Category: Design

CES 2015: Sony Brings Back the Walkman with High Quality Audio

Sony had revolutionized the way we listened to music when it launched the Walkman in the 1980’s. Since then the music players have gotten consistently tinier ultimately reaching the size of a biscuit before being absorbed into the smartphone. But the grandfather of portable music players, Sony, is not giving up on its baby just yet. At CES 2015, they have revived the Walkman as a high definition player which it says is a better entertainment device than any smartphone.

Sony’s NW-ZX2 Walkman boasts of 128 GB of storage space with up to 60 hours of battery life. The company also claims that this device gives a better sound output than the conventional smartphones. It supports high-quality audio codecs like DSD, WAV, AIFF, FLAC, Apple Lossless, and more. Sony also added that the device is capable of increasing the quality of your existing songs.

The ZX2 is a peculiar looking device which has a bit of a retro appeal. It looks like a communication device from the older sci-fi movies. It looks like a big smartphone with a bulge at the bottom for the 3.5 mm headphone jack. The back panel has an uncanny resemblance to the Nokia 3230.

There is a disappointment though on the software side of things. The device runs on Android Jellybean 4.2 which is presently outdated. It does give you the option to download and use apps from the Play store, so that’s a plus. The Walkman also provides you with a Micro SD slot which lets you extend the storage beyond 128 GB. It also supports Bluetooth and NFC output making this a complete entertainment device.

But the question does remain; why would someone go for an independent device if they already own a smartphone that does it all and that too at a price of $1200? Well, it can be a device for music professionals to listen to with highest quality tracks. This would probably come handy to music enthusiasts too who want a player that gives them the best output on the move, but they’d definitely need quality earphones to get the best out of it. The device does have limited utility in a time when we have all-in-one devices called smartphones, and not a lot of folks will be enthused by the hefty price tag.

January 6, 2015
Samsung Geared to Redefine Galaxy S6, Codenamed ‘Project Zero’

With Samsung having already launched its Galaxy S5 flagship nine months back, it’s no surprise that a follow-up, Galaxy S6, is in works. Last week, the company announced that the Galaxy A3 and Galaxy A5 smartphones, which dropped the plastic body to include the premium metal frame.

Now, according to the recent report from SamMobile, the South Korean giant has already started working on the Galaxy S6, and has codenamed it as ‘Project Zero.’ Previous flagship phones have gone by the names such as Project J, Project H, Project K and Project T in the past few years.

According to the publication, the Project Zero codename signifies that the company is developing the device from scratch — putting lots of thoughts into its design and materials. Right now, not much can be said about the upcoming flagship. However, previous rumors have hinted that the Galaxy S6 might come with a flexible OLED display, like the one included in the Galaxy Note Edge. It is also possible that Samsung will opt for a metal design like it did with the just-announced models, Galaxy A3 and A5.

Samsung is expected to opt for a metal design like it did with the just-announced Galaxy A3 and A5 and Galaxy Alpha

A few rumours surfaced online reveal that the Galaxy S6 could be a monstrous device featuring a 5.2-inch Super AMOLED 4K (3840×2160 pixels) display, a 64-bit Snapdragon 810 processor, and 4 GB of RAM. Additionally, it is also expected to boast a 20-megapixel camera with optical image stabilisation, and other features like a retina scanner and a fingerprint scanner, which already come with the present flagships.

The company has pledged that it will be bringing several changes to the future device to lure in more customers, after a huge setback during the Q3 earnings. Over the past years, the company has been criticised for the use of cheap plastic material in the high-end phones. With the new flagship on its way, the company is expected to make a lot of changes in design to compete in the market ruled by beautiful devices like iPhone 6, HTC One, and Sony Xperia Z series and many more.

November 5, 2014
New Details About Apple’s iWatch Design Leaked

Apple’s September 9th event is few hours away and rumors are still flying high. A latest leak on Reddit supposedly depicts the specs and diagrams of Apple iWatch. While plenty of images purporting to be the new iPhone 6 have made it to the internet, Apple has managed to keep the iWatch under wraps – until now.

