Wednesday, July 02, 2014

Google snatches up streaming service Songza

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2014/07/01/google-buys-songza/

Google has just purchased music streaming service Songza and, while the exact terms of the deal have yet to be disclosed, it reportedly involves what financial experts refer to as "a boat load of money." Apple boosted its streaming music presence by picking up Beats. So it only makes sense that Google would have to fire back with an acquisition of its own. Like Beats, Songza relies pretty heavily on actual human curation to build playlists. The newest member of the Mountain View family uses contextual data about you to decide the best playlist for you at any given time. These lists are put together by DJs, musicians and music critics rather than some algorithm that looks at meta data like genre or BPM. These lists can get you pumped for a work out or just get you through a slow work day, but what they're not is a Pandora style infinite radio station.

For now, the service will continue as normal, but expect to see it curated lists and powerful data stores brought to bear on Play Music and YouTube. See, Songza knows not just what people listen to, but when they listen to it, what the weather is like and where they are. Imagine this coming together with the rest of Google's contextually-driven services. You could wake up one morning and Google Now will have already selected a playlist for you from All Access. Seeing as how it was a rainy Monday morning and you had along commute ahead of you, Google decided a set of tunes hand picked by Morrissey would perfectly match your mood.

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Source: Google, Songza

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drag2share: Swatch's robot-made wristwear offers classic Swiss time at a tiny price

source: http://www.engadget.com/2014/07/01/swatch-sistem51/?utm_source=Feed_Classic_Full&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Engadget&?ncid=rss_full

Swatch Sistem51

For many watch lovers, Swiss mechanical movement is the gold standard. However, it's also staggeringly expensive -- it's all too common to spend several hundred (if not several thousand) dollars just to see "Genève" on your wrist. That's what makes the US launch of Swatch's Sistem51 so special. While the watch still behaves like a conventional Swiss automatic with visible mechanisms, it's built using a fully robotic process that gets rid of the elaborate hand-crafting that drives up the price. As a result, you'll only pay $150 for the privilege, or about as much as an ordinary quartz timekeeper.

The Sistem51's transparent, brightly-hued look isn't for everyone; you probably wont wear it to a high-brow social function. However, it does have a few technical advantages over some pricier watches. There's a 90-hour power reserve to keep it ticking when idle, and the sealed body should keep out the dust or moisture that could lead to a costly repair. Just be ready to make a pilgrimage if you want one as soon as possible. The Sistem51 is only available at Swatch's Times Square store in New York as we write this, and the West coast will have to sit tight until the July 8th launch in San Francisco. It may take considerably more time to reach other parts of the country. If you've already been waiting ages to brag about owning a watch with Swiss mechanicals, though, it won't hurt to hold out for a little while longer.

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drag2share: Google's trippy Cube experiment lets you play DJ with six videos at once

source: http://www.engadget.com/2014/07/02/googles-cube-experiment-presets/?utm_source=Feed_Classic_Full&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Engadget&?ncid=rss_full

If you're bored with regular music videos, there's now something a little more interactive from Google called The Cube. It sprang from the Creative Labs division, which has done similar experiments in the past. As shown in the embed below, you can manipulate the box by grabbing it with a mouse or finger and revealing different videos on each face, along with different parts of the music mix. As you move between several bizarre scenarios -- like a psychedelic face and a woman on the phone in a bath -- the music also mixes in rhythmic sync. Google cooked up the idea at a conference earlier, and hopes to demo more projects on it in the future. It works on a computer or recent Android handset with the latest version of Chrome. After trying it ourselves on a Nexus 5 with Chromecast, we'd recommend sitting down first, though.

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Yahoo's New App Is About To Make Your Android Phone A Whole Better

Source: http://www.businessinsider.com/android-launcher-review-2014-7

AviatePhoto.JPG

In early 2014, Marissa Mayer declared that she would usher a "mobile first" mindset into Yahoo.

That influence has made itself present through Yahoo's recent acquisitions and the apps it's released over the past few months — including Aviate. 

