Image: smartwatchnews.org

Smartphones, tablets, notebooks… they’ve all been on the list of “must-have” devices for some time. Now we can add one more to the list, Smartwatches.

It really hasn’t been all that long since Pebble became the most successful Kickstarter campaign, launching its innovative, wearable technology. The days of Pebble as the lone Smartwatch supplier, however, are long gone, and tech companies are releasing watch after watch. As we mentioned a few blogs back, it’s high time Apple stepped into the arena before its too late, as competition is heating up quickly! Let’s take a look at just a few of the watches that have recently hit the market, and that are shaping up to be Apple’s biggest competition in the upcoming years.

Moto 360

Motorola looks to have really outdone themselves with the upcoming Moto 360. One advantage it has over other Smartwatches… it doesn’t look like one. This

Image: mashable.com

Smartwatch, expected to be officially unveiled in early September, features a round-face design, much sleeker and sophisticated than most on the market. Here are a few of the specs you can expect with this one:

• Water resistant up to 3 feet
• 1.5″ Color, LED display/ Touchscreen
• Right or left hand friendly
• Voice Activation
• Compatible exclusively with Android devices

Anticipated Price Tag: $250

LG G

LG G with Brushed Gold Slickwraps

The LG G is a fairly simple design, much like that of the original Pebble Watch. It has all the basic functions you’d want from a smartwatch and is compatible with Android. Not to be outdone by Motorola, however, LG has hinted at the release of a round-face watch that will better compete with the Moto 360. For now though, lets take a closer look at the current LG watch:

• 1.6″ IPS display w/ thin black bezel
• Removable, rubber strap
• Compatible with Android 4.3 or higher
• Square watch face

Price Tag: $229

Samsung Galaxy Gear 2

Intended by Samsung as both Galaxy compatible and a stand-alone device, the Galaxy Gear packs some pretty good specs. The advantage Samsung has over Apple

Image: technobuffalo.com

thus far is that it’s already had several generations of smartwatches, helping to tweak the device and work through any bugs that come with first-gen. technology. They also have several other options including the Gear Neo, Gear Fit and Gear Live. The disadvantage of the Samsung watches is that they’re only compatible with Samsung devices, isolating a great deal of its target audience. Let’s take a closer look at this wearable device:

• 1.63-inch Super AMOLED^® display
• Stand-alone music player
• Square watch face
• 2 mega-pixel camera
• Heart Monitor and pedometer

Price Tag: $299

Pebble / Pebble Steel

Pebble with Black Leather from Slickwraps

The Pebble was one of the very first Smartwatches to gain popularity. Receiving funding through the crowd-funding site Kickstarter, they may not be a huge company, but they do have the upper hand with a loyal following. While the original featured a fairly cheap looking exterior, the company has given the watch a bit of a sophistication upgrade with the Pebble Steel. Here’s a bit of what you can expect from the device:

•   1.26″ e-paper display
•   5-7 day battery life
•   Downloadable watch faces
•   iOS and Android compatibility
•   Water resistant

Price Tag: $150 / $230

Those mentioned above are just the tip of the iceberg in this new device market, with dozens of others already available. Now the key is turning towards producing a watch that is both worth the consumers while, while also looking sophisticated and sleek. It will be exciting to see what some of the tech giants will come up with next!

Do you have a favorite Smartwatch brand? We want to know, comment below!

Information courtesy of: smallbiztrends.com, techradar.com, androidcentral.com

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Image courtesy of Forbes.com

Domestic robots have long been illustrated by fictional movies and TV shows, filling the colorful minds of children everywhere.  The images still linger even as we raise our own children, shaping how we envision the future with family robots.  They have ranged from such famous earlier cartoon depictions as The Jetsons’ lively household robot, “Rosey”, to more contemporary versions such as I, Robot’s “Sonny”, a robot that unexpectedly develops human-like characteristics.  Despite years of imagination in the film industry, the actual development of the first domestic robots has led to far less advanced versions gracing the market currently, although by far the most anticipated of these is Jibo.

Teaser demo-videos have been released showing the endearing behaviors that have been programmed in to Jibo to make him more relatable (his creators have decided he is of the male gender).  His audio vocabulary includes a giggle, while his “eye” squints with the aforementioned laughter and his swivel allows him to bend at the “waist”, among several other displays meant to mimic human emotions. In the demonstrations, Jibo asks intelligent questions, as well as offering helpful reminders and assisting with basic task completion such as ordering dinner.