The images, posted on Reddit, allegedly show CAD design drawings of the iWatch chassis and components, including a mic and speaker. Descriptions accompanying the images claim that the iWatch will feature a multi-touch, flexible screen that will “add a new dimension to the UI.”

The Reddit user who posted the images, called OwenCarlyle, says the watch will also support Siri, Apple’s voice command system. The Reddit user also claimed that the iWatch will last for more than a day on a single charge, will be waterproof to 60m and won’t have any external connection points which could line up with past reports of the smartwatch features wireless charging.

The leaker also claims that the device will go into mass production sometime this January while describing the wearable computer as “the most complex and expensive product to manufacture to date.” Purported schematics are labeled as coming from Quanta, which has been reported to be Apple’s manufacturing partner for the device.

Other images show renders of various components of the devices, such as the microphone and speaker, although one blurry photo purports to show the iWatch housing, which is rectangular in shape. Apple is widely expected to unveil a wearable device alongside new iPhones on today. The event is due to start at 10:30 IST.

September 9, 2014
IFA 2014 Roundup: Top 5 Cool New Tech That You Didn’t Hear About

IFA Berlin saw some mega releases including the Samsung Galaxy Note 4, Sony Xperia Z3, Microsoft’s Nokia 830 and others. But behind the scene there were some cool new gadgets showcased at the event that were drowned in the immense limelight that was being showered on these devices. So here we list out five cool innovations that you need to check out.

1.    LG 8K TV:

While the world is struggling to bring more content for 4K displays, LG has taken a giant leap in display technology by bringing the world’s first 8K TV. The resolution on this TV is so profound that you’ll say it’s criminal that there is hardly any content that will do justice to the screen. The 98-inch 8K TV has 16 times the resolution of a Full HD screen. The TV is still in its beta stage so it will be a while before it comes to the market.

2.    Samsung’s Bendable TV:

This is one innovation that will get anybody awestruck. A massive OLED TV that bends at a click of a button. The massive 105 UHD screen costs a titanic sum of $260,000. You don’t even need 3D glasses with this TV; the mammoth size is enough to give you an immersive experience. Innovation-wise, this is at par with the Note Edge. Seems after some lazing out, Samsung is back in the game to win.

3.    Sony Portable Short Throw Projector:

Sony’s Short throw projector is capable of turning any surface into a display. It is a miniature version of the 4K Ultra Short Throw Projector which took details on a projection screen to the next level. The Cube shaped, portable short throw projector can be wall mounted or just kept on the table. The device projects a 23-inch image, and you can watch all your content on it from images to movies. It is also waterproof so you can keep it on your kitchen top and use it for your recipes. The best part is that, as it’s a short throw projector; it is close to the surface it is projecting on, hence, there are no interrupting shadows on the display. This one is a winner from Sony.

4.   Om/ONE’s Levitating Speaker:

Taiwan-based Aswy and another company called OM/ONE have brought something straight out of a sci-fi movie. Meet the levitating speakers. These speakers are placed above a magnetic stand that keep them stable while levitating above them. They can easily be spun around too. These Bluetooth enabled speakers also have a USB port in the base stand. This is one cool toy to have next to your lava lamp and trippy posters.

5.    4K Blu-Ray Discs:

This is something that a lot of folks were waiting for, a disc that does justice to the resolutions of the expensive 4K displays that people have been buying lately. It will be a boon in countries like India with crawling internet speeds where 4K streaming is just not possible at least for a considerable future. There is an added advantage to using physical discs instead of depending on the internet that can be disrupted because of a number of causes. The exciting bit of these discs will be their compatibility with the present Blu-Ray players, so it doesn’t add the excess cost of buying a new player. Blu-ray is one of the last remaining physical content delivery mechanisms, and this 4K push will keep it valid for a while.

