I've always liked the idea of having a projector, but never actually owned one. It always seemed like too much work: Sure, projecting movies like in theaters would be sweet, but then I'd have to set it up all the time. Isn't there a better way?
Actually, yes: AT&T now carries a projector that's also a tiny, LTE-equipped Android tablet. The movies are built in. That's better-but I'm still not sure who this clever projector is for. Cinephiles on the go? Business men that need to be able to whip out a projected slideshow at a moment's notice? I spent a week with it to try and find out.

What Is It?

A jack of all trades and a master of none. The ZTE Spro 2 is a tiny, kind of awkward Android tablet (running Android 4.4.4, if you must know) with a 5-inch touchscreen. It's kind of large and bulky for a 4G LTE hotspot, but makes for a pretty portable 200 lumen projector. It's pretty awesome, but also completely awkward and weird. It's very much a "sometimes" gadget, something that doesn't have a regular place in my day-to-day life, but can be handy to have around. It costs $400 on contract from AT&T, or $500 if you don't want to pay for service.

Using It

Okay, let me level with you: I called the ZTE Spro 2 part tablet, but that's not completely true. Yes, it has a landscape-oriented 5-inch touchscreen with an Android interface, but using it for more than a few minutes is kind of uncomfortable.
You can blame the chassis-the Spro 2 is primarily a projector, and it's shaped like one: It's a big, heavy, inch-thick brick. You aren't going to use it to check your email, play touch games, browse the web or anything like that: this device's screen is just a means to end... and that's okay! This thing exists to project movies, and it's surprisingly great at that.
Getting started is easy: The typical viewing session consists of tapping the smartphone-sized touchscreen a few times to launch a streaming app (Netflix, Hulu, Google Play, whatever), picking your programing and tapping a floating "projector" icon that's always hovering in the screen's upper right hand corner. That's it. The projector focuses automatically, the quick menu lets you adjust brightness (between low, medium and high, although only low and medium are available if you're running on battery) and it's pretty great.
If you want to get really advanced, the options menu lets you manually adjust the focus or digitally tilt the projection to match the angle of a wall or ceiling. You can manage Android projection, Miracast or HDMI inputs-more than enough options to provide a deeper projection experience, if you need it.
The problem I had was figuring where it fit in my life.

What I Actually Used It For

As a portable projector, the ZTE Spro 2 doesn't fit easily into my life. At home, I already have a 40-inch television and a dozen other screens on which I can enjoy content. If I'm going over to a friend's house for movie night, they probably also have a TV, a solid internet connection, or sometimes even a high-end home theater projector. For the Spro 2 to make sense, I had to put myself into a situation where I needed a large screen and a stable internet connection in a place where I would normally have neither. That was hard.

See, the projector has its limits: It can only go up to medium brightness on battery, which makes it pretty worthless outdoors during daylight hours (though it was perfectly usable indoors, with the lights on, as long as the projector was within four or five feet of the target surface). I tried using it to watch a movie in my backyard BBQ pit, but it was pretty hard to see until the sun started setting.
The best use I can imagine the Spro 2 is camping. Maybe it's late at night and you can't sleep-it's already dark and tent material makes a great makeshift projector screen, why not watch a movie? But... I'm not going camping anytime soon.
I did manage to watch a few movies on the Spro 2 while my TV was unplugged over the weekend (I was rearranging the furniture), but that doesn't happen on a regular basis-and while the Spro 2 is technically a full Android tablet, it's too awkward to use as a tablet for more than a couple of minutes. So what did I use it for? Well, it turns out it's a pretty good LTE hotspot. When my internet died last week, the Spro was there-pumping fast, reliable LTE wifi to all the devices in my house. It's absurdly large for a LTE hotspot, true-but the functionality made it useful to me on a more regular basis-power outages, train rides, airport layovers. That's a big deal. Plus it's got a big battery, so it'll be pumping out that LTE for a while.

Like

The projector is smart enough to know if its projecting on a slanted surface, and will automatically adjust the angle of the projection to compensate for the surface. It made watching TV on my ceiling much nicer.
Battery Life: The projector was able to stream Netflix over LTE for 2:40 minutes, enough to watch almost any film.

In addition to mirroring its own screen and projecting Miracast devices, the ZTE Spro 2 has a full-sized HDMI input.

No Like

The audio quality is iffy at best. Yeah, you can hear everything just fine, but it's not particularly loud and there's no discernible stereo separation. I didn't expect much more from the tiny box's speakers, but the disconnect between where the screen was and where the audio coming from was noticeable. Pair it with a bluetooth speaker if you want a better audio experience.
Battery Life: The projector was able to stream Netflix over LTE for 2:40 minutes, not quite enough to watch any movie in my library.
HDMI input (and projection) is capped at 720p. Hardly a dealbreaker, but definitely a bummer.

You know that micro USB cable you use to charge every phone and tablet you own? It won't work with the Spro 2. You'll have to use the included AC adapter.

Should You Buy It?

If you're, say, a film buff or live a life where you're frequently somewhere without a TV or internet connection when you'd like to have both, absolutely buy it. The ZTE Spro 2 is a decently bright little projector that runs on batteries and has access to all your favorite streaming services. It can double as a wireless hotspot in times of need, and even has HDMI input to double as a presentation projector for your laptop. It's a nice product for people who will find a use for it...but even these people probably won't find themselves using it on a daily basis.
The ZTE Spro 2 is a good sometimes gadget. It's like a inflatable pool, a hammock or a propane grill. You aren't going to use it every day, and that's okay-because you're going to enjoy the hell out of it when you do use it. Just make sure you really really want it for the handful of times you are going to pull it out. At $400 (on contract!), it's not cheap. [AT&T]

Source : Gizmodo

Search giant Google has acquired Gecko Design, as part of its Google X Projects initiative. The California-based firm is known for designing products for a number of clients including Aliph’s Jawbone, FitBit and HP. Basically  it works at the mechanical design work It is known to have done all the mechanical design work for the original FitBit tracker.

“Gecko was founded in 1996, and the company has worked with Yves Béhar’s Fuseproject and Frogdesign on past projects, firms which had a hand in the development of some of the most iconic gadgets brought to market in the last decade,” states Techcrunch. 