Yahoo's Aviate launcher for Android, which the company acquired in January for an undisclosed price, just officially exited the beta phase days ago. This means it's in the Google Play Store and ready for full-time use. 

A launcher is an app for Android phones that replaces your phone's lock screen — or the hub from which you launch apps.

Aviate is a slick Android launcher that seeks to not only add additional features to your home screen, but also provide contextually aware information.

Aviate claims that it will cater certain information depending on the time of day and where you are. After spending some time with Yahoo's new launcher, here are some first impressions I came away with.

What It Does

AviateHomeLike most Android launches, Aviate is focused on presenting your favorite apps and content in a more accessible and cleaner package.

When you set up Aviate, you'll be asked to select the apps you use the most as well as your favorite app categories.

This tells Aviate which apps to include at the bottom of your new home screen and how to organize your other apps.

The home screen itself looks clean, tight, and organized. By default, Android offers up a ton of different home screens for storing your favorite widgets and apps.

Aviate eliminates the need for excessive home screens, and presents similar information in a menu-based format that I find to be more neat and efficient. 

The look and feel of Aviate maintains the flat yet colorful design language we've seen in other apps from Yahoo, such as Yahoo Weather and Yahoo News Digest.  

It's a nice change from the cluttered user interface you'll find on certain Android phones.

How It Works

Aviate displays a ton of information, but neatly tucks most of it away behind menus that can be accessed with a quick swipe.

The standard Aviate home screen displays the time stamp at the top sandwiched in between an icon that looks like a rising sun and an app menu icon. That rising sun icon is the symbol for Aviate's Today space, which I'll explain in further detail below. 

A photo of your choosing takes up most of the screen, and the apps you use most frequently are listed in rows at the bottom.

AviateSpacesRemember those app categories you chose earlier?

Swiping to the left reveals what Aviate calls Collections, which sorts apps into the genres you chose during the setup process.

If you want to view all of your apps, tapping the app grid icon will break them down in alphabetical order. It looks more like the app menu in Windows Phone than Android.

Swiping to the right presents daily information that Aviate thinks is relevant to you.

By default, the Today tab is shown when you swipe to the right, but you can change this by tapping the menu icon. Aviate calls these "spaces."

The Today space, for example, includes options like setting your phone to "Do Not Disturb," setting an alarm, or finding directions to work. The Listening space provides a music players and lists all of your music apps. Most spaces access your calendar to pull up events happening throughout the day too. 

You can also add widgets to any of these spaces to further customize the information displayed. 

Aviate uses these spaces to display contextually relevant information throughout the day. 

Conclusion

Aviate is an attractive yet simple home screen replacement for Android phones. It's ideal for those who want a less cluttered interface but are still seeking the same access to widgets and apps you'd get from multiple home screens. Like Yahoo's other apps, the interface is simple, clean, and colorful. 

SEE ALSO: The Most Important New Features Coming To Your Android Phone That Google Didn't Tell You About

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Tuesday, July 01, 2014

T-Mobile brings the LG G3 to the US on July 16th for $599 up front

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2014/06/30/lg-g3-reaches-t-mobile-july-16th/

LG G3

Americans, your wait for LG's G3 is (nearly) over. T-Mobile has become the first big US carrier to take pre-orders for the 2K-capable Android smartphone, and now expects the device to hit retail shops on July 16th. Be prepared to fork over a lot of cash if you want that pixel-packed display as soon as possible, though. The G3 will cost $599 if you buy it outright, and it doesn't currently qualify for an easier-to-swallow installment plan. Other stateside carriers haven't revealed their plans to carry LG's brawny handset, but we'd expect matching announcements from at least the larger networks before long.

