Apparently, a Japanese company has found a way to bring another sense into the ways we interact with our gadgets. Chaku Perfume has released a app-and-accessory combination in Japan that allows your phone to determine when a blast of fragrance should be released. The dongle plugs into a 30-pin port, and contains an atomizer and a tank of smelly liquid (think perfume). Through the Chat Perf app, someone else can make the dongle on the bottom of your phone release its fragrance. Sounds great! However, there are some drawbacks. You can’t just change the fragrance or download a new one: the device still relies on old fashioned perfumes being held in the tank. Also, there aren’t any real productivity benefits to being able to release perfume from your phone. Still, the Japanese girls below seem to be having fun, and there’s nothing wrong with a good old gadget novelty.
The Chat Perf app and accessory should be available this fall. It costs 4890 yen in Japan, so expect it to be around $60 in the US. What do you think? Would you ever pay for an accessory that added smell capabilities to your phone, or is this just a useless gimmick?
With Verizon’s next in an ever-expanding line of RAZR devices here with the Motorola DROID RAZR HD we’re getting essentially the same experience as we did with the RAZR M, except this time it’s quite a bit larger. With a 4.7 inch Super AMOLED display on top of a dual-core processor from Qualcomm, it’s not just the screen we’re impressed with. This device brings on one of the most refined Motorola experiences we’ve seen thus far, matching at least the impression we’ve had with the M, and out-doing it for the large-display-lovers.
Hardware
This device presents the same greatness we saw with the DROID RAZR M with enhancements well surpassing the original DROID RAZR as it was presented many months ago. With the RAZR branding we’ve got a certain amount of excellence that Verizon and Motorola have to live up to, and with the RAZR HD they’ve certainly done it. The display is a massive 720 x 1280 pixels spread across 4.7-inches of Super AMOLED screen, that ringing in at 312 PPI dense. That’s above the Galaxy S III (306 PPI) and just under the Galaxy Nexus (316 PPI) – have a peek at the S III next to the RAZR HD here, bright as they can be.
The front of the device is also covered by a single sheet of Corning Gorilla Glass for maximum protection against scratches and dings. It sits inside a slight rim around the edge that keeps your thumb inside the bounds of the display and makes for an interesting – and unique – feel to the whole device. This rim is hard plastic and will be the same color as whichever color device you so choose – we’ve got white, here. Below that is a ring of metal – aluminum more than likely – then a full back panel made from the same kevlar-weave that each of the previous DROID RAZR devices have had.
This back panel takes over the entirety of the back of the device instead of just sitting inside a pocket as previous DROID RAZRs have, this letting us know that they trust the design now well enough to command the device. It’s a good decision in this case, as the whole smartphone feels comfy to hold and to work with – not to mention hardcore. The front of the smartphone feels a bit fragile only because glass has traditionally been a material that breaks – but with Gorilla Glass sitting here instead, the whole device is tough enough to take a few bangs.
The interior of this device is splash-coated (protected from moisture, that is) as each of the DROID RAZR smartphones have been, and the SIM and microSD slot is kept secure with a pin. With the pin tool you get with the phone (in the box) you can push out (or pull, however you see it) the drawer where you can replace at will. This device has 12GB of storage inside and a microSD slot capable of working with another 32GB of space.
At a slightly massive 131.9 x 67.9 x 8.4 mm, this device would be relatively difficult to hold if it were made of the same slippery materials that the LG Optimus G is – but it’s not. Motorola’s choice to buck the trend of glossy plastic and glass backs on devices makes the RAZR HD an easy to handle unit.
Software
With the RAZR HD we’re getting essentially the same experience we did with the RAZR M in the software department. Same Android version (4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich), same Motorola software modifications, and nearly the same set of applications. Verizon and Motorola (and Google) have clearly agreed here to present a single family feel with the RAZR releases they’ve got on deck this season. Have a peek at our full DROID RAZR M review for another look at how this family functions.