Some of Google’s most ambitious projects, including Google Glass and its driverless car, diabetes monitoring lenses have come out of the Google X projects labs. With Gecko design in its fold, we should soon expect some more cool hardware from the tech company. 

Initially, there were rumours that Google was looking to buy a wearable device maker like Jawbone, but later decided to team up with a partner instead. It has now teamed up several OEMs like Motorola, Samsung and LG, who are building wearables running Android Wear.

Moreover, the company will require design expertise for its other projects like Glass that it aims to make a mainstream product. “Google X needs design expertise as it works to shape cutting-edge technology into consumer and commercial products. Examples include Google Glass, the connected eyewear; Iris, the smart contact lens; and Loon, the high altitude balloons that provide Internet access to remote locations,” reports The Wall Street Journal.

Google hasn’t disclosed any details regarding this acquisition including the financial terms. Gecko President Jacques Gagne is expected to join Google’s X research division with four other employees next month.  

You may wish it away, but the selfie is here to stay, with tech companies, social media sites and even products all jumping on to the ‘I love my own face and I will photograph it’ bandwagon.  And it’s not been too hard to do, given that almost every phone out there comes with a fairly decent front facing camera.

So creating cameras that are just for selfies is really just a logical first step. And really, why not make it look different? And while we’re on the topic… Why not shape it like a perfume bottle? That seems to be the logic behind Sony’s decision to create – yup you got it – a selfie camera designed like a perfume bottle.

According to a report on Engadget, Sony is hoping to capture the trend in China where selfies for girls are the norm. Interestingly the girls also love to put a “Chanel perfume bottle case onto their phones,” adds the report and this is what Sony is hoping to capitalise on.

According to the report,”Sony is seizing this opportunity by releasing a new Cyber-shot camera that not only looks like a perfume bottle, but its big lens — encased in a clear brick with a gold accent — can also be flipped around to suit your needs.”

The camera could be launched on 22 August and Sony has put out a teaser for the same on its Chinese website. The camera is also likely to come with WiFi, NFC connectivity.

Another report on The Verge points out to an earlier Japanese report by Digicame Info, which said that camera called “the KW1 would have a small 1/2.3-inch 19-megapixel sensor and a 23mm-equivalent f/2 wide angle prime lens.” It appears to be more than the regular point-and-shoot camera according to The Verge report and will come with Wi-Fi, NFC, and app compatibility as well.

From the image on the China website, it looks like the Perfume bottle camera is for real.

As expected the first Firefox OS phone has arrived in India and it sports as low a price tag as was speculated by a report in June. The Spice Fire One Mi-FX1 has been priced at an unbelievable price of Rs,2,299, and will be available exclusively on Snapdeal for now before launching through other retail channels. The phone will be launched by Spice and Mozilla on August 29.

Spice says the Fire One is targetted at those feature phone users waiting to switch to smartphones, and with its price tag is likely to sway a bunch of potential low-cost Android phone buyers to the Firefox camp.

In terms of specs, don’t expect the kind of hardware features that we have become used to seeing in Android devices. The 2G-only dual-SIM phone is powered by a single-core 1 GHz processor, which is considered the bare minimum needed to run Firefox OS, which has been designed using Web technologies and allows developers to repackage Websites and pages into apps easily. There’s a 3.5-inch HVGA capacitive touchscreen, which is about the best one can expect at this price range. The phone also features two cameras – a 2MP shooter on the back, with a 1.3 MP front unit for selfies or video calling. The device also supports several Indian languages such as Hindi, Tamil and Bengali, and will have Facebook, Twitter and Connect A2 preloaded.

Other apps can be bought from Firefox’s Marketplace, which serves as a repository for all add-ons and extensions as well. Commenting on the launch, Mr. Prashant Bindal, Chief Executive Officer, Spice Mobility, said, “With the ultra-low cost Spice Fire One, we at Spice, aim to convert the feature phone users into smartphone users, thereby, aiding them with the power of internet. This partnership with Mozilla showcases our commitment to providing the best technological innovations first hand to our customers.”

Dr. Li Gong, President of Mozilla Corporation, said, “Just one year after the first Firefox OS device launched, Firefox OS smartphone is now available in 17 countries across Europe, Asia and Latin America. Our partnership with Spice will be an exciting Firefox OS launch in India. Having one more strong partner as Spice, we are confident that Firefox OS devices will realize a whole new category of smartphones with affordable price. Furthermore, we can ensure every user to enjoy the power of Web”.

Most of us can trace back the recent history of smartphones through a plethora of Androids, iPhones, and Blackberrys. Maybe you recall a nascent phone-PDA hybrid from Palm or Kyocera. But I bet you don't remember the IBM Simon, the world's first smartphone, which hit the streets 20 years ago today.

Simon was so advanced, people didn't know quite what to call it—when it hit the streets on August 16, 1994, the term "smartphone" was still three years away from entering our vocabulary. IBM called it a "personal communicator phone," meant to compete with PDAs from companies like Apple, Casio, and Tandy.

But Simon offered something those early PDAs didn't: The ability to make and receive cellular phone calls. It was the device's defining feature, so much so that IBM touted it as primarily a phone, just one with built-in PDA capabilities. From IBM's November 1993 press release:

According to BellSouth Cellular Corp.'s product development manager Rich Guidotti, Simon represents the first real personal communicator because it was designed to be a cellular phone—a communications device—first, and a computer second.

The features on this great-great-grandphone were pretty limited by 2014 standards: Simon could make calls, receive pager messages, and send and receive emails. It had a calculator, a calendar, and an address book. And it could send and receive faxes, using either the on-screen keyboard or a stylus to transmit hand-written notes or sketches.

Yes, a touchscreen. Simon's 1.5 by 4.5-inch, side-illuminated, radioactive-puke-green LCD reacted to either stylus or finger touch. Reviews griped that the tall, narrow screen made it hard to read or reply to faxes. The option to hand-write responses helped somewhat, and the keyboard even had an early form of predictive typing, showing a small portion of the keyboard and offering only the most logical next letters based on what you'd already typed.

Simon's various screens. Photos from Bill Buxton's collection at Microsoft Research.

