additions to the Fitbit portfolio is the Alta. This little wrist-worn tracker not only offers changeable straps, but a lovely OLED display too. Is it all about looks or does Fitbit’s latest have personality to set it apart from the competition?

Fitbit Alta review: Design

The Fitbit Alta is easily the most stylish tracker within the Fitbit portfolio. It has a lovely design, is smaller than the Charge HR, yet more appealing than the similar-sized Flex thanks to its chamfered metal frame.

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A 1.4-inch OLED tap display is the focus of the device, its 128 x 36 pixel resolution sharp in appearance, but not amazingly bright for outdoors viewing.

It’s also responsive to tap-based controls, for most part anyway, and it allows for easy, detailed progress-checking without opening the associated smartphone app, which is a feature the Flex lacks.

On the underside are clips that allow for the easy removal and changing of straps. It comes with a flexible durable elastomer strap as standard, but there are leather options available to buy as additional extras, as well as a metal link bracelet for when a smarter look is required.

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Fitbit opts for yet another charging mechanism for the Alta: it uses a small bulldog-style clip that locks securely into the pins. It’s easy-to-use but different to all other Fitbit devices and any other device so it means carrying another cable around when travelling. The Alta did last the quoted five days on one charge, though, or even longer.

Note: there is no optical heart-rate monitor in the Alta like there is on the Charge HR, which is a huge shame.

Fitbit Alta review: Features

The Fitbit Alta will track steps, distance travelled, calories burned, active minutes and provide sleep data, like the Fitbit Flex and many other activity trackers. It doesn’t offer elevation data as there is no altimeter on board, nor heart-rate data.

The Alta does feature Fitbit SmartTrack, however, which the Flex lacks but the Charge HR offers. This feature enables the device to automatically recognise certain activities such as running, walking, cycling, sport, elliptical and workouts, recording them in the exercise section of the Fitbit app.

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Additionally, reminders to move to reach an hourly goal of 250-steps will appear on the Alta’s display, along with Smart Notifications. These notifications allow you to see incoming calls, texts and calendar alerts on the display (each can be toggled on or off in the Fitbit app). There is no third-party support sadly, so WhatsApp, Facebook and Twitter alerts won’t pop-up. Long texts are also cut short, meaning you’ll need to dig out your phone to continue reading any essays you’re sent, and it’s not possible to answer or reject calls – only see who is calling.

Fitbit Alta review: Performance

Fitbit devices tend to be up there with the best when it comes to accuracy and performance. The Alta does a good job, even if it isn’t perfect.

In terms of step tracking, the Alta very slightly overestimates in comparison to the Charge HR, which we have found to be accurate almost to the step. We wore both devices for the Moon Walk, which is a walking marathon, and where the Charge HR measured 47,922 steps, the Alta recorded 48,163 – so we are talking a minor difference, especially over such a vast distance.

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The Alta’s distance accuracy is less impressive though. Given the walk was an official marathon 26.2 miles, the Fitbit Alta recorded just 22.73 miles. It isn’t as inaccurate as some activity trackers out there, but four miles is quite a significant discrepancy.

Calories burned accuracy is more difficult to determine, especially without any heart rate data, although the Alta came in around the same as the Charge HR. Where the Charge HR measured 3,252 calories burned, the Alta estimated 3,297. We wouldn’t take either as gospel, but given the Alta doesn’t know heart rate and the Charge HR does, the Alta does a good job. 

Sleep tracking isn’t a feature we are overly fond of on any activity tracker, except possibly the Jawbone UP3. The Alta does offer it for those who want it, even if the data presented isn’t as rich as the likes of Jawbone or a dedicated sleep system, such as the Withings Aura. Fitbit records time asleep, sleep schedule and sleep quality, the latter of which includes times awake, times restless and duration of times restless and awake.

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In one instance, in comparison to the Withings Aura Sleep System, the Fitbit Alta recorded us sleeping from 01:49am to 07:33am, with Aura claiming 01:41am to 07:34am – so they’re pretty uch on par.

If we dive a little deeper, the Alta claimed we were asleep for 4 hours and 26 minutes, while Aura claimed 5 hours and 46 minutes. The Alta claimed the rest of the hours it recorded, 1 hour and 18 minutes, were spent in restless sleep, which almost matches the 1 hour and 33 minutes Aura claimed we were in REM sleep. Overall, the Alta appears to do a pretty good job when it comes to sleep tracking, even if the data is limited.

Fitbit Alta review: App

The Fitbit app and interface is one of our favourite features about Fitbit devices. It is simple, effective and easy to navigate. It’s been revamped recently too, so looks and functions better than earlier iterations.

There are four tabs at the bottom of the Fitbit app, comprising Dashboard, Challenges, Friends and Account. There is also a “+” in the middle, which offers quick access to things such as tracking an exercise, logging food, adding a friend, setting an alarm and logging weight.

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The Dashboard is where the party is at. This is where a summary of your day appears, including steps taken, distance travelled, calories burned and active minutes, all of which can be rearranged by tapping on Edit in the top right hand corner. A tap on each of the metrics will give you a rundown of your history for that particular measurement.

In the top left-hand corner of the Dashboard, you’ll find a small picture of Alta along with the battery indicator. A tap on this will launch the settings for your tracker – including options like which hand you’re wearing it on, which clock face you want, what you want your main goal to be, what you want Alta to greet you as. You get the jist. This is also where Smart Notifications can be toggled on or off and where reminders to move can be tailored.

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Within the Challenges tab, you’ll find specific challenges to keep you motivated, while the Friends tab allows you to compete with your buddies and family members.

Account is the last tab but also one of the most important. It is here you can edit your profile, change your goals, link third-party apps such as MyFitnessPal, and alter things such as stride length for better accuracy. You can read our Fitbit tips and tricks feature if you’d like more details on how to do specific things on your Fitbit device.

READ: Fitbit tips and tricks: Get more from your Flex, Charge HR, Blaze and Surge trackers

Verdict

The Fitbit Alta sits on the fence compared to the wider activity tracker market. It misses out some key features, such heart-rate monitoring, elevation data, GPS and waterproofing.

However, for basic activity tracking the Alta is fabulous. Accuracy is good overall (if you ignore the distance measure, but step-tracking is fine), Smart Notifications are useful, the OLED display is lovely (and way better than that in the Flex), and the app is great.

In terms of personality, especially with one of the new accessory straps attached, the Alta is easily Fitbit’s most stylish tracker to date. However, it is just a little too basic in functionality terms for us to give up on our trusted Charge HR just yet.