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| S7 Edge |
Friday 11 March 2016
Samsung Galaxy S7 edge pictures
Samsung announces global launch of its Galaxy S7/S7 edge flagship smartphones
While it was already confirmed that Samsung's newest flagship smartphones - the Galaxy S7and S7 edge - will officially go on sale starting March 11, the company has now made a formal announcement in this regard.
"Samsung Electronics today announced the commercial launch of its new Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 edge around the globe including US, Europe, Singapore, Australia and Korea, starting from today," the South Korean tech giant said in a post on its website today.
In case you missed, Samsung's mobile chief Koh Dong-jin has already confirmed that the handsets will be available in 60 countries in the first wave of their global launch. Just yesterday, he revealed that pre-orders for the devices have been stronger than what the company was expecting.
Sunday 24 May 2015
Google I/O 2015: 5 things to expect
Google I/O is a week away and I'm on the edge of my seat waiting to hear what Google has to announce. The yearly conference is set up for developers to network and hone their skills through workshops. However, the main attraction is Google's keynote address, where executives unveil new projects, products and updates from the company.Last year was all about Android; we got a sneak peak atAndroid L (the developer version of what became 5.0 Lollipop), first looks at Android Wear watches, and an intro to Android TV and Android Auto. Google also talked about virtual reality with Cardboard and new Chromebook features.
This year, rumors are flying about Android M, the next generation of the mobile operating system, new wearables and updates on Project Tango. We won't know if any of that is true until Thursday May 28, but the I/O schedule can help clue us in to what Google has to share. That's because Google hosts in-depth sessions based on what they announce at the keynote. Below are some predictions of what we'll see based on that schedule
1. Android updates
There's been a lot of talk of the developer edition of the next version of Android, code named Android M, ever since Google made a reference to it in an I/O session. Soon after the schedule went live, Google removed the session, leading most to believe it was a teaser of what was coming.
While there's no longer of mention of Android M on the I/O agenda, the "What's new in Android" session is kind of a dead giveaway that Google will have news to share. Since Google has several sessions about Material Design, it's highly likely the next version of Android won't have big design changes. However, it looks like we can expect some improved features instead.
The "Notifications, Interruptions and Volumes: Coming Attractions" session flat-out states that Google has refined how notifications behave on Android, so expect changes there. Other sessions clue us in to what might be new, such as better battery performance, updated Smart Lock features, and improvements to how Android apps render on your screen and use your phone's memory.
While Android Auto just recently got some updates, two sessions on the topic, "Getting your app on the road with Android Auto" and "Designing for Driving," suggest Google might have some new developments too.
2. Wearables
There are a few hints that we might see a new wearable and maybe a smartwatch at I/O. First, the session on Google Fit, Google's health dashboard app, could indicate that we'll see a new fitness device for gathering health and activity data.
The next hint is Google's Smart Lock session, which is all about improvements to Smart Lock. It's a feature in Android that lets you unlock your phone or tablet by having a trusted smartwatch close by and it was introduced with Android Lollipop.
We'll definitely see something from the Google Advanced Technology and Projects (ATAP) group, which is responsible for Project Tango, Project Ara and other cool future tech. In a session titled "A little badass. Beautiful. Tech and human. Work and love. ATAP.," there's a mention of wearables that will literally blow your socks off and talk of building "seemingly impossible things." The description also says the team's goal is to create wearables that are engaging and give you rich interactions, despite small screen size limitations. Sounds like promising stuff.
3. Virtual reality
Virtual reality has a been a hot topic in the past year, with Oculus Rift making waves, Microsoft creatingHoloLens and Google debuting its quirky take, Google Cardboard, in 2014. This I/O, it looks like the search company is pressing onward with VR.
The "Make Believe" session description doesn't go into much detail, beyond simply inviting developers to "explore virtual reality and how it may change our lives." It's anyone's guess if Google will debut the long-rumored new version of Google Glass, but there's a good chance there will other virtual-reality gadgets.
4. Satellite imaging
Here's a taste of the big-picture stuff Google is known for. Satellite mapping with Skybox, a companyGoogle acquired in 2014, is on the agenda this year and it looks like the next big thing.