September 9, 2014
IFA 2014 : Sony’s New Flagship Smartphone, The Xperia Z3 is Finally Here
Sony is now here to add to the long list of phones being launched today. We’ve already seen Samsung starting the event right by introducing a revolutionary curved screen smartphone. Now, we have Sony lining up its contenders to fight this year’s flagship war.

The company introduced its new flagship device, the Xperia Z3. This smartphone, will now go on to fight the highly-anticipated iPhone 6 and the newly released Galaxy Note 4.

As expected, Sony has integrated the new Xperia Z3 with the Playstation 4, by adding a new feature called PS4 Remote Play that will let you use the Xperia Z3 as “a remote screen to connect to and control your games on PS4.”

Sony Xperia Z3 will come with a 5.2-inch Full HD display that Sony claims is “the world’s brightest display of all the leading premium smartphones.” Other specs for the device include a 2.5 GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 processor, 3GB of RAM, a 20.7-megapixel camera and Android 4.4 KitKat.

Sony hasn’t yet provided a release date for the phone and will only say that it plans to launch the phone this fall. There are no pricing details revealed either.

Key Specs
- Snapdragon 2.5 GHz Qualcomm Quad-core
- Adreno 330 GPU
- 5.2″ Full HD display (1920×1080 pixels)
- TRILUMINOS™ Display for mobile
- 20.7 megapixel camera with auto focus
- 8x digital zoom
- ISO 3200 maximum in manual mode
- Sony Exmor RS for mobile image sensor
- 4K video recording
- Front-facing camera, HD 1080p for video chat and 2.2 MP for camera capture
- Pulsed LED flash
- 3 GB RAM
- Up to 16 GB flash memory
- Up to 128 GB microSD™ (card slot, SDXC supported)
September 3, 2014
iPhone 6 Screen Troubles Apple, Might Delay Launch

We reported earlier that Apple is scrambling to get enough screens ready for the new iPhone 6 smartphone. The new launch of iPhone 6 which is long overdue is said to take place next month. The company has confirmed that it will announce at least one new large-screen iPhone in September.

It is unclear that if this problem will delay the launch or limit the number of phones initially available to consumers. The supply chains who are making displays for the phone said that display panel production suffered a setback after the backlight that helps illuminate the screen had to be revised.

Apple is aiming for the thinnest phone possible and initially wanted to cut back to a single layer of backlight film, instead of the standard two layers, for the 4.7-inch screen, which went into mass production ahead of the 5.5-inch version.

However, the problem is now understood to have been resolved, the delays could limit the supply of the iPhone 6, which is expected to be in heavy demand. Recently, Japan Display, a lead supplier for the new iPhone, said orders for “a huge client” have been completed, however shipments may be postponed in the July-September quarter.

Japan Display’s dependence on Apple’s cyclical business has spooked a few financial specialists. UBS Securities has conjectured that Apple will help more than a third of the Japanese association’s aggregate income in the year that ends on March 2015. Japan Display’s offer value dropped to a 12-week low of 501 yen after first-quarter income on Aug 7 slacked business expectations.

The constrains on Apple for delivering exceptional products has increased. Smartphone players such as Samsung and LG and recently, Chinese brands like Xiaomi and Lenovo have dissolved the U.S. phone maker’s dominance in the business sector .

The iPhone 6 release and the hype around it has been foreseen to increase Apple shares to new heights. The shares have climbed to above $100 each, since the company posted solid first-quarter income in late-April. The iPhone release along with the Mac OSX Yosemite and the upcoming iWatch will definately spell good news for the company in the coming future.

August 25, 2014
Apple May Drop Standard USB in Favor of a New Reversible Connector

It is said that when Apple will launch its new iPhone i.e. iPhone 6 in September, it will also introduce its new Lightning data-power cable—that is, if newly leaked images circulating online are to be believed.

Several leaked photos in recent days have suggested Apple may be looking to move to a reversible USB connector for its next-generation Lightning cables, making it easier for users to plug the cables into their computers, chargers, and other equipment with standard USB ports.

