The ZUK Z1 is shaping up to be an interesting device so far. Now there are good news to people planning to buy the device: our forums for the ZUK Z1 have gone live. Also check out our device launch event and unboxing videos!
Next in line in getting their own space over at XDA-Developers is Sony’s flagship trio of late 2015: The Xperia Z5, the Sony Xperia Z5 Compact and the Sony Xperia Z5 Premium. So if you’re planning to snag yourself one of these devices, go ahead and bookmark the forums to stay in touch with the latest developments!
As we approach bigger screen sizes for our smartphones, the attention is now being shifted towards getting a new kind of device on you – quite literally. The next generation of smartwatches is just on the horizon and these bring along marked improvements over their predecessors.
First up, is the Moto 360 v2. Parent company Lenovo made a post via its Weibo account, announcing that “It’s Time” for a new Moto smartwatch. The new Moto 360 will be unveiled on 8th September at an event held in Shanghai. The event announcement confirms the new placement of the lone physical button on the smartwatch, shifting from the previous 3 o’clock position to a 2 o’clock position. 
For starters, the new Moto 360 will come in two different sizes, S and L. The Moto 360S will have a 1.37″ circular display, a 42mm body and 20mm bands, while the Moto 360L will have a larger 1.55″ display, a 46mm body and 22mm bands. The models sport thin bezels just like their predecessor, but still have a “flat tire” design like the original.
Apart from the sizes, the Moto 360 will be available in a wide variety of color options for the body as well as the band. Nothing official is known on the matter, but it can be guessed that the smaller sized model will be marketed towards women while the larger will be marketed towards men. From the leaks, we can see that a few neutral options also exist, so Moto plans to keep all bases covered.
Moving on from the Moto 360 v2, we have Samsung’s Gear S2 to keep future competitors on their toes. After making brief appearances during the launch of the Samsung Galaxy Note 5 unveiling, the Gear S2 has been made official through a press release.
The newest additions to Samsung’s increasing smartwatch portfolio come in the form of the Gear S2 and the Gear S2 Classic. The Gear S2 Classic will be available in a black case body with a leather band, thereby mimicking a “timeless watch design”. The regular Gear S2 will be available in a dark gray case with a dark gray band, and with a silver case with a white band.
As far as specifications are concerned, the Gear S2 features a 1.2″ circular Super AMOLED display with a resolution of 360×360. The device will feature 4GB of internal memory, 512MB of RAM and a 250 mAh Li-ion battery. Sensors on the device include an accelerometer, gyroscope, heart rate sensor, ambient light sensor and a barometer. Also, the Gear S2 features a rotating bezel, creating another medium of interaction with the device.
The Gear S2’s unique rotating bezel, along with the Home and Back buttons, ensures users will have a quicker, more precise method to comfortably access notifications and applications.
In the connectivity department, the devices come with WiFi b/g/n support, along with Bluetooth and NFC. The inclusion of NFC is a curious addition, pointing heavily that the device may be used to further the cause of Samsung Pay. The Gear S2 also comes with a 3G variant that incorporates e-SIM with voice capability, allowing users to perform quick functions without being closely tethered to a phone.
The Gear S2 looks like a solid smartwatch with one caveat: Tizen OS. The Gear S2 will not run on Android Wear, preferring Samsung’s own OS over Google’s offering. This will likely limit the app ecosystem, thereby making the future support of the device questionable. No details regarding pricing and availability have been revealed so far, but the smartwatches will be made available for full media hands-on at Berlin on September 3, so stay tuned for more coverage!
The Moto 360 v2 and the Gear S2 present interesting choices in the ever increasing market segment of smartwatches. Needless to say, there shall be more of them coming soon.
What do you think about the Moto 360 v2 and the Gear S2? Will you be looking to upgrade from an existing smartwatch? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!
Read on for related coverage:
Cover Image Credits: ComputerWorld
The Mountain View giant has changed its logo many times over the years, and the latest one solidifies Google’s magic across its many services. Eager to check it out? Follow the link!