Unfortunately, the limitations of 1994 technology meant that Simon—the size of a portable Bluetooth speaker, weighing in at just over a pound, with a battery that could only support 60 minutes of call time—never really caught on in the market. When it first hit, Simon was priced at $900 with a two-year BellSouth contract. Subsequent price cuts eventually brought the price down to $600, but it wasn't enough. BellSouth only sold 50,000 of the devices, most of which were later recalled by IBM and destroyed.

Still, it's fascinating to see how far we've come since Simon's brief tenure. Nobody's trying to send faxes from their smartphones today, but every device that fits the term today has email, calculator, and calendar functions, and they're all controlled by touchscreen.

And Simon was the first device to grapple with a problem smartphone makers are still trying to solve today: The perfect screen size. Home Office Computing's 1995 review of the IBM Simon echoes a complaint we still here today.

It may be that we're still asking too much of PDAs. For example, how can you possibly fit an acceptably large touch screen on an object that's supposed to fit in your pocket?

In 2014, we still haven't quite figured that out.

Perhaps most interesting of all is the way our emphasis on smartphone capabilities has changed. In 1994, IBM touted Simon as a phone first, with additional features added to the bedrock capability of making and receiving calls on the go. Today, we use our smartphones for email, texts, and about a million different forms of social media—and maybe, if we absolutely have to, we make a few phone calls.

Happy 20th birthday, Simon. You're the one that started it all.

Samsung has pretty much replicated Apple's strategy in the smartphone space but same things cannot be said when it comes to the tablet arena where Apple is the undisputed king with its iPad series. Well, up until now that the Korean major has finally got its formula spot on with its recently launched Tab S line-up.



What is it?
Tab S is Samsung's version of iPad-like experience on Android and with this device Android will never be the same. Till date, Android has never been seen as a tablet platform owing to its basic functionality purpose but slowly and gradually that notion is changing for good. Tab S comes in two form sizes; 8.4 inch and 10.5 inch and primarily fighting out against the might of iPad and its mini version as well.



Who is it for?
With a display of amazing quality and looks to match its class, Tab S is everything that Samsung has tried embodying over the years but has finally managed to crack the code. If you're comfortable living in the world of Android but warrant an iPad experience, then Tab S is your answer. Mind you, this is not your run-of-the-mill device; hence the premium experience costs heavy on your pockets. But more or less money well spent.


Design
The tablet's design construction sees the continuation of what we first came across on the Galaxy S5 smartphone. The common sighted faux-pas leather finishing has given way to the perforated plastic-matte finish. It may not catch your eye like an iPad does but definitely better looking than the previous Galaxy Tab iterations something that is noteworthy on Samsung's part. The tablet is easy to use and handle with its 6.6 mm thickness and 298 grams which is less than the dimensions of an iPad Mini (7.5 mm and 331 grams). For its size, the tablet feels comfortable to use. You have metal lining finish on the rim that has been colored in gold to emphasize the tablet's elegance, another nice touch. The volume and power buttons are placed on the top right hand side.



Hardware and Performance
Samsung is renowned for its display technology and we have seen how the company has evolved in this space with its myriad range of televisions. And with Tab S, the Korean major is now offering a similar experience with its ultra quality display. It sports an 8.4 inch display with 2560x1600 pixels resolution that stands out in the crowded wilderness. Lack of content is the sole reason that can hinder you to buy this but then it's all future-ready.



The colors are vivid, crisp and anything beyond reality, if we may add. It's safe to say that Samsung has successfully managed to offer its TV-like experience with Tab S and that speaks volume about the device. It packs an Exynos 5 octa-core chipset (1.9 GHz quad-core + 1.3 GHz quad-core) and paired with 3 GB RAM to give you the top notch performance, the tablet deserves. We still think it would be better on Samsung's part to now bring their Snapdragon version devices to India going forward. There's 16 GB internal storage, expandable up to 128 GB via microSD.



Synthetic benchmark scores (below) made us believe that Samsung has something special on its hands. Unless you are planning to indulge in some high-end gaming gig for long hours, the tablet poses neither heating nor lagging issues. It comes fitted with an 8 MP rear camera with flash that is quite decent for a tablet. It is capable of clicking good quality images in broad daylight and the ones in low-light aren't bad either. The tablet lasted our video playback tests for around 4 hours and still managed to have 53% juice left in the tank. With normal usage, you should get 8 to 10 hours out of the tablet.

Antutu: 34575
Quadrant: 20616
3DMark ISEU: 13621
NenaMark2: 58.9 fps
Vellamo browser: 2357

Software interface (UI)
Samsung's TouchWiz UI has been at the forefront of major bashing over the years but refreshingly, the interface seems to have gone through some tweaking which has stabilized the device on software to some extent. The notification panel and icons on the tablet have been given a sleek and cleaner look that was first observed on the Galaxy S5. You get all Samsung features like multi-window, Smart Stay, Adaptive brightness and even Ultra-power saving mode on the Tab S. It's really nice to see all the functional features making its way to the tablet as well. Latest Android 4.4 KitKat version running with TouchWiz UI that's fairly responsive and stable compared to our previous experiences.




Connectivity
This is where the Tab S scores on an iPad Mini. Tab S comes with basic options like Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GPS, A-GPS and that's not all you have 3G usage available ( in India) via SIM slot that also support voice calling. Let's say, you go to buy an iPad Mini 128 GB cellular model in India, it will cost around Rs 59,000 whereas the Tab S 8.4 comes with all the features and priced at fairly lower Rs 44,000 and in case you buy a 128 GB microSD card (priced Rs 9,999), even then you manage to save Rs 4K. You might argue that an iPad compared with a Tab S is highly rich but still we wanted to put that down for you.



Should you buy it?
Samsung has almost found the right ingredients to mix it with the Apple iPad thanks to Tab S. Crisp and surreal display, towed with solid hardware and connectivity options make it a compelling buying option. However, the experience does not come cheap. A decent iPad Mini alternative.

The good
Amazing display
Powerful hardware
Plethora of connectivity options
Decent battery life

Tragic flaw
Design language needs a facelift

More photos that claim to show components Apple will use in its iPhone 6 have leaked online. After publishing a set of leaked images last week, Feld & Volk - a company that sells luxury modified iPhones - has posted a new set of clear, high-resolution pictures showing the iPhone 6's front panel and power button.
There's not a whole lot we can gather from these photos (via Mac Rumors), but they do appear to be consistent with previous leaks we've seen. The images showing the front plate suggest that the iPhone 6 could have rounded edges similar to that of the iPad Air.
Here's what the inside of the iPhone 6's front panel supposedly looks like.