Have a peek at our hands-on with the RAZR HD to see how similar these devices truly are, right down to the speed at which they flip back and forth between home screens. They’re using the same processor too, mind you; the dual-core Qualcomm Snapdragon S4. This is the next-most-powerful Qualcomm processor on the market this Autumn, with the most powerful sitting pretty in the LG Optimus G with four cores instead of two.
You’ve once again got some cool modifications to Android 4.0 starting with Quick Settings that appear all the way to your left alongside your home screens. You’ve also got Smart Actions, a feature that activates certain tasks based on the time of day, your GPS location, or your power level. You’ll have ICS’s Face Unlock as well as a modified unlock screen with Camera, Phone, Texts, and standard to keep you quick. Have a peek at a few benchmark results here as well to see how the Snapdragon S4 dual-core processor performs.
Camera
This device works with an 8 megapixel shooter on the back that’ll keep you in the high definition business, especially since you’re working with a Qualcomm processor that comes with dedicated architecture made specifically for image processing. Here we’ve got a set of photos and a video that’ve been captured with the standard camera for you to glance at and decide for yourself. This device also had a 1.3 megapixel camera on the front for video chat and a single LED flash on the back for photos in the dark.
We’ve also got a couple of nice examples of panorama and HDR modes, both of them able to be expanded at a click here and in the larger gallery at the bottom of this post. The gallery at the bottom of this post also has additional shots for you to peruse.
Battery
Like each of the other devices we’ve tested running the Snapdragon S4 dual-core processor, the battery life you get here really depends on how you’re using the device. If you do nothing but run streaming video over Verizon’s 4G LTE data network, you’ll get a few hours out of it. If you’ve got your display on auto brightness and are only checking email, browsing the web, and using Facebook all day long, you’ll have at least 8 hours at your disposal – at least. For those of you needing more than you get here, there’s always the MAXX version of the smartphone with just a bit more bulk on the back in exchange for a much larger battery.
Notice how the battery life basically flatlines when you’ve got the display off? It’s the display that takes up most of your power here – especially when you’re blasting at full brightness.
Wrap-up
Here we’re working with another winner, with Motorola making full use of their new partnership (ownership) with Google in many fine ways. You can see that this device (as well as the RAZR M, for example) are not the same DROID devices we saw a couple years ago. Here we’ve got a fine example of an Android-running smartphone, to say the least. The hardware is top-notch, the camera takes rather nice photos, and the processor is powerful enough to take on the highest-quality games and apps the Google Play app store has to offer.
The device is also nice to hold, has a bit of grip to it so you wont be losing it right out of your palm any time soon, and looks pretty darn fine too. Be sure to let us know if you’ve got any questions about the device that haven’t been addressed in the review above, and make sure you let us know if you end up picking it up at Verizon soon!
It’s common knowledge that anything descending from above is awesome. Superman. Rainbows. Felix Baumgartner. Our future alien overlords. All inherently better because they came from the heavens. Now, thanks to German ingenuity, our shower curtains can join these esteemed celestial ranks. More »
Check out this animated GIF. It’s the toughest moment of the space shuttle Endeavour’s drive across Los Angeles, en route to its permanent retirement place, at the Science Center. More »
Unofficial rumblings have pointed to Isis Mobile Wallet’s trial gettingclose. If you’ve remained skeptical all the same, we’re pretty sure that seeing Isis’ Android app in Google Play will change your mind. The currently T-Mobile-only software confirms that pilot program members will tie their American Express, Capital One or Chase card (as well as a unique card) to Isis for paying through NFC at stores with a SmartTap terminal. We’re also promised streamlined loyalty cards and coupons. Before anyone rushes to try the app at the local shop, remember that it’s just one piece of the puzzle on top of the special SIM card, one of three NFC-equipped phones and that small matter of living in Austin or Salt Lake City when the service goes live. Having the official app at least lets those who qualify get a head start on what could soon be the only major alternative to Google Wallet in the US.
