Hasta La Gadget!

Google has confirmed it acquired WIMM Labs last year, a company that previously made an Android-powered smartwatch before shuttering operations in 2012. At the time a message on its website said it had entered into an exclusive partnership without releasing further details, but it’s now clear that partner was Google, rather than Apple as some had initially speculated. Google’s WIMM Labs acquisition was reported earlier by Gigaom.

Google is rumoured to be developing a smartwatch of its own, with patents turning up earlier this year (filed in 2011), and a report by the FT that claimed Google’s Android team was in the process of developing such a device. Google has also hinted at Android powering a range of wearable devices in the past, when CEO Larry Page let slip during a quarterly earnings call this year that Glass runs on its smartphone and tablet OS, and that Android is “pretty transportable across devices”. Google has also long had bigger ambitions for Android than just pushing it onto phones and tablets, with TV set-top boxes, in-car tech, home automation and wearables all areas where it’s actively encouraging Android to spread.

WIMM Labs started out building Android-based platforms for wearable displays, akin to Google Glass, and then created the WIMM One in 2011: a smartwatch powered by Android 2.1 that was aimed at developers as a sort of concept flagship ahead of a broader consumer launch. The WIMM One used Bluetooth and Wi-Fi 802.11b/g for connectivity, had 256 MB of RAM plus a 667MHz processor, and used a screen design that refreshed once per minute to conserve battery life. It also supported apps via a “Micro App Store” — installed and managed by users via a web-based dashboard. Android developers were offered custom APIs for adapting their software to the WIMM One’s tiny, 16-bit colour screen.

Google is not commenting further on the acquisition at this point, beyond providing confirmation that it picked up WIMM Labs in 2012. If Mountain View is building its own smartwatch it’s unlikely to beat its Android OEM partner Samsung to a launch, as the Korean company’s Galaxy Gear device is probably going to be unboxed next week in Berlin at a September 4 event. Plenty of other Android-powered smartwatches are also entering the frame via crowdfunding sites like Kickstarter, and also cropping up on the roadmaps of other Android OEMs. Meanwhile Apple’s rumoured iWatch remains elusive.

If Google isn’t building its own smartwatch hardware, acquiring WIMM Labs could be a way to help it develop a custom version of Android designed for wrist-mounted wearables, which it could then provide to OEMs the same way it currently does with Android proper. Given the amount of interest in smartwatches from OEMs big and small, that could be the better strategy for long-term platform growth.

Just because you rent, that doesn’t mean you can’t own the living room.

I have a pretty nice DSLR that I use when I want to get great shots of something. However, more often than not, most pictures I take are with my phone. The reason is because I always have the phone with me, and I can usually get a decent shot in just a few seconds. However, the biggest issue that I run into is poor lighting. Sure, there’s an LED flash built into the phone, but half the time it does more harm than good. But what if there was a small, external flash that you could use with your smartphone?

The iblazr is a simple flash for any smartphone that will have a pretty decent impact on the quality of your photography. Using 4 special LEDs, and the companion app, you’re able to get just the right amount of light for your shot. The app lets you adjust the brightness, and then syncs up the flash with your camera’s shutter. If you’re shooting video, you can just set it to continuously provide light.

The nice thing about this gadget is that it has more than just a single use. If you opt to pay a little extra for the cold shoe mount, it can work as a small flash your DSLR. You’re also able to use it as a flashlight, reading light, or desk light, with the included charging cable, and the internal battery. You can pick yours up by backing the already-funded Kickstarter project, and have it sometime in December of this year. If you want just the light, it will only cost you $39, if you want the cold shoe mount, it will cost you an extra $8.

 
[ iblazr adds a powerful flash to your smartphone copyright by Coolest Gadgets ]

There was a time when Windows Phone 7 users could only look on as WP8-using peers Like status updates on their newer and shinier Facebook app. Not anymore. An update to the Beta version is now ready for download, bringing to the table a user interface similar to the WP8 version that meshes well with the platform’s aesthetics. Those who’ve been waiting for the update forever can hit the source link below — it’s available for both platforms, so WP8-toting folks can also join the party.

Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, Facebook

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Source: Facebook (Windows Phone Store)

In what is perhaps the most science-fiction worthy story of the week, scientists at Harvard have created a gel-based speaker that is both clear and stretchy, able to play music while demonstrating the abilities of ionic conductors. To show off its capabilities, the scientists used it to play the “Morning” prelude from Peer Gynt. You […]