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Source: T-Mobile (1), (2)

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Spying malware leaves countries' energy grids open to attack

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2014/06/30/dragonfly-spy-malware/

Nuclear power plant at night

Cyberwarfare campaigns against Western energy grids aren't just the stuff of action movies these days -- they're very, very real. Symantec has discovered a likely state-sponsored hacking group, nicknamed Dragonfly, that has been using phishing sites and trojans to compromise energy suppliers in the US and several other countries. Unlike targeted, destruction-focused malware like Stuxnet, this appears to be a broader spying effort bent on collecting information about national infrastructure. However, it still creates a back door that leaves companies vulnerable to full-fledged attacks if they don't spot the intrusions; it wouldn't take much to create real problems.

Symantec hasn't tracked down those behind Dragonfly, but it has plenty of evidence that they're professionals. Most of the attacks occur on weekdays between 9AM and 6PM Eastern European time, and they're primarily hitting Western European targets. They "think strategically," too. They first focused on aviation and defense agencies around 2011, and switched to power-related companies in early 2013; also, the suppliers under attack are smaller and less secure than the energy providers they're serving. If there's any consolation, it's that companies can shut down individual attacks, and that Symantec has already let affected companies and security response centers know what's happening. Let's just hope that the revelations get firms to tighten their security before there's some major damage.

[Image credit: Bjorn Kindler/Getty]

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Via: Ars Technica

Source: Symantec

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GE promises smart light bulbs without the usual steep prices

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2014/07/01/ge-link/

GE Link smart light bulb

Many smartphone-controlled light bulbs cost a pretty penny, even if you're not interested in mood-setting colors or other elaborate tricks. How are you supposed to afford enough bulbs to illuminate your entire abode? That's where GE's new Link bulbs could save the day. While you'll need a hub ($30 by itself) to get everything connected, the LED-based white lights cost just $15 to $25 each -- in contrast, Philips' upcoming Lux models are $40 a pop. There's also a kit that includes two 60W-equivalent bulbs and a hub for $50, or half as much as you'd pay for an equivalent Lux bundle.

Before you start planning your home's new ambiance, understand that you're paying less because you get a bit less... so long as you're only concerned with lighting, anyway. While the necessary Wink mobile app gives you full control over brightness and scheduling, you don't get luxuries like Philips' electricity-free control switch or LG's light-based phone alerts. Link might be a better deal if you don't want those extras, though, and the Wink support could save you from buying additional hubs (or using additional apps) to steer other household gadgets. No matter what, you'll have to be patient if you want to try GE's approach for yourself. Although Home Depot is taking pre-orders today, the Link bulbs don't ship until the fall -- that's a long time to wait just to save some money.

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Via: The Verge

Source: GE Reports, Home Depot

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Samsung's new consumer SSDs shoot to the top of the benchmark league

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2014/07/01/samsung-850-pro-v-nand-ssd-review-roundup/

Samsung 850 Pro SSD

For the last year or so, Samsung has been touting a "paradigm shift" in the way it constructs flash memory: from a horizontal to a vertical arrangement of cells, or what it calls 3D V-NAND. Now, judging from reviews of the first V-NAND consumer SSDs, the 850 Pro range, it looks like this shift has resulted in a geniune and unequivocal boost to performance. Compared to synthetic and real-world scores from rival drives, made by the likes of Intel and Crucial, Sammy's 850 Pro "led the pack almost across the board," according to HotHardware.

Then again, Tom's Hardware noted that Samsung is now pushing the limits of the SATA interface, such that other products are "within a stone's throw" of the the 850 Pro's scores (at least until a PCI Express version comes around). What's more, all the reviews listed below highlighted the fact that the new line-up comes at a significant premium, even when you factor in Samsung's nice 10-year warranty. The 128GB drive costs $130, while the maxed-out 1TB option costs $730, equating to a cost per gigabyte that is almost twice as high as other recent drives that lack the cutting-edge NAND (such as Crucial's MX100). Actual street pricing, meanwhile, will only be established over the course of this month, as the 850 Pro starts to become widely available.