Feld & Volk via MacRumors

And another shot of the front shell showing where the home button would be. Notice the rounded edges.

Feld & Volk via MacRumors

This image supposedly shows a component Apple will use for the iPhone 6's Touch ID home button.

Feld & Volk via MacRumors

We expect to learn more about the iPhone 6 next month, when Apple is rumored to hold an event to introduce its new smartphone. In addition to a larger and thinner design, rumors suggest the next iPhone could come with a scratch-resistant screen made of sapphire and some improvements to its camera. Apple is expected to release two new iPhones this year, one with a 4.7-inch display and another with a bigger 5.5-inch screen, but it's unclear if they'll debut at the same time.

The much talked about Samsung Galaxy Alpha 
has been made official and it will go on sale in 150 countries from September. However, at this point, it is not clear which countries are likely to get the Samsung Galaxy Alpha first.

The leaks regarding the Samsung Galaxy Alpha had been pouring in for a while. At just 6.7 millimeters thick, it takes more than one or two design cues from the iPhone.

The features of the Samsung Galaxy Alpha are:

4.7 Super AMOLED Display

Octa-Core Exynos (1.8 GHz Quad + 1.3GHz Quad) processor; can include 2.5GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 quad-core processor in select markets.

12 mega-pixel rear camera and 2.1-megapixel front camera

2GB of RAM, 32GB of Storage

1,860 mAh

Fingerprint sensor, heart rate monitor, nano SIM, USB 3.0, 4G LTE

Android 4.4.4 KitKat

"The Galaxy Alpha was built and designed based on the specific desires of the consumer market. With an entirely new appearance, the Galaxy Alpha focuses on both beauty and functionality combining a stunning metal frame and slim, light weight design with the same powerful hardware and features users expect from a flagship Galaxy mobile device," said JK Shin, CEO and Head of IT & Mobile Communication at Samsung Electronics.

Samsung Galaxy Alpha will be available in five color options - White, Gold, Silver, Blue, and Black.

Apple will probably release a smartwatch late this year or early next year - though the company will be in trouble if it comes out with anything resembling what's already on the market.
Apple could still revolutionize the product category, however.
Jan Dawson, chief analyst at Jackdaw Research, noted a number of ways Apple could take the smartwatch to the next level in his latest report on wearables.
Dawson says a game-changer smartwatch would serve "several other purposes" in addition to functions like sending push notifications and running apps you know and love.
One way Apple might transform the smartwatch is by making it a payment platform, Dawson said. He noted that smartwatches aren't doing this yet. Apple could gain a first-mover advantage here.
Adding identities to the iWatch like membership cards and even government IDs would also give it additional functionality. Dawson said a revolutionary smartwatch might replace the swipe card you use to get into your office.
Another way the iWatch could transform the market is by bringing it into the Internet of Things, in which all of your devices communicate with each other to make your life easier.
"A wearable device could serve as a location trigger for home automation functions, such as turning lights, air conditioning or a television on or off when someone enters a room," Dawson said.
Imagine a smartwatch that could sync up to your Wi-Fi and tell your Nest thermostat to adjust the temperature or stream your favorite show when you come home. Automating your daily life would allow the iWatch to become more than devices like Android Wear that act as a mere extension of your smartphone.
That said, Apple's smartwatch will almost certainly interact with the smartphone. Dawson said the iWatch could provide an additional layer of security for your phone, acting as a Bluetooth key of sorts.
"This will be a function of Android Wear devices, too," he said.
The iWatch could also act as a remote for other smart devices. The iPhone already does this for some devices, so the benefit to overall functionality is fairly limited in this use case.
There are clearly a no lack of functions Apple could incorporate into its upcoming wearable. Whether it does, however, will ultimately determine the success of the device and its effect on the company's bottom line.

TouchJet first revealed the Touchpico this year at the CES in concept form and it comes in the form of a projector that is said to be about the size of a phablet. The device is now ready to go into production.

The Touchpico is actually about the same as two large phablets that have been put on top of each other and it is small enough to fit into a pocket. While you can get it into your pocket it doesn’t mean that you won’t know that it is there, because you will.
The device doesn’t actually turn the wall into an actual touchscreen. Instead what it does is project a screen of up to 80 inches onto anywhere you choose to point it. The system comes complete with a stylus and this has a tip on the end that clicks and which acts as a touch device. You can tap the stylus on the place you are projecting the screen on and in turn this sends a signal via infrared to the projector. You have to use the stylus for it to work, if you try to touch the screen with your finger nothing happens.
During a demo shown recently of the Touchpico in action it was shown with different Android apps. The company showed how it could be used for a whiteboard, as a presentation device with slides, or how it could be used for playing games. Throughout the demo there were no visible signs of the system lagging, however the stylus does have to be held so that any shadow cast from your arm doesn’t cover the object that you want to click.
The Touchpico comes with a dual core processor that runs on stock Android. The tech is a Wi-Fi tablet that comes with a 150 lumen projector and it seems to be able to run any of the Android apps without any issue. No CPU power is used by the Touchpico and this means that, for now at least, the tech isn’t multi-touch.

[Image Courtesy of Gizmodo]

It does come with two speakers which are built into the unit and there is a fan for cooling the system. The system can run wirelessly for around 45 minutes and it then needs to be plugged in.
While TouchJet have finished with the engineering part and the design of the Touchpico they are raising money through Indiegogo for the first run of their product. Anyone who backs the project for $350 will get the Touchpico. The regular retail price will be $500 when the money has been raised and the campaign is complete.

[Image Courtesy of Gizmodo]

Via [TouchJet]

The Samsung Galaxy S5 is set to be one of the biggest smartphone launches of 2014 – even with little known at this point what Samsung even has planned

  Samsung’s current flagship handset, the Samsung Galaxy S4 went on sale in April 2013. It came packed with a huge number of features and contributed to the opinion that Samsung, rather than Apple, is the main driver of innovation in the smartphone market today.

It also doesn’t hurt that Samsung sold an estimated 20 million Samsung Galaxy S4s within two months of it hitting shelves.
This is an article about the Samsung Galaxy S5. We’ll be rounding up all the latest news and rumours about the handset in the run up to its unveiling next year.
For other Samsung news, check out our Samsung News Hub.