MacRumors reported a leaked picture from iOS leaker, Sonny Dickson, showing the Lightning cable with a reversible USB connector. While the USB connector on the current Lightning cable is attached to the bottom of its metal housing, the connector of the supposedly newer cable is attached to the center.

Reversible USB port on the new Lightning cables! pic.twitter.com/bhVKjK3xKl

— Sonny Dickson (@SonnyDickson) August 17, 2014

“It is also therefore possible that the new Lightning cable could utilize USB 3.0 technology, as current Lightning cables support only USB 2.0. However, no other evidence suggests that the cable could be of the USB 3.0 variety.” the report from MacRumor noted.

However, Apple is not the only one with this technology. A California company by the name of UltraTek already holds a patent for the reversible connector and is selling cables through major online retailers. MacRumors suggested the possibility of the new cables being shipped along with the new iPhone 6 and subsequent iOS devices. Aside from the possible USB 3.0 support, the new Lightning cable could also support high-definition audio playback on “Made for iPhone” accessories.

Apple is rumored to be introducing a brand new proprietary version of the traditional USB connector

That being said, this move may harm the company as all those new Macs would be incompatible with current USB Type A cords — and presumably incompatible with any other newer standards that could be released in the near future, including the expected USB Type C plug. Apple would also charge third-party accessory makers licensing fees to use its patented USB reversible connector.

Also, the new connector would also help Apple effectively ‘own’ both ends of the charging cord, so if an iPhone/iPad user wanted to employ a micro USB cable from another manufacturer, or a future USB Type C cord, they’d have to purchase two adaptors — one for each end of the cord. The word is that Apple has already issued Lightning Cable MFi specifications for headphones last June, letting accessory makers build products that connect to the Lightning port instead of a 3.5-mm jack.

August 19, 2014
Smartphones May Soon Have Anti-Glare Waterproof Screens

In a paper, published in the Applied Materials & Interfaces, Professor Valerio Pruneri from the Institute for Photonic Sciences in Barcelona, along with Corning Incorporated have introduced an invention which is going to make your life a lot easier. The glass can is an anti-glare, waterproof screen which can be incorporated as cellphone display.

Glare has been a major issue in appreciating smartphone content when outdoors. Especially in a country like India which has some intense sunlight, outdoor use is troublesome. This revolutionary new display is stated to obliterate that issue.

Glare has been one of the major issues with mobile screens for long

The technology is quite easy to comprehend. The glass is scratched at the Nano molecular level. This helps to deflect the light away from the user’s eyes. These tiny scratches are so efficient that they do not effect the transparency of the screen. The research team has also made 100nm teeth onto the surface of the screen to deflect water, thereby making it hydrophobic. The textured surface looks like a lotus.

In their paper the team has mentioned that they would need to put the display through some more experimentation to make sure it can be used as a touch screen interface. But here is the best part, they have mentioned that large scale manufacturing of these screens will be inexpensive. This display is totally an “about time” kind of invention. This technology will be a boon for the future of smartphones. With screens capable of playing 2K content on mobile phones, a glareless screen is just what the doctor prescribed.

With this glasses the need for expensive anti glare screen filters also comes to an end.

July 19, 2014
The Evolution of Apple’s Command Key

Meet the extremely fascinating Susan Kare. She is an artist and designer and has spent most of her life pioneering pixel art. The extremely talented Iconographer has created thousands of icons for hundreds of companies.

As a key member of the Mac software design team, she has created many of the graphical interface elements for the original Apple Macintosh in the 1980’s.

This symbol is formally known as the Command key. Informally, it has had several names. It is known to be been referred as the Apple key, pretzel key, squiggly button, Saint John’s Arms and the Bowen Knot. Without a doubt, it is the most useful key on the board.

The symbol became a part of the Macintosh project when Steve Jobs found that the former Apple symbol overcrowded the menu. It was then, while doing a bit of research, Susan Kare found this symbol while browsing through the symbol dictionary. She’s glad to have chanced upon this cloverleaf-like design, commonly used in Nordic countries as an indicator of cultural locations and places of interest.

