Google is working on an Android games console similar to OUYA, as well as a smartwatch, sources close to the plans claim, in addition to a media playing replacement to the ill-fated Nexus Q. The new hardware, currently in development the insiders tell the WSJ, will be internally designed and marketed it’s said, with the
According to the Wall Street Journal, Google might make another foray into living room hardware as it’s currently developing an Android powered gaming console. Since that’s just not enough of a rumor bomb, the talkative “people familiar with the matter” also claim a wristwatch and followup to its “postponed” Nexus Q project are on the way. If you believe the rumors, its reason for jumping into all these categories is to beat products Apple is reportedly developing in the same categories, with at least one of them launching this fall. Finally, the leaks indicate Google’s next major Android update will be “tailored to low-cost devices in developing countries,” and are ready to go in a much wider variety of devices.
That could mean laptops or even appliances running the rumored Key Lime Pie flavor of Android, built by manufacturers like Samsung which is already working on a watch of its own. Also mentioned is HP, which the report goes on to claim is building laptops that run Android. Companies like Ouya, Mad Catz, Pebble and GEAK probably think Mountain View is already late to the party, but official OS-level support and heavily marketed hardware could take these segments to the next level.
Filed under: Gaming, Wearables, HD, Mobile, Samsung, Google, HP
Source: Wall Street Journal
When it comes to the smartwatch industry, you could say that this is still a young market which is relatively untapped, but finding the correct killer combination of hardware as well as software is the secret recipe that has yet to be discovered. Sure, Android has their champion in the form of the Pebble timepiece, and there are also whispers that Apple might come up with an iOS-powered iWatch. Still, a bird in hand is worth two in the bush, which is why the Meteor smartwatch by Kreyos is an interesting proposition. It is an Indiegogo project at the moment, and will play nice with Apple’s iOS, while boasting voice and gesture control support to boot.
The Meteor will feature a three-axis gyro, carry an accelerometer and other motion sensors which are capable of detecting things like wrist motion. The wrist motion detection can be customized so that you will be able to effect the right response with a movement which you are most comfortable with. Voice control would also come in handy during those moments when both of your hands are occupied.
[ Meteor smartwatch by Kreyos copyright by Coolest Gadgets ]
Foxconn isn’t waiting around for rumors of an Apple smartwatch to come true — it’s building a timepiece of its own. The company has just shown iPhone-compatible wristwear that previews Facebook messages and phone calls while tracking the owner’s breathing and heart rate. Upgrades are also coming in the long run, such as a fingerprint reader that would lock down the wearer’s health data. Foxconn hasn’t discussed launch details for the watch, but it’s almost more of a symbol than a product — it represents the diversification of a business that still leans mostly on contract manufacturing for revenue.
Filed under: Peripherals, Wearables
Source: Want ChinaTimes
It’d be hard to go hands-on with the WearIT smart watch given that it’s still very much a prototype and its touchscreen is … well, it’s not enabled yet. But we did get a chance to put our hands to the device and snap a gaggle of pictures, highlighting its 1.54-inch capacitive touchscreen and trio of buttons (each of which will correspond to specific applications, we’re told). The concept with WearIT’s watch is that it’s a standalone device — “We’re getting closer to Dick Tracy every day,” a company rep told us. While the device isn’t quite up to Tracy’s standards (no phone functionality, for instance), it assuredly packs more power than the aging detective’s wrist gadget.
A Cortex A8 600 MHz CPU and 256MB of RAM are at the heart of the smart watch, backed up by a 550 mAh lithium ion rechargeable battery. 4GB of storage is embedded inside, along with 802.11 b/g/n WiFi, Bluetooth / Bluetooth LE, ANT+, and a USB 2.0 port (when using the charging clip, included with the watch). Oh, and it runs Android 4.1 Jelly Bean, though it’s pared down considerably for the screen size. We’ll have a much closer look at WearIT’s smart watch later this year — the device is expected to arrive in the US starting in November and will retail for $400.
Gallery: WearIT Smart Watch
Filed under: Peripherals, Wearables, Software
You might say the day is never really done in consumer technology news. Your workday, however, hopefully draws to a close at some point. This is the Daily Roundup on Engadget, a quick peek back at the top headlines for the past 24 hours — all handpicked by the editors here at the site. Click on through the break, and enjoy.
Four days after hitting its Kickstarter goal, Agent Watches has released the SDK for its smartwatch. The watches won’t ship until December, but all developers need to start working is the emulator and a Bluetooth-compatible device. Windows Phone 8 Developer Mike Hole posted a link to the tools on his blog, plus detailed notes with sample code and a how-to for the emulator. With all this info, maybe you’ll write a few of the apps for the hip and sexy people from that Kickstarter video.
Filed under: Cellphones, Wearables, Microsoft
Via: WMPoweruser
Source: Mike Hole, Agent Watches
You can’t accuse Sony of lacking faith in the SmartWatch 2; in fact, the company is keen to point out that it has made a few attempts at the segment before. “Competitors are only now launching first generation devices,” Sony’s Stefan K. Persson, head of companion products, said of the launch, “while we are already
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