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Submission + - Too Bad For A.I. Watch, Smartwatch Craze Is Fading Out (gizmobeast.com)

Submitted by jarold
jarold writes: After a huge disappointment with Samsung Galaxy Gear, it seems that the smartwatch craze is fading out. This is evident in the latest fundraising effort of another smartwatch wannabe A.I.Watch. The crowdfunding, through Indiegogo, started last September 25, 2013 and so far it has achieved barely $10,000. The project aims to raise at least $100,000.00.

Meanwhile, to avert negative reviews of Galaxy Gear, Samsung is heavily promoting its product. You might have seen the 10 full-page ads in the Friday editions of the Los Angeles Times, New York Times and Wall Street Journal. In Youtube, you can view trailers entitled “A Long Time Coming” and “Evolution” showing early incarnations of smartwatches in popular films and TV shows like Dick Tracy and Star Trek.

Submission + - The Looming Future of Bitcoin (gizmobeast.com)

Submitted by jarold
jarold writes: After the crackdown of online illicit market place Silk Road, observers are wary about the looming future of Bitcoin business. After almost three years of selling online illegal stuff like drugs and guns, the Silk Road website was raided and shutdown by US government last October 2, 2013. Its founder Ross William Ulbricht was arrested and is under trial for drug trafficking, computer hacking, money laundering and ordering killing of one of its site’s user.

Some analysts thought that with the end of Silk Road, it would also be the doom of Bitcoin. In reality, Silk road is only a small portion of huge Bitcoin transactions. After the price dropped from $140 to $118, the currency rebound to $137 as of today.

There is a divided opinion as to the future of Bitcoin. Optimists say its a good PR as the public is getting aware of its business viability. This is a great opportunity for its mainstream entry.

Naysayers, however, point out that now with the attention from the public, it will lead to regulations from the government and even financial institutions. And some would shy away because of the possible limiting or choking rules it entails. The reason why it gained traction is due to its openness and anonymity.

Submission + - Copycat Ion Glasses, Tries To Be Google Glass (gizmobeast.com)

Submitted by jarold
jarold writes: Another Google Glass copycat?

Santiago Ambit, Ricardo Urias and their team of engineers from Spain have developed a new smart glass, dubbed as ION GLASSES, that could be a worthy alternative to the soon to be released Google Glass.

Ion Glasses brags as the first fashionable optical or sunglasses that are able to work with iOS and Android smartphones. Its functionality is very much similar to the Omate TrueSmart and Samsung Galaxy Gear, only that it is a smart glass.

The developer is currently raising funds of at least $150,000 before it will start its production. The campaign, through Indiegogo, started last September 17, 2013 and will end in 2 months time. As of today, the crowdfunding have received $10,000.

Submission + - Apple's iPhone 5S And 5C Hit 9 Million Mark (gizmobeast.com)

Submitted by gloryfel
gloryfel writes: Apple’s iPhone 5S and 5C hit 9 million mark in just three days after launch. It has again beat the odds and overwhelmingly exceeded analysts’ expectation. This is a record breaking sales, much higher than 5 million sales of predecessor iPhone 5 last September 2012.
The iPhone 5S and 5C went on sale in 11 countries including China. It is the first time that Apple rolled out its flagship device in China on the same day. And this marketing strategy paid off. It lured new customers in the world’s largest mobile-phone market.
Making the iPhone available in different colors also proved to be an effective effort. Gold colored variant emerged as the hottest seller especially to superstitious consumers in Asia.
If the success continues, Apple could well achieve beyond its target of fourth quarter 2013 revenue between $34 billion and $37 billion

Submission + - Should Android Worry About CyanogenMod's Deal With Oppo? (gizmobeast.com)

Submitted by jarold
jarold writes: In barely a week of being incorporated, it appears that CyanogenMod has found a partner. It is beginning in its quest to become the third largest operating system in the world, after Google’s Android and Apple’s iOS. Steve Kondik, founder of CyanogenMod appeared in an Oppo N1 trailer, stating that he is attending the smartphone’s launch in Beijing on September 23, 2013 and hints of “exciting news ahead”.

