Several years have passed since the original hardcore phone from Casio hit the public, also on Verizon. Here we’re seeing the Casio G’zOne Commando 4G LTE, a machine made for getting beat up in the field while it remains powerful enough for the standard Android-loving phone user, complete with a bit of the ol’ 2013
You can now share videos on Instagram. That means alongside your beautiful, emotive photos, there will be beautiful, emotive moving images. Right? Not so fast. While the Facebook-owned company has introduced a set of unique features to challenge the likes of Vine, there are a few reasons why Instagram might find that the inclusion of video might disturb its seductive appeal.
     |
We already have autonomous robots that can drive, fly, swim—even operate in space. And now, thanks to researchers at the Carnegie Mellon University Robotics Institute, we’ll soon be dealing with bots that can tackle the final frontier here on earth—or should we say inside earth—with a self-burrowing robot that works underground.
| |
This isn’t too big of a surprise given a preceding leak earlier this month, but Verizon and Casio have now gotten official with their latest, and suitably rugged, G’zOne phone. As the name suggests, the Commando 4G LTE adds some faster data not found in its predecessor, although the differences are less readily apparent beyond that. You’ll get an “enhanced G’zGear multi-sensor tool” that promises to deliver accurate information of the world around you, as well as a couple of upgraded cameras to capture that world (8-megapixel with 1080p recording ’round back, plus a 1.3-megapixel front-facing cam). You can also take advantage of a Glove Mode to use the touchscreen without exposing your hands in particularly harsh conditions, although specs remain a bit light beyond that. Look for this one to be available starting June 27th for $99.99 on the usual two-year contract (and after a $50 mail-in rebate).
Update: Verizon has now confirmed some additional specs in a press release (also found after the break), including a dual-core 1.5GHz processor and, unfortunately, the same 480 x 800 resolution as before.
Source: Verizon
Sony’s new Xperia Z Ultra phablet has been priced up for Europe ahead of its launch later in the year, and expectations that the 6.4-inch smartphone would be expensive have been met. The Xperia Z Ultra will by €719 ($942) SIM-free and unlocked, according to Sony in the Netherlands, though it’s undoubtedly set to be
Sony’s first go at the smartwatch mostly went unnoticed – a lot of people, myself included, had to be reminded of its existence when the Pebble made big waves for its huge Kickstarter funding success. But Sony’s not letting its early mover advantage go to waste, nor is it letting the SmartWatch brand die on the vine: Today it unveiled the SmartWatch 2, a successor to its original that improves specs and functionality in a number of ways.
The Sony SmartWatch 2 has competition from the aforementioned Pebble, and from fellow Kickstarter success MetaWatch Strata, which is another smartwatch category incumbent. If fact, so is Pebble, which means that this entire generation of devices is actually not the first, but may well be the first with the chance to actually gain some traction with the wider consumer market. Accordingly, a tale of the tape is definitely in order.
Both the Pebble and the MetaWatch win this round, as they support both iOS and Android, while the SmartWatch 2 only works with Android phones. Sony has improved on the previous generation thanks to opening up support for any Android phones, instead of just Xperia devices, which makes this about 1000x more useful. And while the other devices support iPhone, there are limits put in place by the platform that make using smartwatches with iOS far less useful, though many of those are on track to change with iOS 7, which, for example, brings support for third-party app notifications to Pebble.
Battery life is going to be key to any kind of wide smartwatch adoption, and both Pebble and MetaWatch highlighted their multi-day power capabilities ahead of their device launches. Pebble says it can keep the watch powered for over a week on a single charge, and MetaWatch says its Strata will run for 5 to 7 days on a single charge – in practice, I’ve found both to be at the low end of their estimates, and the Pebble slightly under on some cycles.
Sony’s new watch makes some specific claims about its battery life, as well as making the biggest claim of all: The SmartWatch 2 has the “longest battery time for a smartwatch,” Sony says in its press release, a stat which it says has been verified by Strategy Analytics as of June 21, 2013. But the listed battery time expectations fall under those listed by its competitors; Sony claims 5 to 6 days with low usage, and 3 to 4 days with “typical” use. Testing standards may differ, but it looks like this will be right in the same general area as the competition when it comes to battery life overall, so don’t expect anyone to have a real distinct edge here.
The Pebble uses Bluetooth 2.1+EDR, as well as 4.0 Low Energy (LE) to connect to your device, which gives it some extra notification magic on iOS, while the MetaWatch Strata has Bluetooth 4.0 only. Sony’s SmartWatch 2 uses Bluetooth 3.0, which is interesting since it also claims the longest battery life without Bluetooth LE and with a much larger, color screen. The SmartWatch 2 also offers NFC, a trick neither of its competitors has, which does little beyond simplify the pairing process. Still, it’s an added convenience for users with NFC in their smartphones, and shouldn’t be discounted.
SmartWatch 2 is the only one in the crop with a color display, boasting a 1.6-inch 220 x 176 pixel screen. The Pebble has a 144 x 168, 1.26-inch display, and the MetaWatch Strata has a 96×96-inch screen, which is 1.16-inches. The screens are all close, but there are key differences that users will want to consider. Both the Strata and the Pebble offer a nightlight LED for illumination, but lack any backlighting. This helps with power, but the Sony SmartWatch 2 with its colour display will be more legible in dark environments.
The MetaWatch Strata uses a reflective surface as the base for its screen, which results in it being virtually unreadable in certain lighting conditions, but the Pebble is mostly very legible, though the environmental light level detector is hit or miss. Sony claims that its colour display will be sunlight-readable, but generally speaking an e-ink screen like the one in the Pebble should fare better in that kind of environment.