Image courtesy of Forbes.com

• Voice-commanded facial recognition photo capture
• Swivel motion for 360 degree views
• Task and calendar reminders
• Video chat capability without limitations on camera placement
• Reading capability
• Phone call capability
• Socialization abilities

He’s a far cry from the household robots we have grown up imagining, but this new face on the technology horizon is standing out in the crowd of lesser creations. His focus on seamlessly fitting in to family-life achieves the contradictory feat of setting him apart from the rest.

Questions have risen about the usefulness of this robot, and whether or not Jibo is really doing anything that our cell phones can’t already accomplish.  One thing is certain:  the followers of this revolutionary device are convinced of its value, as evidenced by the unusually fast crowd-funding success that the company has had.  They also continue to stand strong in their declarations that Jibo will both simplify and improve the lives of those who bring him in to the family.  While that fact is still yet to be seen, we are certainly excitedly awaiting the debut of this little robot that we hope will steal our hearts!

Do you think that Jibo will be capable of improving upon the lives of the average American family?  Will he be an efficient time saving assistant, or a burden masquerading as a helpful tool?  Comment below and let us know your thoughts on this next era of technology!

Information courtesy of: Forbes.com and DigitalTrends.com

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Image courtesy of: emergencymanagement.com

The scientist aren’t the only ones keeping track of geological events these days, new technologies are too! When the Napa earthquake hit California early Sunday morning, the Richter Scale measured the 6.0-earthquake as the strongest for the area in 25 years. But more unexpected technologies are offering an insight into the quake.

Screenshot from Jawbone Blog

The Jawbone UP, a wearable health and fitness technology, gave an idea of how the tremors traveled from the epicenter by measuring the sleep pattern of those wearing the device. Jawbone posted a compilation of statistics to their blog showing the sleep pattern of users in the effected areas. Taking a look at cities within 25 miles of the epicenter, Napa, Sonoma, Vallejo, and Fairfield, 93 percent of UP users woke up at exactly the same time, around 3:20am. Traveling farther away from the epicenter in cities such as San Francisco and Oakland (25 – 50 miles), only 55 percent of users felt the effects enough to wake.

The earthquake was responsible for destroying historic building and knocking out power to more than 15,ooo residents. It also caused injuries to approximately 160 people. The Jawbone statistics show 45 percent of users who woke and stayed up the rest of the night. These users could be have been those among the injured, or those helping to clean up the rubble and damage caused by the strong quake.

While the findings from the Jawbone are anything but surprising, it is interesting to see some other ways we are able to see and measure the effects of natural disasters, and with new apps and add-ons constantly being introduced to wearable technology, it’s inevitable that these abilities will continue to grow.

The Jawbone UP

So what exactly does the Jawbone do? This wearable technology is worn to help the user keep track of the daily habits and routine, encouraging a healthier lifestyle. Sitting around too long without moving? The bracelet will vibrate telling you to get up and move around. Not reaching a healthy average of 10,000 steps a day? The bracelet is there to tell you this too! The bracelet is complete with a jack to connect to your smartphone, or the option of a USB to connect to your

Image courtesy of Jawbone.com

computer. With this, the bracelet will sync and display all of your statistics for the day. While there may be plenty more options that the Jawbone can’t do just yet, take a look below to see some of the information it provides its users.

• Measures sleep patterns (deep sleep, light sleep, awake)
• Food and Drink Tracking
• Activity and Step Tracking
• Insight Engine (learns about your behaviors overtime)

The bracelet itself won’t in itself make you healthier, but the information it provides makes users aware of their activity, daily food and drink intake and sleep to help them make better decisions. This in turn leading to an overall healthier lifestyle!

Have any of you used the Jawbone, and has it helped you? Tell us your experiences in the comments below!

Information courtesy of: Jawbone.com/up, Jawbone.com/blog, cnet.com, techradar.com, cnn.com

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Image from: slashgear.com

Image courtesy of: Google

Google may be looking to combat its Google Glass aesthetics problems if newly filed patents have anything to say about it.

While Google Glass found a niche following in tech lovers, the wearable gadget hasn’t yet gained a huge backing. One problem could  be the space-age, some-what awkward look of the device. Patent images recently filed by Google show a much more natural looking pair of specs, with the screen tucked behind the frames. The display could possibly cover the entire lens.