Last Thursday in London, Honor released the Honor smart watch. A competition has now begun to name the product, the person who submits the winning name will receive all Honor products for the next five years on sale in his/her country. The watch features a 1.06″ circular display, is water resistant to 10-meters and has a battery estimated at lasting for 3 days. Entries should be made via the Honor page on Facebook or via @HonorEU on Twitter.
The watch will be available initially in black, white and khaki colors from Q4, 2015 at a recommended price of €79 / £59.
There have been some great flagships this year, and arguably every 2015 phone makes for a solid daily driver for typical smartphone needs. However, enthusiasts expect a lot out of their devices, especially the ones they’ve been anxiously waiting for. But a single compromise can break an Android lover’s user experience, and compromises are something we’ve seen a lot of this year. Which phones have disappointed you in 2015?
The world of technology is constantly changing, ever more frequently common place devices are being made compatible with the Internet of Things, and advances in the field and large investments from technologies largest players are causing a rapid expansion in an area you might not be aware is here.
Tech giant IBM has invested $10 billion in research into the field so far and plans to invest a further $3 billion and hire an additional 2000 employees. Which, according to analyst firm Strategy Analytics, has solidified their place as a significant driving force behind IOT adoption. The company currently has 13 research centers around the world and with the money they are throwing at the concept we could see some major leaps forward.
Google refuses to be left out from the field as well, the company announced at I/O 2015
Philips has also chosen to focus on these devices as well, with a more consumer orientated approach. After speaking to their customers, they discovered that people around the world had specific requirements for their devices and in doing so were able to adapt them to meet their needs. They found the residents of cities like Shanghai and Berlin wanted the ability to control the air quality in their home whilst being able to understand what it was doing better. To meet these needs they developed a smart Air Purifier that provides real-time data on indoor air quality direct to a smartphone. Likewise parents wanted the technology to serve their families needs as they change over time, to which they developed a smart baby monitor and Hue lightbulbs to keep parents connected to their children and allow an improved ambience for bedtime, waking and feeding.
The ‘Internet of Things’ puts the consumer in the driving seat and allows us at Philips to ensure our products are more personal, relevant and impactful than ever before – Pieter Nota, Executive Vice President of Philips
Samsung are also firmly underway with their development of IOT products. At the 2015 International Consumer Electronics Show (CES) CEO of Samsung Electronics, BK Yoon, pleaded for greater collaboration between companies in expanding the IOT industry saying:
“The Internet of Things has the potential to transform our society, economy and how we live our lives,” said Mr. Yoon. “It is our job to pull together — as an industry, and across different sectors — to make true on the promise of the Internet of Things.”
He stated that these devices must focus on the users and their lifestyles, he stated “The Internet of Things is not about ‘things.’ Instead, it is about people. Each person is at the centre of their own technology universe, and the IoT universe will constantly adapt and change shape as people move through their world.” Samsung hopes that by 2017, all their televisions will be IoT compatible, and by 2020 all Samsung hardware will be compatible.
As with all upcoming technologies there are lessons to be learned, Cognosec recently revealed that by making it easier for devices to communicate with each other Zigbee had inadvertently made it possible for people to take control of other people’s smart home devices. A fact made all the more alarming in that among these smart devices were door locks. Zigbee is a standard developed by an alliance including companies such as Samsung, Motorola, Texas Instruments and the aforementioned Philips. These companies aimed to provide a cheap, low powered standard for the IOT. When Cognosec analysed these devices they discovered that because they are easy to set up and use, they lack configuration for security and therefore, allow external users to sniff the exchanged network key.
Over the coming years these technologies will surely see massive uptake, it is expected that in the not too distant future the vast majority of our electronics will become connected. With the ability to control your surrounding devices from your phone or wear device, many companies think our lives could be tailored to our individual needs. If you are interested in expanding your devices into the world of the IOT there are many popular products that can start you on your journey:
Philips Hue,
Google OnHub,
Nest Thermostat,
Samsung Smart Locks
Which devices would you like to see connected to the IOT? Leave a comment below!