After becoming a company, when it secured $7 million funding from Benchmark Capital and Redpoint Ventures, it laid out a plan to become an official operating system and not just a custom Android software developer.The free and open source software has, reportedly, been installed on about eight million Android devices.
If the deal between Cyanogen Inc. and Oppo, it will boost the latter’s efforts in making it’s smartphone segment known to a wider audience. The major product lines of Oppo Electronics Corp include MP3 players, portable Media players, LCD-TVs, eBooks, DVD/Blu-ray Disc players. It entered the mobile phone venture with its flagship Find 5. A new smartphone called N1 is expected to unveil today.

Submission + - Why Phablets Craze Is Not Mellowing? (gizmobeast.com)

Submitted by jarold
jarold writes: Certainly phablets craze is not mellowing down. And it appears that HTC is joining the bandwagon of firms offering gigantic smartphones with HTC One Max. This is the first phablet device of the firm which is said to have 5.9 inches screen size and expected to be launched this month or early October 2013.
Currently, Samsung is in the lead with roughly 50 percent of the phablet market. Analysts expect it continue with the recent launch of Galaxy Note 3. Two months ago, it also unveiled Galaxy Mega with variants 6.3 and 5.8 inches screen.

Before the year ends, it seems that the phablet demand will continue to soar.Several players like Sony, Lenovo, Huawei and Asus have rolled out their own phablets. LG and Nokia are likewise reportedly working on their own versions. It remains to be seen whether these rumors are true.
Phablets have gained popularity due to its 2-in-1 functionality. It offers portability of a smartphone and a huge screen size of a tablet making it ideal for multimedia applications such as videos, ebooks and online games.

Submission + - IFA 2013 Wrap Up: Asian Firms Lead The Way (gizmobeast.com)

Submitted by jarold
jarold writes: To wrap up the recently concluded IFA 2013 in Berlin, Germany, it was apparent that Asian firms lead the way in the battle for consumer electronics dominance. Various new technologies spanning from smartphones, smartwatches, ultrabooks, smartTVs and more were showcased for over five days. Sony, Samsung, Toshiba, LG and Lenovo were among the companies who show off their own products which will be available in the next few weeks.Yeah, its just about the right time for the holiday season spending spree.
Samsung certainly grabbed the attention when it unveiled its first offering of a smartwatch, Galaxy Gear. The also showcase Galaxy Note 3, Note 10.1 tablet, gigantic smartTVs.

Sony presented its flagship smartphone Xperia Z1, as well as the QX100 and QX10 lens cameras and the Vaio Tap 11 tablet and Fit laptop.

Toshiba, LG and Lenovo also attracted show goers with new tablets, and notebooks, smartphones and Ultra High-Definition TVs

Submission + - Is Samsung Galaxy Gear Smartwatch Worth Your $299? (gizmobeast.com)

Submitted by jarold
jarold writes: You are torn between the rave of ardent Samsung fanatics and dissatisfaction of tech critics. Dubbed as a perfect partner for your smartphone where you can make and receive calls, display texts and emails, control music being played without picking up the smartphone from your pocket. It works like a Pedometer to track your workouts.The touchscreen display enables you to access more than 70 apps such as Facebook, Evernote, Path and RunKeeper. With 1.9MP camera, you can snap photos and videos. The sleek design comes with six colors. Through S Voice, you can make hands-free calls, draft messages, create new calendar entries, set alarms, and check the weather.
However, like similar existing smartwatches available in the market,it needs to be paired, currently only with Note 3 and Note 10.1, to enjoy its full functionality. For a daily use gadget, you may wonder why it is not water-resistant or dustproof. At 315 mAh, the device’s power capacity is limited. With the Galaxy Gear’s significant limitations, the biggest question most critics ask is : If it cannot replace smartphone features, then what is it for? It still lacks a clear reason for existing.

Submission + - Highly Anticipated Launch Of Galaxy Note 3 And Galaxy Gear (gizmobeast.com)

Submitted by jarold
jarold writes: We are one day away from the highly anticipated simultaneous launch of Samsung Galaxy Note 3 and Galaxy Gear at IFA Berlin. Yes, Samsung has officially confirmed it would be showing off a bigger and better phablet together with the smartwatch.

