As part of a partnership with International Talent Support, Samsung revealed a new contest today that will challenge designers to create a prototype accessory made from Diesel denim that will carry and protect the Galaxy Tab S. To bring their designs to fruition, contestants were able to sketch and develop concepts for their product using a Galaxy Note tablet and S Pen.
Orders for LG’s G Watch recently started shipping and while you might be busy playing with your new Android Wear-powered timepiece, the company is making moves to release its next wearable. The South Korean electronics manufacturer recently announced the KizON, a smart wristband designed to help parents keep tabs on their kids.
At the beginning of the year, Sony announced the Xperia Z1 Compact, a smaller version of its Xperia Z with “no compromises.” While Sony’s shrunken flagship looked promising, the device never made its way to US wireless carriers. However, Sony has finally made a compromise and released an unlocked version of the Z1 Compact for $550.
In an effort to appeal to businesses and connected families in one fell swoop, Sprint announced its new LivePro projector/mobile hotspot today. The hybrid device goes on sale on July 11th for $450, however the carrier will offer it to qualified customers for no money down with a rate of $18.75 per month for two years.
Google recently updated its desktop version of Maps with a new feature that lets users measure the distance between two or more points on the map. To toggle this option, right-click on a starting point on the map and select “Measure distance,” and then choose a destination to see the distance between the two points.
There’s something bizarre going on at Google Play. If you visit the site’s Devices section and take a look at its Google Play edition listings, you’ll notice that it’s been pared down to just three devices: the HTC One M8, Samsung’s Galaxy S4 and the Moto G. For one reason or another, devices like Sony’s Z Ultra and last year’s HTC One M7 are missing in action.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CWJaGrv5zy4]
Google appears to be testing new voice command controls for media playback. Available to some, this new feature adds commands like “Ok Google, next song” when listening to music. Based on the company’s big push for wearables, Android in the car and on your TV, this hands-free approach seems like a natural progression.
Sony’s Xperia Z2 phone is heading to Verizon, according to an alleged screenshot of an employee training module obtained by PhoneArena. This lines up with past rumors suggesting that the rugged smartphone is heading to Big Red, along with leaks of its related tablet wearing the carrier’s branding.
Console OS, a crowdfunded Android-based operating system made by Mobile Media Ventures that is currently seeking backing via Kickstarter. Although the platform is nearing its initial goal of $50,000, today its organizers announced plans to add support for Microsoft’s Surface devices. To do this, the Console OS campaign is adding a stretch goal $75,000 to make this idea a reality.
Last week we got a glimpse of a device rumored to be ZTE’s Nubia Z7 and while it doesn’t look exactly like the handset that ZTE revealed today, there are definitely some similarities. So now that it’s here, what does the Chinese manufacturer’s new flagship smartphone bring to the table? How about a 5.5-inch Quad HD display, a Snapdragon 801 processor, 3GB of RAM, a 13-megapixel rear-facing camera and Android 4.4.
After teasing plans for a new smartphone focused on taking self-portraits, Sony officially unveiled the Xperia C3 today. Packing a 5-megapixel front-facing wide-angle camera with a soft LED flash, the company calls it the “world’s best selfie smartphone.” In addition to spiffed up front-end optics, Sony has bundled some unique software dedicated to enhancing selfies like AR effect and Portrait Retouch, which let users edit and enhance their photos on the fly.
Today, LG announced the launch of the G Pad 10.1, the company’s largest tablet in its product line. As suggested by its name, this working class slate features a 10.1-inch 1,280 x 800 WXGA display, a 1.2GHz quad-core Snapdragon processor, 1GB of RAM, a 5-megapixel rear-facing camera and a 1-megapixel front-facing shooter for selfies and video calls. The two major selling points of LG’s new tablet are its beefy 8,000mAh battery and the fact that it ships with Android 4.4.2 KitKat, so it’s almost up to date in terms of software.