In the video,Kare goes on to talk about her journey from Apple to Windows and the evolution of digital Iconography. While talking about the yesteryears, she walks us through the early 80’s when Apple launched its first Macintosh 128K in 1984.

Susan also points out the importance of simplicity in iconography. While explaining the idea, she mentioned a book the called ‘Understanding Comics: An invisible Art’ by Scott McCloud. In which McCloud tells how details make the graphic personal while a sketch with minimilistic details is relatable to most beings.

She ended with a quote of her hero of Graphic Designing:

[quote text_size=”medium” author=”Paul Rand ” author_title=”Graphic Designer”]

Create solutions to design problems that are meaningful and memorable

[/quote]

June 25, 2014
The Curious Case of QuickCircle: LG G3 Case unveiled

Protection is a must. No we are not talking about condoms, we are talking about phone covers. The variety in the market is immense. Not just from the companies itself, but third party cases have flooded the markets all across the world.

In a peculiar move, LG has released its cover design before releasing the phone. The prominence being given to this particular cover is well deserved. It looks really functional and is not just a marketing gimmick. The video that has been released shows a customized lock screen which is accessible from the circular opening in the cover. They call it the QuickCircle.

Samsung had previously introduced the S view covers for their S4’s. They also brought the S view on the Note 3. But till now they were only meant for reading notifications or to pick a call. Also they were rectangles, not nearly as sexy as LG’s circle.

LG has taken it a step further by adding more interactive options. The cover design lets you access the customized lock screen where you can check the time, place calls, send text messages, take photos, listen to music or get an update of your health directly from the circular window. The QuickCircle will come in five colors: Metallic Black, Silk White, Shine Gold, Aqua Mint and Indian Pink(the last one sounds a bit naughty).

Apart from all this, the case also has the ability for wireless charging through its built-in Qi compatibility. LG also made a lot of developers happy when it said it will release an SDK next month. That will ensure that even more customized functionality can be added to the QuickCircle.

The company also claims that the QuickCircle provides the best “grip-ability” for the massive 5.5 inch QHD screen of the LG G3. The phone itself is claimed to have Android 4.4 out of the box, a 32 GB internal memory and a 3000 MaH battery. More details will come out soon.

There is a lot of potential here that LG is uncovering. Lock screen accessibility will also help to decrease battery usage. Plus it is perfect for travel as it gives quick access to music and camera – the two most useful functions to use during excursions.

LG should be commended for this development and the QuickCircle deserves the special mention it has got from the company. Hopefully, other companies will join the game faster and convert the dumb flip cover into useful accessories.

May 22, 2014
New iPhone 6 Leaks Show Rounded Sides and Flatter All Metal Back

We saw leaked images of Apple’s next jesus phone appear a couple of days back, but they failed to show us the front and the back of the device. This time around Inner Exile a China based case manufacturer shows off how the phone will look from the front as well as the back. The power button has a new location and it resides next to the sim card tray on the right of the new iPhone 6, or so claim the images.

Apple will kick of WWDC 2014 in June and will possibly announce the new version of iOS aka iOS 8, with the expected launch of the iPhone 6 somewhere at the end of August.

Several Chinese companies have made mock dummies of the iPhone 6 based on the leaked schematics. Heck you can buy a dummy of your own and make your own rumors. But if anything is to be confirmed, till we do see an actual iPhone running the new iOS that looks like this, we will have to take each story with a pinch of salt and lime. Honestly these images look far from what Apple could possibly have in stock for us.

May 9, 2014
The Z-2: Next Generation Space Suits by NASA

Ever since Yuri Gagarin set a milestone for the human race in 1961, the quest for leaving the gravitational restrictions of planet earth and floating in the mammoth void of space has gained momentum. Over the last 50 years human space flight technology has taken a giant leap. Space suits are required to provide astronauts with: Protection from extreme pressure variations, protection from the Sun’s and cosmic radiation, mobility, breathable air, regulation, communication systems and the ability to collect both solid and liquid wastes of the human body.