Remember how chairs are like Facebook? Of course you don’t! That ad was super dumb, and you bleached it from your brain just as quickly as you could. But that doesn’t mean you can’t have some fun with other things Facebook might actually be like. Or at least, look silly next to. More »
A few years back, sound bars were a fairly uncommon way to listen to home theater audio. But recently, they’ve become as plentiful as any other low-cost home audio option. The problem with most soundbars is that they don’t offer much in the way of low-end, and they also have to sit in front of your fancy thin flat-panel TV. Bose has a new option which aims to solve both of these problems.
The Bose Solo TV is an all-in-one home theater audio system that fits in a single box. By going with a deeper, sturdier cabinet than soundbars, the Solo TV has better bass and can be used as a stand for medium-sized TVs (up to 37-42″ max.) Or to be more precise, it’ll hold any TV with a stand no larger than 20″(W) x 10.25″(D), and no heavier than 40 pounds. It’ll also sit nicely on a console table underneath your larger, wall-mounted flat-screen.
Under the hood, the Bose Solo has multiple full-range drivers and a dual-ported bass enclosure. Early reviews say that it does great with filling a reasonbly-sized room and offers crystal-clear dialogue. While bass isn’t as good as a dedicated subwoofer, it also takes up much less space. In terms of inputs, don’t expect the Solo to take over the job of an A/V receiver. It’s an audio-only device, and offers only digital optical, coax and analog RCA connections. Bose wants you to use your TV as the switching device, and leverage the audio output found on most modern HDTVs.
Keep in mind that this isn’t a surround-sound system – it’s just designed to give you much better sound than what’s built into your TV. If you’re in the market for a clean sounding living room home theater system, and don’t want to spend an arm or leg or have wires running all over the place, you can find the Bose Solo TV now for $399 (USD) over on Amazon.
Remember that Animaniacs song that names ever single U.S. president? The wacky cartoon’s history lesson is still clever, for both kids and adults, kind of like this American Presidents iPad app. More »
The Nobel Peace Prize-winning European Union has its eyes set on a new regulatory target–Google. Today, French regulators associated with the EU sent Google a letter with an ultimatum: Google has four months to change its privacy policy because of concerns about the way the internet giant collects and holds personal data. The document came with 12 recommendations for Google to bring their privacy policy into compliance with European Union regulations. (more…)
While Felix Baumgartner landed safely on the ground just a matter of hours ago, the internet is still resonating with the sound of tweets, status updates and YouTube clicks, all thanks to what was one of the most spectacular human endeavors in recent history. The mission was simple, to send a man up in a balloon higher than ever before, and have him safely jump to the ground. This kind of “simple” is usually anything but — if you just look past the well-manicured exterior. Which, as luck would have it is exactly what we did.
With the cheers of success still ringing in his ears, we got some quality time with Art Thompson, the technical project director, and Baumgartner’s earliest collaborator on the Stratos mission. We wanted to know a little bit more about what went on behind the scenes, and Thompson was more than happy to oblige. They’re understandably proud of what they just achieved.
This is site is run by Sascha Endlicher, M.A., during ungodly late night hours. Wanna know more about him? Connect via Social Media by jumping to about.me/sascha.endlicher.
Apparently, a Japanese company has found a way to bring another sense into the ways we interact with our gadgets. Chaku Perfume has released a app-and-accessory combination in Japan that allows your phone to determine when a blast of fragrance should be released. The dongle plugs into a 30-pin port, and contains an atomizer and a tank of smelly liquid (think perfume). Through the Chat Perf app, someone else can make the dongle on the bottom of your phone release its fragrance. Sounds great! However, there are some drawbacks. You can’t just change the fragrance or download a new one: the device still relies on old fashioned perfumes being held in the tank. Also, there aren’t any real productivity benefits to being able to release perfume from your phone. Still, the Japanese girls below seem to be having fun, and there’s nothing wrong with a good old gadget novelty.