The image below shows what the next-generation of Google Glass could entail.

Image from: slashgear.com

While aesthetics may be one problem Google is trying to overcome, the much more natural lenses could intensify a completely different problem, a legal one. Putting aside the problem of distracted driving due to the projected screen, privacy concerns could also be an issue that crops up.

The Google Glass looks anything but natural, but recording by voice command with the device is much less conspicuous than pulling out your smartphone and recording. The idea of a some-what “hidden” camera can make people uncomfortable and often feel violated. Take that fear and stick it with a completely natural looking pair of glasses and you’re looking at a whole new level of concern.

So what do you think of the new design? Would you rock a pair if you had the chance? Let us know in the comments below!

Information courtesy of: slashgear.com, cnet.com, google.com/glass

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Photo Credit: PCadvisor.co.uk

It’s that time of year again, and the Apple rumor mills are at full speed. Just as expected, Apple is set to hold a media event on Sept. 9, and with very few updates to the iPhone5s and 5c last year, the tech giant is expected to unveil a completely overhauled design for the iPhone 6. We could also be looking at more than one phone unveiling. As usual, we’ll have to wait until the unveil to see exactly what Apple has in store for us, but there have been photo leaks and designs to help give an idea of what we can expect. Let’s take a look.

iPhone 6 Design Rumors:

Photo Credit: TMZ

The iPhone 6 needs to keep up with the flood of newly released, larger-screened smartphones hitting the market, so we can definitely expect to see a thinner phone and a larger screen. Some of the tech specs to expect:

• 4.7″ – 5.5″ Sapphire Glass Display
• Upgraded Camera
• 7.0 mm thick
• Possible liquid metal body
• Wireless charging
• Price Increase – possibly up to $900 USD

Besides the usual state-of-the-art udates, what’s one aspect that fans are hoping for this unveil? How about Apple finally entering the Smartwatch Market? Afterall, the recent releases from Samsung and LG aren’t compatible with the iOS software. If Apple has something up there sleeves, an iPhone 6 compatible with the rumored iWatch could be it! There are plenty of design rumors swirling about a possible iWatch, but let’s take a look at some of the most recent.

Photo Credit: TechRadar

iWatch Design Rumors:

•   – iOS 8 Compatability
•   – Display messages, apps and Siri from phone to watch
•   – Sapphire Glass Display (Possibly flexible)
•   – Fitness tracking and biometric sensors

With all of these specs being mere rumors, we’ll have to wait until September to see what we can expect next from Cupertino!

Information courtesy of: pcadvisor.co.uk, techradar.com, theverge.com

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The new LG G3 has been a huge hit, as detailed in our last post.  Among the many fantastic features bringing it to the forefront in the battle of the top devices, is the 5.5-inch high resolution display, the 32 GB of storage with the new microSD card slot, the removable 3000 mAh battery, Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 processor, and the 13MP camera featuring laser Auto-Focus.

For those that are new to Android Headlines, they are known for their quality, up-to-date information about news in all areas of the Android market.  Their employees review products to help consumers determine the best devices available, release information related to upcoming launches of new devices, and even research and review apps found in the Google Playstore.

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The ever-changing brand, LG, has moved forward from an already well-received release of the LG G2 in September of 2013, with their focus steadily aimed toward perfecting the flaws communicated by users. With the new LG G3’s release in early July 2014, it has become clear that the designers heard the criticisms of their loyal followers, and worked tirelessly to create a device that rectifies many of the failings in the earlier model.

From adding a removable back panel to allow battery access and an SD card, to changing the appearance of the material on the exterior for a high-end look to match its composition, LG has recognized the truth in the old adage “the devil is in the details” by working tirelessly to improve even the most miniscule inconveniences. The rear buttons have been tweaked for easier use, the
screen resolution has been greatly increased, the interface has been updated to a cleaner and more sophisticated look, and the camera has been outfitted with laser auto-focus.

The new material has probably been the most talked-about aspect of the phone’s release. LG developed a skin that has a metallic appearance while still being composed primarily of plastic. Many critics have reviewed the phone as “feeling hollow” because of the contradiction between the appearance and the actual weight of the device. Others have praised the ingenuity that allowed for such a conveniently lightweight shell with all of the appearance of a much heavier material.