Samsung Galaxy S5 release date

Samsung looks set to hold the first of its annual keynote events Samsung Unpacked at Mobile World Congress. The company is unlikely to hold another major event in March, so it looks increasingly like that Samsung will show off the Galaxy S5 for the first time at the show.
It looks as though our prediction could well be correct with the Samsung Galaxy S5 release date being set for April after a Samsung executive confirmed that the S5 would launch alongside the Galaxy Gear 2 at the same time it launched the S4 last year.
As for when you’ll be able to get your hands on it? If we were betting people, we’d say the last Friday of April – so Friday, April 25th.

Samsung Galaxy S5 specs

Relatively little is known about the Samsung Galaxy S5’s specs. Speaking to Korea Times, Samsung’s co-CEO Shin Jong-Kyun has promised the company will match the processor found in Apple’s new iPhone 5s.
Despite that promise, it appears that Samsung may not be matching it when it comes to it being 64-bit. According to KGI Securities' Ming-Chi Kuo, the Samsung Galaxy S5 will come in two varieties, but neither will have a 64-bit processor. The Prime is said to be coming with a Samsung octa-core Exynos 5430 processor, while the Standard model is said to be coming with a quad-core Snapdragon 800 processor.
While it may not match it in terms of the amount of bits, if it turns out the Prime model does come with a octa-core processor, Samsung could out do Apple in sheer brute force. The lack of 64-bit support could also have something to do with both models only coming with 3GB RAM, according to Ming-Chi. The main reason for moving up from 32-bit chips is to break through the 4GB limitiation.
If Samsung is planning on sticking with 3GB of RAM, it makes more sense for it to opt for raw power, rather than add a feature which isn't really going to be used.
Samsung had confirmed that it is working on 64-bit processors for its 2014 handsets - although the company stopped short of actually announcing which handsets they were. If it turns out that Ming-Chi is right – and he has a history of being right – it may mean we have to wait until the Galaxy Note 4 before we see it.
To be honest, it would make more sense for the time being for the Galaxy Note 4 to debut 64-bit chips. Along with giving the company more time to perfect the technology (see below), it would also make more sense to pack its powerhorse phablet with more RAM – and so benefit from a 64-bit chip.
Stephen Woo, president of Systems SI at Samsung electronics told CNET that the company is taking a “two-step approach” to developing 64-bit chips.


According to Woo, the firm is planning on developing a 64-bit chip based on designs from ARM. Once it has mastered that technology, it will design its own chip. It is believed it will be the latter chip that ends up in both of Samsung’s 2014 flagships smartphones.

“We are marching on schedule,” Woo said Wednesday. “We will offer the first 64-bit [processor] based on ARM’s own core. After that, we will offer an even more optimised 64-bit [processor] based on our own optimisations.”
One other snippet of information we have is that the Samsung Galaxy S5 will supposedly feature fast charging capabilities. According to sources speaking with PhoneArena, the next Galaxy will arrive with a new type of lithium ion battery that will hold 20 per cent more energy than the S4 and can be fully charged in just two hours.

Samsung Galaxy S5 looks

The Samsung Galaxy S5 will sport an entirely new design according to Samsung Mobile executive vice president Lee Young Hee. Speaking to Bloomberg she confirmed that the S5 would be a bold departure after consumer feedback suggested that people didn't really see the difference between the S3 and the S4.
This would certainly fit with the rumour that claimed Samsung is looking to move away from using polycarbonate back covers for its phones.
According to ET News, the company has sent engineers to Vietnam to investigate the feasibility of making smartphones with aluminium and magnesium backs.
The report claimed that some figures at the Korean manufacturer are concerned that the recent introduction of a plastic-backed ‘budget’ iPhone – the iPhone 5c – could make buyers think all plastic-backed smartphones are budget devices.
Perhaps we can find a clue in the recent Samsung Galaxy Note 3 - on that handset Samsung has replaced the traditional polycarbonate with a new faux-leather, stitched rear cover.

Apple has been awarded a new patent for a stylus that’s not so dumb.

Apple and styluses don’t go hand in hand, at least they didn’t use to. The company’s late co-founder and CEO Steve Jobs was very vocal about his stance against styluses, not one Apple mobile device released after the first iPhone came with a stylus, the company used multi-touch touchscreen displays to allow users to simply control devices using just their fingers. However, that doesn’t mean that Apple hasn’t been keeping an eye on the technology, dreaming up a way to transform the so called “dumb styluses” into smart ones. Back in 2011 the company filed a patent for the “iPen,” a stylus with an orientation sensor in it.

The US Trademark and Patent Office has now awarded the patent to Apple. It details how the iPen is going to be different from a normal stylus, the orientation sensor in iPen would enable it to determine orientation relative to the touch screen surface. The sensor would provide for more accurate reproduction of input, because data from the sensor can be used to adjust darkness and width of the line that’s displayed on the surface. The experience will mimic that of a pencil, if its pressed into the side of the tip and a line is draw, that line will be different in width and darkness as opposed to a line that’s draw with the pen resting square on the tip, thus making the use of a stylus much more real and authentic.

It might be rumored in the coming days that the iPhone phablet, which has been consistently rumored for a couple of months now, may come with a stylus. It may be believed that the stylus will be developed for that particular product. In reality, there’s nothing pointing towards an imminent launch of an Apple product that uses styluses. Apple may very well have the patent under its belt, but that doesn’t mean the iPen will necessarily see the light of day.

Source: USTPO

Here is a glimpse of hottest tech events of 2013....

The world goes FullHD
Almost everyone and their uncle was either launching or buying products with high-definition displays. In 2013, manufacturers managed to convince buyers that they weren't seeing right if they weren't seeing things in full HD.



Samsung, LG, Lenovo, Sony - all launched pixel-packing smartphones; tablets such as Nexus 7, Kindle Fire 8.9 and the new iPads also boasted of high-density screens. Indian brands Micromax and Spice jumped onto the bandwagon too.