The SmartWatch 2 is “splash-proof,” but that basically seems to mean you can wear it in a light rain shower or while washing your hands. Sony says not to wear it while showering, bathing, swimming, diving, snorkeling, fishing or doing “water related work.” Also, it notes that the watchband it ships with is neither water- nor splashproof. Basically, you can get it wet – but don’t get it wet.
The Pebble offers water resistance to up to 5 ATM, in both salt- and freshwater, which means you can take it swimming, or run in the rain. Pebble says not to use the watch in hot water, or while diving. The Strata likewise is rated to 5 ATM, or a submersion death of 165 feet. Both the existing devices win out in this category, for sure.
The Pebble has an API that’s being used by developers to build apps, but apps are coming relatively slowly, and offer fairly limited functionality. No doubt we’ll see more, but out of the box, the Pebble offers little beyond watch faces, notifications, and controls for your on-device music playback. MetaWatch does notifications, but email, calendar, Facebook and Twitter are still “coming soon” and there’s no word on third-party apps. The Strata does do music controls, and has weather, stock and calendar widgets, as well as an out-of-range alert so you don’t leave your phone behind.
The SmartWatch 2 offers call handling on the device (as does the Pebble) as well as a call log, notifications for calls, email, Gmail, Facebook, Twitter, and more. It does music remote functions, and offers calendar, weather, runtastic and new events aggregation. That’s out of the box, and there’s more planned. You can also remotely snap photos from your SmartWatch, control presentations and more using SmartWatch applications created by developers. Sony might have the edge in terms of app features, if only because it has more clout to convince and sign up developers.
It’s a small thing, but really important: the SmartWatch 2 uses micro USB to charge, while both the Pebble and the MetaWatch Strata use proprietary cables. That means added expense should you lose the single cable they ship with, and just general inconvenience. Sony definitely comes out ahead here.
I don’t know if any of these smartwatches will be the one to break the mass market; more than likely, they won’t. But they show an evolution, and Sony’s at least trying to do better than the last time out, and has also clearly learned from the progress of its upstart rivals at Pebble and MetaWatch. Anyone other than early adopters might still want to hold off until OEMs devote and platform makers make more of an effort to actually support smartwatches, but at this point at least you won’t be in for an entirely frustrating experience if you pick one up.
The folks over at bēm wireless might be on to something new, as they deliver a new idea which is currently being incubated over at Kickstarter. I am referring to the Kickstand portable projector which will come with its very own integrated kickstand, allowing it to showcase a large image from a tiny package. This is one revolutionary, foldable product which is easy to carry around, allowing those who live out of a suitcase to simply toss it into a briefcase before leaving the hotel room for the next business meeting. Heck, families too, are not left out of this, as it can be set up to be an instant home theater in the blink of an eye.
Bryan Katzel, Director of Marketing and Development for bēm, said, “We’re very excited to show our consumers the Kickstand. There’s absolutely nothing like it on the market. We’ve integrated incredible technology into a beautifully designed form factor. This projector can take a tiny image from your smartphone, iPad or USB drive, and project it up to 90 inches across in high-definition (720p)- even on the ceiling. That’s huge!”
The Kickstand will feature a unique patented mobile design that comes complete with an anodized aluminum frame, in addition to bēm’s signature soft touch finish. Apart from that, you will find a hideaway directional swivel which would pave the way for an easy setup, and it can easily be folded back up for storage. There is also an assimilated remote control that doubles up as a lens cover to deliver the added convenience and functionality.
The integrated kickstand is what inspired the name, where it will go about to prop up the projector using a vertical orientation, allowing you to project images on the wall, or perhaps even the ceiling if you so desire. The Kickstand would come with a WXGA 1280 X 800 resolution for higher widescreen resolution (720p). and if you set up the projector a single foot away from the wall, the image will measure 9” across. Should you decide to place it 10 feet away from the wall, you eyes will be treated to an image that is almost 96” across. Connectivity options include an HDMI port, USB port, and Auxiliary Audio Out for multiple connecting options. Expect the Kickstand to retail for $799.99 if it is ever realized, but if you decide to pledge early on Kickstarter, your faith will be justly rewarded.
Press Release
[ Kickstand portable projector sports an integrated kickstand copyright by Coolest Gadgets ]
Well, what do we have here? Okay, let’s scrap the faux surprise. The recently confirmed Ascend P6 has landed, and Huawei hopes it will stir interest in the hearts of mobile users. Debuting across Europe, China and Australia in late June / early August with a €449 ($600) price tag, it’s asking you to take it seriously, and that’s what we’ll do.
The mobile market is a fickle place, so it doesn’t matter where you are right now; it’s all about where you’re going. Huawei? Well, it’s definitely got its sights set on an upward trajectory. The Ascend P6 is the latest rung on the ladder, intended to elevate the company to mobile greatness. But, with competition stiffer than ever, can it really call a device with a 1.5GHz quad-core processor, 720p display and 8-megapixel camera a flagship? (For its P-series at least?) Huawei’s certainly giving it a try, and it’s hoping that beauty, not brawn, will win the day.
Gallery: Huawei Ascend P6 review
Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile
Mad Men may have rekindled our love affair with the technology of yesteryear, but we’re still not quite ready to give up the modern conveniences we’ve come to rely on. And that’s why this retro-styled digital alarm clock is so wonderful.
| |
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.