With the latest Note 3 offering, Samsung is expected to continue to dominate the phablet market. Its 6.3 inches Galaxy Mega, unveiled last April, was well received. According to a report from research firm IDC, in the last three months, phablets have sold as much as tablets and laptops combined in the Asia-Pacific region. A total of 25.2 million phablets were shipped in Q2 of 2013, compared with 12.6 million tablets, and 12.7 million portable PCs.

Submission + - Provide Sight For The Visually Impaired With MySmartEye App (gizmobeast.com) 2

Submitted by jarold
jarold writes: Now you can provide sight for the visually impaired with MySmartEye App. Launched by Starhub, a Singapore telco in collaboration with TribalDDB. The technology allows the blind to connect with a worldwide community of micro-volunteers who use their sight to help the user connect with the environment around them.
The visually impaired users can simply follow the voice commands and double tap their smartphone to take a photo. The picture or scene is then sent to volunteers in real time. The volunteers are alerted by a simple notification and then describe what they see by providing information in the comment box. That text is then read out, via the built-in voice-over feature, to the visually impaired users. Once users have heard enough responses, they can choose to close the thread by swiping three times on their phone.

Submission + - Google VP Splits From Android To Join Xiaomi Not Due To Sour Romance (gizmobeast.com)

Submitted by jarold
jarold writes: Google has confirmed that Hugo Barra, VP for Android Product Management is leaving the company to join China’s emerging tech company Xiaomi. Sources closed to the matter deny the departure is related to the complicated romantic fall out between Google’s co-founder Sergey Brin and Anne Wojcicki. It was reported, that Mr Brin was involved with a female Google employee who previously had a relationship with Mr Barra. When asked, Mr Barra told that he had been discussing his move with Xiaomi for some time. He stated the following through his Google+ account In a few weeks, I’ll be joining the Xiaomi team in China to help them expand their incredible product portfolio and business globally — as Vice President, Xiaomi Global. I’m really looking forward to this new challenge, and am particularly excited about the opportunity to continue to help drive the Android ecosystem.
Mr. Barra’s exit from Google is a significant one for Google and its Android division. Earlier this year, Andy Rubin, creator of Android, left the team to “start a new chapter at Google.” No details has been announced yet as to who will be taking over his duties.

Submission + - Appeal Of Xiaomi's Hongmi And Other Low End Smartphones (gizmobeast.com)

Submitted by jarold
jarold writes: Xiaomi, perceived as a budget version of Apple in China, ruffled the market when its low end smartphone Hongmi ( which means red rice ) sold 100,000 units in 90 seconds. This and other cheap yet capable smartphones are especially appealing to the masses and emerging markets. Selling for half the price of known models from Apple and Samsung, they offer the same basic experience like web surfing, gaming, photo and video recording.
Apple is reportedly working on a lower-priced smartphone to sell, but it may already be too late.

Submission + - Move Over Samsung Galaxy Gear, Omate TrueSmart Watch Is Here (gizmobeast.com)

Submitted by jarold
jarold writes: Move over Samsung Galaxy Gear, Omate TrueSmart watch is here. Dubbed as the world’s first standalone smartwatch, it can work independently from smartphone. Omate TrueSmart has started production after raising more than $100,000 through Kickstarter crowdfunding.
The biggest selling point for Omate TrueSmart is its ability to make voice calls, text and social media messaging without a smartphone or tablet. As with other smartwatches in the market, it can be paired with a smartphone for notifications, access to apps and more. The developers even suggested it can work with Google glass to optimize smart wearable technology experience.

Submission + - Makeover of Google's Youtube App for iOS And Android (gizmobeast.com)

Submitted by jarold
jarold writes: To keep its reputation as the most widely used video-sharing website, Google’s Youtube app has introduced new features that allows users to do more with less effort. The makeover includes, among others, a new icon, refreshed user interface and video multitasking function. It’s such a great delight, for most of us who breathe Youtube everyday.
The new design is neat that adheres to Google’s card-style interface. The major improvement is the video multitasking. You can continue to watch a video while performing other tasks such as searching for other content or browsing playlists simultaneously. To do this, just swipe down the video with your finger, causing it to shrink into the right-hand corner of your screen and will continue to play. A quick tap or a swipe upward will return it to full size. If you’re done with a minimized video, swipe it to the left to close it. Amazing! This saves a lot of time.

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