In the a session called "The Earth in real time," attendees will learn about the next steps in satellite imaging and how that technology can have real impacts down here on the surface. Google said when it acquired the company that it hopes Skybox's technology can be used to improve Internet access worldwide and provide better disaster relief. Expect to hear more about that at the conference.
5. Smart home
Home automation gets some attention at this year's I/O in the "Working with Nest to build a thoughtful home together" session. Nest is the smart thermostat and smoke alarm company Google acquired in 2014. Nest created the Work with Nest program in 2013 to allow other smart devices, like watches and home automation systems, to work with Nest products.
The session description hints at making your smart-home gadgets and systems work better together, with improved security.
Android 5.1.1 is rolling out to Nexus 6 on T-Mobile
Today, however, an OTA, build on Android 5.1.1 has begun seeding to Shamu owners on T-Mobile. The news was confirmed by the carrier on Twitter and it is already present on its support page.
The package bears the build number LYZ28E and weighs about 125MB. It brings about various Android 5.1.1 features and improvements and is also bundled with T-Mobile's own WiFi calling feature. Naturally, the roll-out procedure is staged and eligible users might not get the package immediately. All unit should, however, get the update over the next couple of weeks. If you are really eager, there is always manual flashing. The package can be found in the source link.
As far as factory images of Android 5.1.1 for Nexus 6, we can only expect that they will come shortly. We will be sure to keep you updated once that happens.
Check out the new phones of the week
With the flagship announcement season all but over, most of the mobile world has already turned its attention to rumors and speculations of future models, like the Samsung Galaxy A8 and even the Galaxy Note 5.
However, during the past week, there were quite a few new device announcements that definitely deserve their fair share of attention.
First up, are Oppo's two new handsets - the R7 and R7 Plus. They differ in both size and styling. The smaller Oppo R7 has a more traditional exterior with a 5.0-inch AMOLED display and all-metal body with a nice premium feel. The R7 Plus, on the other hand, boasts a significantly larger 6.0-inch AMOLED screen, stretching almost edge to edge on the phone's body. The new bezel-less design definitely makes it stand out, but, it turned out to be more of a marketing gimmick, as, we did find quite a bit of black bezel still surrounding the display itself.
Moving on, LG surprised us this week with not one, but two new device announcements. After the Korean company arrived a little tardy with its flagship LG G4, it wasted no time in announcing two mid-range phones that take after the curved flagship's styling. The G4 Stylus is bigger than the G4. It features a 5.7” 720p display and a 1.2 GHz quad-core CPU and 4G LTE support or a 1.4 GHz octa-core CPU limited to 3G networks.
Then, there is the G4c. Is is the compact or mini version of the flagship. It has a 5.0-inch 720p display and is powered by a 1.2 GHz quad-core CPU. Both phones run Android 5.0 Lollipop with LG UX 4.0 on top. RAM is limited to 1GB, while the 8GB storage is expandable via a memory card slot. Both phones have a 5MP camera in the front for taking selfies, with the main shooter differing in megapixels - 13MP for the G4 Stylus and 8MP for the G4c. There are also other notable differences between the two, which you can check in the detailed specs pages.
Last, bet not least, we have two new smartphones by Sharp. The Sharp Aquos Crystal 2 is the successor to the bezel-less Aquos Crystal mid-ranger from last year and now comes with a bigger 5.2-inch screen, waterproofing and mobile wallet support. The signature bezel-less style, however, is still present. Other specs include a 720p S-PureLED display, 2GB of RAM and 16GB of onboard storage.
After the new mid-range Crystal 2, Sharp unveiled the flagship version too – the Aquos Xx. Its screen is bigger too, grown to a massive 5.7", and the chipset has been upgraded to the latest Snapdragon 810. The screen is an S-PureLCD (Sharp-developed tech) with 1080p, and the frame is all aluminum. RAM is set at 3GB and 32GB for internal storage. Cameras include a 13MP main shooter and a small 2MP one on the front.
Below is a table of the aforementioned devices for more info, if needed.