On the TV side, high-def champions Samsung and LG pushed the envelope with 4K panels - double the resolution of Full HD. Videos and images looked crisper, or at least we convinced ourselves that they do. And 'screen PPI' finally found its place in tech lexicon among jargon like 'processor cores' and 'camera megapixels'. Wearing your tech
Geeks rejoiced. Google made wearing spectacles uber cool when they launched Google Glass - eyewear that lets you record videos, shoot photos, and even access the internet.



In Europe, an Italian company unveiled their version of a headmounted display called GlassUp. Gamers got their own with the Oculus Rift - a headset that melds virtual reality and immersive gaming, which began shipping to software developers.

Then, there were smart watches that connect to your smartphone; arm bands that measure heart rates, blood pressure, sleep cycles; and shoes that count every step you take.

The most 'out there' idea, however, came out of Durex's research labs. The condom manufacturer unveiled Fundawear - a range of undergarments that vibrate whenever your partner runs his or her fingers on the Fundawear smartphone app - and the couple doesn't even need to be in the same room for those... ahem... tender caresses.. Fight for survival
Till 2008, Nokia was a brand that could do no wrong. And BlackBerry made handsets that were preferred by the suits. Then Google's Android happened, and within a couple of years, Samsung - earlier known for its refrigerators and air conditioners - slowly, but steadily became the numero uno brand for smartphones.

In 2013, after a few calamitous strategic decisions, Nokia was bought over by Microsoft for a pittance - and Blackberry, despite its BB10 OS and new touchscreen handsets, is still looking for a buyer.

But already, Nokia with Microsoft is gaining lost ground. Popular apps are finally making their way to the Windows Phone platform. And BlackBerry is all set to release a BB10 upgrade in the New Year that will let users directly install Android apps on their smartphone. There's no telling where these erstwhile giants will go from here, but 2013 will always be remembered as the year when they fought for pure survival. Mother of all leaks
It's true. They're after you! In June, The Guardian and The Washington Post made a series of shocking revelations that America's National Security Agency (NSA) had been sniffing through e-mails , web browsing history, and online chats. If you were visiting porn sites, they probably saw it; and they probably know about your secret e-mail addresses and Facebook accounts too.

Some of the tools employed by the NSA, allegedly, were produced by companies like Microsoft, Yahoo!, Google and Apple.

Then in November, it was revealed that NSA had infected over 50,000 networks with malware to help with its espionage. Is there more? Apparently, yes. Ninety-nine per cent of the leaked documents are yet to be documented and exposed. Hah! So while you were cluelessly watching Bigg Brother on TV, you were also part of yet another Orwellian plot.
    Bitcoin: Heads or tails?
Bitcoin was first mentioned in 2008 in a paper published under the pseudonym Satoshi Nakamoto. The following year, this digital currency became operational with the release of the first Bitcoin 'mining' client, and the first Bitcoins. The last one year, however, is when this digital currency made massive headlines.


Services such as OkCupid, Baidu, Reddit, Humble Bundle, Foodler, and even Richard Branson's Virgin Galactic began ac

cepting it as payment. In August, Germany announced that Bitcoins can be used for the purpose of tax and trading in the country. Similarly, Finland issued a regulatory guide in September. In October, the FBI shut down the Silk Road online black market and seized $28.5 million worth of Bitcoins from the alleged mastermind. The Washington Post labelled it "the currency of choice for seedy online activities," and CNN called it a "shady online currency" .

On December 5, China Central Bank barred financial institutions from handling Bitcoin transactions in the country. This was similar to the Bank of Thailand directive in July, which deemed all Bitcoin activities as illegal. But through all these ups and downs, the price of Bitcoin reached an all-time high of nearly $1,200 in November, up from $14 at the start of the year. At the time of going to press, the value of one unit of this volatile currency dropped to $601.

John Quiggin, a professor of Economics at the University of Queensland, Australia, noted that since Bitcoin has no intrinsic value, it is "perhaps the finest example of a pure bubble" . Whether it bursts or floats depends on how long it can defy pure economics.

Services such as OkCupid, Baidu, Reddit, Humble Bundle, Foodler, and even Richard Branson's Virgin Galactic began accepting it as payment. In August, Germany announced that Bitcoins can be used for the purpose of tax and trading in the country. Similarly, Finland issued a regulatory guide in September. In October, the FBI shut down the Silk Road online black market and seized $28.5 million worth of Bitcoins from the alleged mastermind. The Washington Post labelled it "the currency of choice for seedy online activities," and CNN called it a "shady online currency" .

On December 5, China Central Bank barred financial institutions from handling Bitcoin transactions in the country. This was similar to the Bank of Thailand directive in July, which deemed all Bitcoin activities as illegal. But through all these ups and downs, the price of Bitcoin reached an all-time high of nearly $1,200 in November, up from $14 at the start of the year. At the time of going to press, the value of one unit of this volatile currency dropped to $601.

John Quiggin, a professor of Economics at the University of Queensland, Australia, noted that since Bitcoin has no intrinsic value, it is "perhaps the finest example of a pure bubble" . Whether it bursts or floats depends on how long it can defy pure economics. Taking on the big boys... and winning
Hugh 'Wolverine' Jackman held his palms slightly apart in a Namaste, and in between those hands, television viewers saw the Micromax Canvas Turbo.

In the last year, home-grown smartphone brands took the fight to foreign manufacturers and beat them in marketing, price and feature wars. International brands were forced to rethink strategies; sometimes bending backwards with freebies on purchase, huge discounts and even buy-back schemes.

As things stand, Micromax is second only to Samsung in the country, while Karbonn and Lava have also clawed their way up into the list of top vendors. Budgetconscious youth gave the nod to local brands, and carrying indigenous handsets - or being seen with one - is no longer uncool, it seems. Ransomware: Your money or your data
E-mails inviting you to claim your lottery are old school now. It has been the year of ransomware - an evolved form of malware that proliferated in the first half of 2013.

The modus operandi is simple: Systems get infected; lock users out of their computers, while hackers demand money in exchange for digital freedom. Why kidnap when you have the internet and netbanking?

At the moment, ransomware has appeared in the form of a web page masquerading as the local police site, threatening to take action against your 'illegal' online activities. Gullible folk take the bite and pay their bail - online. Another variant called CryptoLocker puts many a network admin in a pickle with its strong encryption. And only after an untraceable online payment, they receive the decryption key! Who's got game
This year, Microsoft and Sony unveiled their newest game consoles within a few months of each other. The new Xbox One - unveiled in May - is designed to be your go-to bum-chum for entertainment. It understands voice commands, lets you download and watch movies, listen to music, browse the web, install apps, make Skype calls - and of course, play games.