Reviews of the Samsung 850 Pro SSD:

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Barclays brings Pingit phone number payments to Windows Phone

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2014/07/01/barclays-pingit-windows-phone-app/

Windows Phone users often have to resign themselves to getting apps months, if not years after their iOS- and Android-toting counterparts. That's especially the case for Barclays' Pingit app, which after more than two years has finally made its way to Microsoft's mobile platform. If you're not familiar, Pingit allows users to send money using only a recipient's phone number regardless of who either bank with. Banking customers have been able to check their balance and pay bills using Barclays' mobile banking app, but with new initiatives like Paym aiming to streamline mobile payments, Pingit could enjoy great momentum as a result. Despite being late to the party, Barclays' new app is still likely to enjoy some early-mover advantage, as only a handful of other banks have dedicated Windows Phone apps.

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Via: V3

Source: Barclays Pingit (Windows Phone Store)

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Wednesday, June 25, 2014

Google Fit is Android's answer to exercise and health tracking

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2014/06/25/google-fit/

Google Fit is Google's new health initiative. It's a service that'll track all your health metrics -- sleep, steps, etc. -- and it's built into the next version of Android. But what does that mean? Well, it means that Google's Android platform is getting the same kind of life-metric tracking that Apple's iOS users are getting in iOS 8 with HealthKit. More importantly, it means that the health devices you're already using will play nice with the myriad Android devices out there. It also means that all your health data ends up in one place, in one app, rather than spread across a variety of software applications. Which app you use, however, is up to you.

Adidas, Nike, Withings, Intel, RunKeeper and a variety of other fitness companies are involved with Android Fit. Nike's FuelBand wearables were specifically given a shoutout onstage at Google's I/O event this afternoon, where the initiative was announced.

What we didn't see from Google today is a dedicated app that collects all your data, like Apple's Health app. Rather, the Fit initiative is a platform for health device manufacturers trying to make their devices interface with Android. Google product manager Ellie Powers described it as using a single set of APIs for all health products, meaning all devices could technically work with all health/fitness software. While it isn't the whole-cloth approach that Apple's taking in creating its own app, it's the kind of open-source approach that we expect from Google.

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Meet the G Watch, LG's first Android Wear smartwatch

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2014/06/25/lg-g-watch-hands-on/

LG believes it's hip to be square, and it created a smartwatch to prove it. The G Watch was announced alongside Android Wear, Google's new wearables platform, and the circular Moto 360 this March. After three months, LG and Google are finally ready to let me slip one on my wrist. The watch is going to be available for pre-order for $229 (update: preorders are live here) on the Play Store alongside the Samsung Gear Live (and Moto 360, once it comes out later this summer), and will ship out in both black and white to eager users on July 7th.

With a 1.65-inch display at a resolution of 280 x 280 and sizable bezel, the G Watch is a little bigger than the Pebble Steel, which is the smartwatch I've been using up until this point. It looks like it swallows up my wrist, so it's not going to be a go-to fashion statement for everybody. Just like the Gear Live, LG chose to go with a square shape, rather than circular, mainly to ensure the user will enjoy as much screen real estate as possible. The product managers we talked to also left the door open for future Wear devices with other shapes, so there's certainly a chance we'll see more options down the road -- especially if the G Watch is considered a success.

The display is covered with Gorilla Glass 3; the sides are constructed with stainless steel; and the back is polycarbonate to allow for attenuation and wireless charging (the watch comes with a charging pad that makes this possible). The straps are interchangeable because it uses a 22mm size, but the wristband that comes with the device is made of silicone and offered me a comfortable fit.

Underneath the back sits a 400mAh battery that LG claims is high-density and optimized for wearable use. When asked about battery life, reps told me that it should last 36 hours in always-on state, and even longer if you opt to turn the screen off -- there's a companion app that you can download onto your Android device, and it gives you a few settings. Additionally, the G Watch boasts an ambient mode when idle, which theoretically helps extend the life of the battery.

In terms of power performance, the 63g timepiece features a 1.2GHz Snapdragon 400 processor, coupled with 512MB RAM and 4GB internal storage. I couldn't fully test out the watch's performance in real life because the watch itself was in a special demo mode that only gave me a few cards to play with, but I'll give it a full whirl in my upcoming review.