Aside from the expected minor criticisms upon the initial release, in general the G3 has been a hit across the boards.  Reviewers enjoy the minor adjustments that have tended to their needs, as well as the larger changes that have improved the phone in ways that users hadn’t even thought to hope for. With the largest criticism revolving around appearance of new materials, an aspect that is easily remedied with the many available options for cell phone accessorizing, it is clear that LG has hit a homerun.

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Information courtesy of TechRadar and LG.com

In recent years, many of their television advertising campaigns have focused on showing up-close views of the components of their product, including computer-generated images of the iPhones dancing their way in to existence to the tune of Indie rock music on a crisp white background.

In the newest addition to the collection of well-produced commercials, Apple focuses on the life and style the device takes on itself, rather than talking about the value that the MacBook offers to its users’ lives. With the laptop flipped open, the Apple emblem visible on the back of the screen, the MacBook wiggles its way through a series of costume changes. The commercial starts by dressing the apple itself up in mustaches, Mohawks, and hats, before integrating the apple in to different artistic renderings. Stickers adorn the computer, ranging from the Apple playing the role of the sun in a multitude of outdoor settings, to Scrat, the acorn-obsessed squirrel from the movie Ice Age, hauling the apple on his back as if it were his beloved acorn.

The message? Your Mac, your style. As generation after generation of Apple devices pass us by, we see their lives flashing before our eyes, decorated to match whatever makes us feel passion: an element of our lives that Apple has always been enthusiastic about acknowledging. In an age where our technology has become an accessory to our lifestyle and a facilitator of our passions, how will you dress your Apple?

If you have comments about the new Apple commercial and its message about the changing role of technology in our lives, share your ideas and thoughts with us below!

Information courtesy of Apple

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Before our production designer, R&D, receives the new LG G3 this week, he will start by researching the product extensively to understand all of its components. After reaching out to the device’s maker for any information they might offer, including blueprints, he will wait for the product arrival so he can begin to work manually towards producing the mock-ups.

R&D 3D scans and traces the product almost the moment it is out of the box. Their trace will then be input in to the computer software that runs the pressure cutting machines where, just a day or two after having a brand new device, a prototype will be cut and applied to the device, the beginning of the fine-tuning process. Any adjustments to the design will be made down to hundredths of a millimeter. New mock-ups will be produced repeatedly and scrutinized for perfection, until the shape is sleek and beautiful, ready for the testing phase.

During testing, Wi-Fi capability, proximity sensors, and connection to the network are all checked to ensure the wrap doesn’t interfere with any of the device’s functions. If, after aesthetic design adjustments and functionality tests, the product is given the go-ahead, SlickWraps prepares for the product launch and before you know it, your phone is wrapped in the newest, hottest design available!

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In a video by MKBHD, the revolutionary screen is proven to be beyond scratch resistant, as a knife is driven in to it to no avail, car keys are ground against it in a failed attempt at marring the surface, and it is even bent nearly 90 degrees while pinned beneath his shoe, only to find it flawlessly intact as it is held up to the camera for inspection after his cruel, but thorough, hazing of the newest celebrity of the tech scene.  If Apple sticks to the design in the future, the need for screen protectors will be completely eliminated, buried in the past with external antennas and archaic clunky silhouettes.

Up until now, this expensive, synthetically produced material has been reserved for use on a small scale, often having been used for watch faces, military use, and shatterproof windows.  The Mohs scale gives this material an impressive “9”, exceeded by the diamond which rests at “10”.  Seeing the potential in this material, Apple made a $578 million dollar investment in Sapphire Crystal at GT Advanced Technologies, an Arizona producer of the substance prepared to raise the durability bar to an all new high.

What does this mean for iPhone users around the world?  Finally, we can all do away with the screen protectors, shatter-proofing cases, and other bulky products that take away from the ultimate beauty of the design that Apple puts extensive research in to designing for the users’ benefit.  Slim and sexy décor will be the way of the future, enhancing a carefully molded design with personalized appearance without altering the actual lines of the phone that accompanies you everywhere you go.

With the iPhone 6 slated for release in mid-September, what other surprises do you think Apple has in store for us?  Comment below to let us know your thoughts on the release.

Information courtesy of: www.forbes.com, www.extremetech.com, MKBHD Quality Tech Videos