On the other hand, the new PS4 - unveiled in February - tends towards social gameplay: It lets you share game videos and screen grabs via the internet; record and upload videos to Facebook, and is even programmed to learn your likes and dislikes.

Both consoles recognize gestures, both support Blu-ray discs, and both have begun slugging it out to be the centre of your attention - only problem they haven't worked out is how to wean you away from your Full HD smartphone. 
  Source:Times Life-Tech tonic 

Epson Moverio BT100

Wear the Moverio BT100, and you're bound to grab eyeballs. This wearable display is a futuristic device that makes you look like a blind man from 2050. But then that's the price you pay for being an early adopter of such high-tech. Simply, the gadget is a personal entertainment system on which you can watch movies (including 3D content), browse the net, and what not. The wired glasses become your display, while the Wi-Fi-capable base unit - with its rechargeable battery, storage, memory slots, as well as a trackpad and directional buttons for navigation - are the brains of the system.

What we like
The headset and the base unit are sturdily built. Besides, the BT100 comes with a durable protective case, which makes it easy to carry. Although you're viewing a micro-projection LCD, the perceived image size is close to the 80 inches that Epson states in its spec sheet. Transferring content to the device, as well as navigating through its user interface, is simple like it is with any Android-based device. The unit plays FullHD 1080p video (MKV format, however, doesn't play), and its Dolby-enhanced sound make for clear audio. 3D content looks good.


What we don't like
It's heavy. Wear the headset for an hour and you start feeling its weight on the bridge of your nose. Also, given its size, you cannot move your head around freely for fear of the unit falling off. The device runs Android, but there's no Play Store. You can copy APKs (Android Application Package files) onto a memory card to install apps, but that seems like a roundabout process. Surfing the net using its touchpad and direction keys is cumbersome. Given this device is about portability, its battery life at between 4 to 5 hours is inadequate. Expensively priced for the experience it delivers.
 
Specs: Head Set: 16:9, 0.52-inch poly-silicon TFT active Matrix Colour LCD, (960x540 pixels), 24-bit colour | Removable lens shade for privacy | Dolby Mobile, 1.5mW (2.5mm Mono x 2) sound output | 3.5mm headphone jack | 240g Controller: Capacitive, single-touch trackpad, individual navigation buttons | Android 2.2 | 1GB internal memory, support for microSD (2GB max) and micro SDHC (32GB max) | microUSB | Wi-Fi | Lithium-polymer 2530mAh | 165g

Samsonite Torus Solar Backpack

The bane of modern life is batteries. Every portable gadget needs one, and it always seems to be running out. The Torus Solar backpack packs a solar charger to power up your gadgets on the move. So whether you're moving about the city or trekking in the mountains, your gadgets in this bag are always charged and ready.
 
What we like
The battery reservoir in the Torus Solar works well to charge almost all handsets and cameras to at least 50%. The bag doesn't need to be facing the sunlight all the time. As long as the prominent light source is the sun, it'll keep charging, albeit at a slower rate. The charging unit is detachable, so if you're trekking, you can leave your bulky backpack at the camp while you travel with the solar pack to keep your gadgets juiced.

What we don't like 
The time taken to charge up the built-in battery is excruciating. Samsonite claims it takes 4 hours for a full charge; on an average, it took us 16 hours when outdoors. The battery is too small to power-up laptops and high-end tablets fully. Having slots for every type of gadget makes the Torus big and bulky. And this leaves little room for other stuff. Besides, the solar charger isn't light either. In the end, you have a heavy backpack that may not let you carry everything you need.

Specs: Special slots for laptop, tablet, mobile, camera | Detachable solar panel zip pouch | 1600mAh battery | Connectors for microUSB and two other common pin sizes for laptops, phones and tablets | Made from 900D and 1680D polyester, lined with 210D high-density polyester.

Portronics Electropen Portronics

Portronics Electropen Portronics takes the humble writing instrument and transforms it into a high-tech digitalizer. Write or draw anything on an A4-sized sheet, and the Electropen automatically converts your scribbles into an image or PDF file when you connect it to your computer. And yes, this one also doubles up as a computer mouse.
 
What we like
Pin the receiver onto the paper you are writing on, switch it on and you're ready to go. The only thing to be careful about is to not have anything come between the pen and its receiver (but this is not a deal-breaker). When used with the PC, the Electropen can be a mouse, complete with a button to click. But its tip is not pressure sensitive, so don't get ideas about using it as a stylus for drawings. The rechargeable base unit needs to be juiced up after about 8 hours of use, while the pen's battery is like the Energizer bunny - just goes on and on...


What we don't like 
Thou shall use A4 sheets only. Use wider or longer paper and the Electropen won't work. It's weird to pin the base unit on a notebook, since it makes it irksome to turn pages. Also, when you are done writing on a page, you have to press the On/Off button on the base unit to save the page. Not only does it disrupt your flow, but if you forget and start on the next page, you chance losing your data or mixing it up. The bundled Note Manager software fails to turn handwriting into text. Given that the point of the Electropen is to digitize notes, this is a major miss. You still get your handwriting in an image file or PDF, but not as editable digital text.

Specs: Ultrasound and infrared connection | About 8 hours of continuous writing with Receiver | 30 hours (approx) of continuous writing with pen | 12gm | Works only with A4 | Standard refill (67mm long, 2.35mm diameter).

Sony SmartWatch

Sony's SmartWatch is a device that Android phone owners can use to check for missed calls, read messages and see social networking updates without taking their phones out from their pockets. But every now and then, this gizmo felt like a solution in search of a problem. And more often than not, we found that taking out our phone to read a message or listen to songs to be a much better option than the alternative on our wrist. Of course, this nifty toy still gives early-adopter geeks boasting rights...
What we like
Good build quality, and the aluminum frame around the watch adds to the aesthetics in its design. Setting up SmartWatch is easy. Just install the SmartConnect app from Android Play Store on your phone and pair it with the watch. The SmartWatch comes in handy for geeks who jog or exercise. Using the Endomondo Sports Tracker, it allows a user to access information like distance covered, speed and location, etc. Three-day battery life under normal use.