Clearly, space suits have to perform exceptionally in all the above aspects as they are to be entrusted with a highly trained human life. As NASA plans to set a human base on Mars in 2030, there is a race to get the technology for interplanetary travel up to speed.

NASA’s Z-2 Spacesuit is a project under the Advanced Exploration Systems Division which pioneers the development and demonstration of new technologies for future human missions beyond Earth orbit as part of the Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate.

They asked the general public to vote on three options dubbed Technology, Bio mimicry and Trends in Public. The Technology option won easily, with almost 60% votes, most likely because of its Tron-like appearance. But the picture released by NASA seems to resemble more like Gru’s(Despicable Me) Suit.

The Z-2 will go under extensive testing sessions. Engineers will conduct multiple vacuum chamber tests, including one series at full vacuum, mimicking the lack of atmosphere found in space. The tests will take place at the Neutral Buoyancy Lab – the huge indoor pool used to train astronauts to spacewalk. Also, the rocky Martian surface tests will help evaluate the suit’s mobility, comfort and performance for the Red planet. Ultimately, all of these tests will guide engineers in designing the Z-3.

Engineers and scientists around the world are working hard to develop super technologies. They’re hoping that astronauts will, one day, use them to live and work on Mars and return safely home after taking a giant leap for humanity.

May 5, 2014
Paperfold is prototype for a Foldable Smartphone

The Human Media Lab at Canada’s Queen’s University has designed a prototype of a smartphone, that can not only fold, but transform from one form factor to another. The future of unified devices may simply lie in a design like this. The “Paperfold” uses three snap – E-Ink displays to create one large display.

The Human media lab claims that the inspiration came from paper, and that the device will have a lot of possible future uses. The hinges also act as buttons allowing you to switch between modes and tasks depending on your usage and application.

Although we are notoriously far from the project reaching commercial availability, it seems that the next logical step in transformation of devices could and may as well be devices like the Paperfold. Watch the video below for more.

May 2, 2014
Print Goes Pocket Size

Some people say print is dead. With pendrives and cloud sharing, printing documents and pictures seems unnecessary. But what if you could carry a printer in your pocket or you bag. Wouldn’t that be awesome?

ZUtA Pocket Printer is a simple, softball sized and is compatible with any electronic device and can be used anywhere, anytime. The idea was born when a team of students in Jerusalem College of Technology got together to add some innovation to the printing industry. As students they finishes assignments in library’s, trains, parks, and cafes. Once their work was done, they always had a hard time finding a place to print. Hence, they came up with the idea of this portable printer.

Since it doesn’t necessitate any special drivers, it can be accessed via computers, smart phones or tablets, by using the traditional print function or an app. It will work with paper of any size and will print roughly 1,000 sheets of paper on a standard, disposable ink cartridge. The printer will last for up to an hour on full battery and can be recharged via a USB cable.

Its teardrop design allow users to line it up with the angle of the paper to make sure their documents come out straight. It then rolls athwart the blank sheet on small, multi-directional wheels while ejecting ink. The printer is intended not only for smaller documents, such as tickets or notes from a meeting, but also for larger documents with multiple pages. It will be designed to wait for the user to place it on a new sheet of paper before continuing the job. An average page of text will be able to print in approximately 40-45 second.

The design for the ZUtA Pocket Printer was stimulated by private inevitability. Elbaum, co-founder of ZUtA Labs, said that as an entrepreneur he has often found himself functioning on the go and it befuddled him that, given everything else we can do, we still can’t print from mobile devices. Other devices advertised as portable are constrained to the size of the paper they use, which means that they can’t be nearly as mobile as the ZUtA product.

The Kickstarter campaign for the ZUtA Pocket Printer has been widely successful. It has raised more than $450,000 out of a $400,000 goal with 12 days still on the clock. The device, which will retail for about $240, is expected to go to production in September and be shipped to Kickstarter backers in January.

May 2, 2014