Robots aboard the International Space Station will soon be equipped with depth sensing smartphones courtesy of Google. The space-ready handsets will be from the search giant’s Project Tango initiative that uses 3D image tracking technology to map their surroundings. The phones with hitch a ride on a cargo spacecraft scheduled to launch on July 11th and will be the eyes and ears of NASA’s Synchronized Position Hold, Engage, Reorient, Experimental Satellites (SPHERES).
Google may be keeping an eye on your summer vacation plans, however if your net worth doesn’t allot room for excursions like Caribbean cruises, Mountain View has something to help keep your recently released kids’ creative juices flowing. The search giant has partnered with MAKE to announce this year’s Maker Camp, a free online summer camp for teenagers powered by Google+. Starting today, campers from around the world can join each other for daily projects like soda bottle rocket fireworks, glowing bikes and LED shoe clips.
It’s summertime in these here United States and while taking your family on a cross-country road trip to Walley World sounds like a great time, Royal Caribbean International would like you to reconsider. The company recently entered a partnership with Google’s Business View to provide would-be customers with virtual tours of its cruise ships. Loaded with blurred out pictures of guests, this panoramic sales pitch lets you check out activities like simulated surfing, zip lining, rock climbing and fine dining, all without the risk of contracting a mystery illness or being hijacked by pirates.
Smartphones built around gimmicks haven’t been that well received, but that won’t stop companies from producing them. Today, on its official Xperia Twitter profile, Sony posted a tweet saying “See your #selfies in a whole new light.” This cryptic message also included the hashtags “#GetTheFullPicture #Tomorrow.” Almost in tandem, a post from ePrice hit Chinese microblogging site Weibo revealing pictures of a smartphone referred to as the Sony Xperia C3.
AT&T announced today that it will begin accepting pre-orders for the LG G3 and G Watch tomorrow and that both devices will be available to purchase on July 11th. The South Korean electronics manufacture’s first Android Wear-powered smartwatch will cost $230, while the G3 will be available for no money down through AT&T Next 18 for $24.17 per month and $29 per month via Next 12. You can also buy the handset for $200 on a two year service agreement if you’re not fond of financing a phone.
Last night Google announced a new space for apps on the Play Store specifically for Android Wear software. In just a few short hours, this new wing has amassed a collection of 33 apps and shows no signs of slowing down. Apps like Runtastic Running & Fitness, MediSafe Meds & Pill Reminder and Hue Control and Lyft hit Google Play today along with a slew of others.
Android L is currently in the works and being sampled by a limited group of Nexus toting developers. If you’re suffering from a case of L envy and a Nexus 5 or 7 aren’t within reach, there’s now a way to bring the software’s look and feel to devices stuck on Jelly Bean or KitKat. An XDA member called “Adhi1419” has put together a theme that emulates most of Android L’s appearance, including its status bar icons, settings, calculator and ringtones.
Verizon may finally be adding LTE to its prepaid services, according to the folks at Droid Life. This change would will reportedly take effect on July 17th and the carrier will offer this new service through its ALLSET prepaid plans that include unlimited talk, text and 500MB of date for $45 a month. Customers using this off-contract setup can add 500MB of data for $5, 1GB for $10 and 3GB for $20.
The mobile gaming space may be extremely crowded, but the Angry Birds franchise has managed to remain relevant. Pushing its fowl-fueled brand even further, Rovio Entertainment just announced the release of Angry Birds Seasons South HAMerica. This spicy episode features 24 new levels loaded with artifacts and interactive environments like swinging ropes, ancient statues and high altitude gameplay.
Fog Creek Software announced today that its organization app Trello is now available for Android Wear. If you’re unfamiliar with this software, it’s pretty much a live whiteboard that uses task cards to help groups keep track of who’s doing what when working on project. To bring this powerful tool to your new smartwatch, just update to the latest version of Trello for Android on your smartphone and the app will automatically install on your wearable.