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Here's What People Would Pay For The iWatch (AAPL)

Source: http://www.businessinsider.com/apple-iwatch-price-predictions-2014-6

Although Apple is expected to release its first smartwatch later this year, the truth is we still don't know anything about the device — including how much it will cost. What we  can estimate, however, is how much people are willing to pay for it.

Earlier this week, investment firm Piper Jaffray published results from a study which found that most adult consumers wouldn't be interested in buying an iWatch for $350. The firm then asked respondents how much they would consider paying for an iWatch.

While most consumers said they wouldn't purchase one regardless of the price, more than 30% said they would buy the iWatch if it fell in the $100-$200 price range. Only 10% said they would buy the watch if it was priced at $100 or less, as shown in the chart from Statista posted below. Chart iwatch prices

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Google Figured Out How To Turn Any Phone Into A Virtual Reality Headset For Next To Nothing (GOOG)

Source: http://www.businessinsider.com/google-cardboard-2014-6

Google IO

At the end of Google I/O, Google's annual developers conference on Wednesday, Android boss Sundar Pichai announced that audience members would be getting some swag. 

Among the takeaways: A piece of cardboard. 

Sure enough, when we left the auditorium, Google employees handed out pieces of cardboard. 

At first it looked like nothing much. But after putting it together, we soon learned that with just some cardboard, a magnet, a rubber band, some magnifying glasses, and the Cardboard App, you, too, can fly around a virtual space, just like you can with the Occulus Rift VR glasses. 

You can find detailed instructions on how to use it — and even make one for yourself  — on Google's site.

Google Cardboard looks like what you think it looks like: a piece of cardboard.



But once you open it up ...



... you see what's hidden inside.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider






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Tuesday, June 24, 2014

drag2share: Samsung Galaxy Tab S review: slim design, long battery life, stunning screen

source: http://www.engadget.com/2014/06/24/samsung-galaxy-tab-s-review/?utm_source=Feed_Classic_Full&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Engadget&?ncid=rss_full

Samsung Galaxy Tab S review: slim design, long battery life, stunning screen

It'd be silly of me to talk about tablets in the past tense -- we still write stories about them daily and clearly, we review them, too. But of the ones we've seen lately, most have been low-end; mid-range at best. The market for high-end slates, once crowded with companies big and small, now looks more like a fraternity. At this point, the only players left are mostly big names like Apple, Microsoft, Sony. And, of course, Samsung. The outfit just announced the Galaxy Tab S, its flagship tablet for 2014. Available in 8.4- and 10.5-inch sizes, it comes armed with the best possible specs, including a stunning 2,560 x 1,600 Super AMOLED screen, 12-hour battery life and a slim build that measures just 6.6mm thick. In addition, Samsung added a fingerprint reader (still a rarity on tablets) and free goodies like popular magazines, Dropbox storage and a six-month Wall Street Journal subscription. The tablet's up for pre-order now, starting at $400 for the 8-inch model and $500 for the 10-incher. So, you can't test-drive it yet, but, as it happens, I've been playing with it for almost a week. Suffice to say, I've enjoyed myself. Mostly.

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drag2share: Nest devices start talking to Google, washing machines and your car

source: http://www.engadget.com/2014/06/24/nest-developer-program-begins/?utm_source=Feed_Classic_Full&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Engadget&?ncid=rss_full

Nest Learning Thermostat

Nest's Learning Thermostat and Protect smoke detector are now part of a much, much larger universe. The company has just launched a developer program that lets third-party apps and devices talk to Nest hardware, making it do things that aren't possible through official software. The initiative is kicking off with a whole host of partnerships in place, in many cases with feature updates either available now or due in the near future. Chamberlain's garage doors can now tell your Nest thermostat when you're home, while Mercedes-Benz lets you check the temperature on the road; Logitech's Harmony Ultimate remote can lower the heat in mid-movie, and Jawbone's Up24 fitness tracker can tell Nest when you wake up.

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