What we don't like
SmartWatch has a poor screen with a very low resolution of 128x128 pixels. Touch response is on the slower side. It uses mini apps which connect to the main apps installed on the smartphone. Not many mini apps are available. Even the ones that are, do not have a killer purpose or user interface that makes them indispensable. This SmartWatch is not that smart. It is dependent on the phone for its functionality, which severely limits its usefulness.


Specs: 120Mhz ARM CPU | 128KB RAM | 1MB flash storage | BlueTooth 3.0 | 1.3-inch capacitive touchscreen with 128x128 pixels | 110mAh battery

Buying a smartphone that’s right for you can be a major hassle. Everyone uses their smartphones differently and hence prioritize the features they want from their new phone. Here is a list of Top 10 Smartphones that have been released in 2013 to guide you through your journey of choosing and purchasing your next smartphone.

10. Sony Xperia z1

What makes this Xperia so famous is it’s waterproof and dust resistant casing, a first for smartphones. The high powered 20.7 megapixel camera, along with the 2.2 GHz quadcore processor, 2 GB RAM and 16 GB internal storage along with a microSD slot make this a heavy performer. The downside is the 5 inch display which could be of better quality considering the high-end nature of the phone. The Sony Xperia Z1 can be bought from a Sony Store without a contract for $649.99 and is available in black, white and purple colors.
You can get one here

9. Motorola Droid Maxx

With a 3500 mAh battery, the Droid Maxx is one of the longer lasting smartphones in terms of battery life. Some of the exclusive Motorola features found in this phone include active notifications, always-on listening and Motorola Assist. The Motorola X8 processor and 32 GB internal storage allow for heavy data usage and processing. The 5-inch AMOLED display and Qi wireless charging capability make it standout from the other smartphones and the 10 megapixel camera is adequate for everyday use. The cost of the phone without contract is $499.99, which means the Droid Maxx is reasonably priced too. You can get one here

8. Samsung Galaxy S4

The Samsung Galaxy is one of the most popular smartphones nowadays, and is an amazing all-rounder. The 5-inch display is amazing and huge yet the phone feels compact in one’s hand. Samsung have also offered flexibility by including a microSD slot and a removable battery. The S4 also has many software enhancements which make it standout from all the other android smartphones in the market. The popularity of the phone means there is a large variety of accessories available for the phone. The Samsung Galaxy S4 costs $627.99 without a contract. You can get one here

 

7. LG G2

The G2 is slightly minimal, but the performance and the more than adequate camera make it a decent phone. The 5.2-inch 1080p IPS display looks amazing and the phone comes with Android 4.2.2 (a common software for LG phones nowadays). The downside of this phone is the placement of the power and volume keys on the backside of the phone which takes some time to get used to. The glossy finish of the phone may put off those of us who tend to have smudgy or sweaty hands. The LG G2 is available for $603.99 at full retail price. You can get one here

6. Moto X

The Moto X not only feels good in your hand, but it also has one of the best voice control functionality and active notifications display on the lock screen. The specifications for the Moto X are not the highest in today’s market and the camera had some issues at first (which were later fixed by an update). However, The Moto X has a very decent battery life and and feels good in your hands. The price of the 16 GB model without contract is $499, making it a great choice for those of us with a limited budget looking for a smartphone. You can get one here

5. Google Nexus 5

The Nexus 5 is the first phone to be released with the latest Android KitKat 4.4 software. With a Snapdragon 800 quadcore processor and 2 GB RAM, the Nexus 5′s performance is one of the best. The 8 megapixel camera with optical image stabilization means you can take decent photographs whenever needed. The phone comes with a lot of other features including Qi wireless charging. The price for all this performance is amazing value for money, with the the 16 GB version costing $349 and the 32 GB costing $399 (both prices are for SIM-unlocked phones). The Nexus 5 is amazing performance at a low price. You can get one here

4. Nokia Lumia 1020

With the best camera in any mobile phone to date, the Lumia 1020 is the phone of choice for those of us who use their smartphones primarily for photography. The 41 (not 14) megapixel camera with enhanced Carl Zeiss optics allows you to take the most high definition pictures out of any phone on or off this list. The only drawback is that there are limitations when it comes to compatibility of certain devices with Windows Phones (such as smartwatches), but Nokia has provided its own host of apps in an attempt to make up for the shortcoming. The Lumia 1020 can be yours, without contract, for $851. You can get one here

3. Samsung Galaxy Note 3

Samsung has put everything into the Galaxy Note 3, which is both incredible and frustrating at times. The Note 3 is the most powerful and capable Android device available in the market today with a 1.6 GHz quad-core Samsung Exynos processor and 3 GB RAM. The display is an amazing 5.7-inch Super AMOLED HD display. With a 13 megapixel camera, a storage capability of up to 64 GB (including microSD) and a 3200 mAh removable battery which allows you to go longer without having to charge, the Note 3 is a heavyweight in the world of smartphones. The non-contract price of the Note 3 is a reasonable $699.99. A small price for such a heavy performer. You can get one here

2. HTC One

With Android 4.3 software and a beautiful, well-built body, the HTC One is one of the best phones to come out this year. The 4.7-inch Super LCD display is something other manufacturers have been trying to replicate for years. The phone can perform too, with a quad-core 1.7 GHz processor and 2GB of RAM. The phone comes in 32 and 64 GB versions with no microSD slot. Dual mics, front-facing speakers and a camera with optical image stabilization are just some of the features of the HTC One. The only downside to the phone is the lack of depth in the photos taken from the 4 megapixel camera (which is very low for such a high-end phone). The HTC One costs $550 at full price. You can get one here

1. Apple iPhone 5S

The iPhone 5S has the same body as the iPhone 5, but comes with an improved 64-bit A7 processor and a home button which acts as a fingerprint reader. The Touch ID central home button makes it easy to unlock your phone and purchase apps. The already popular iPhone camera has been upgraded for the 5S along with improved iOS 7 software. The plus point of the iPhone is that most apps are released first for the iOS platform and with Apple’s hardware regulations, users are guaranteed consistent performance no matter which app they use. The high price is the only downside here, but with a non-contract cost of $849 for the top model, the iPhone 5S is well worth the extra dollars. You can get one here