Category: Tech

Latest Technology News, Alternative, Bio-Tech, Medical, R&D and Innovations

Apple is Gearing Up For The iWatch Launch

Apple’s iWatch is one of the most anticipated wearable of the year. Apple seems to be gearing up to release its new iWatch which will undoubtedly be the first of many wearable devices Apple will launch in the coming years.

Recently, Nike discontinued FuelBand product line to concentrate on the software letting go more than 80 employees of Fuelband. While the product is still being sold, the company had decided to working on wearables. Now reports have surfaced that are some of the important members of the FuelBand team have been poached by Apple. According to rumors, former FuelBand team members Ryan Bailey and Jon Gale were both hired by Apple in June.

Nike Discontinues the Nike + FuelBand Production

Bailey was formerly Nike’s Senior Test and Validation Engineer for the FuelBand, and his LinkedIn profile now lists him as Mechanical Design Engineer at Apple. Gale had been Nike’s Senior Firmware Engineer focusing on the FuelBand line of wrist-worn fitness trackers, and he is now Apple’s Sensing Systems Engineer.

The fact that Apple is hiring former Nike FuelBand employees heavily indicates that the mysterious iWatch may finally grant us its presence. Apple is rumored to launch it this year sometime around October. It is also been said that the iWatch may be announced with iPhone 6.

July 11, 2014
Newly Unveiled Adidas Fit Smart to Take on Nike and Other Wearables

This summer has seen wearable tech get a major boost. The market is getting steadily populated with devices from major companies like Samsung, LG and Motorola with many more on the way. After tablets, wearables seem to be the next big thing. Google is putting its weight behind the Android Wear project to further encourage and integrate the Android ecosystem. Now Adidas will try its luck in the market with a simplistic device called the Adidas Fit Smart.

This is not the initiation of Adidas in the wearable tech arena. The company released the MiCoach Smart Run smartwatch last year. The Smart Run can be connected to the online miCoach account and you can track your progress online and plan ahead.

Adidas’s latest, the Fit smart will go on sale in August this year. The watch has the ability to track distance traveled, pace, calorie-burning and monitors heart rate. It can stand out against the competition because of the tracking infrastructure of the miCoach. Users who give up after taking a lot of effort to go out and run can use the personalized training abilities of miCoach and can be encouraged to keep going on. Its like having a personal trainer on your wrist.

On the design front the Adidas Fit Smart follows a minimalistic design. The display gives the most important specs like Pace, time, calories burned on the screen. There is a small LED strip that change color based on the intensity of the workout. The strap is made of soft silicone. The watch can also be synced to a smartphone with the miCoach app for your in-depth data analysis on the move.

The company will also face some serious competition from the iGiant or as it’s better known, Apple. The company is slated to bring its smartwatch sometime later this year. The main competition to this is the Nike Fuel band which in comparison to the Fit Smart saves you a 100 dollars. But the Fit Smart gives more functionality and is an all-round trainer and not just a data gatherer.

Overall the simplistic design and competitive price will be a benefit for the Fit Smart. It can make a good market for itself if the device excels in what it has to offer, thereby encouraging more minimalistic wearable technology.

July 10, 2014
You Can Now Correct Google Now by Simply Saying “No! I Said”

A new update for Google Now, a voice-based smart assistant, is tiny but a significant one. The new update will let users correct the search engine when it doesn’t correctly understand what they ask for.

Voice searches with Google Now can sometimes be excruciatingly irritating. Its accuracy is predicated on many factors, such as the quietness of your surroundings and the clarity of your speech and the worst of all its inability to correctly perceive non-American accents, so results can be pretty inaccurate at times.

So Google, acknowledging this problem, provided an update of a correction hot phrase which starts with “No, I said,” and has to be followed by the word or words Google Now has misunderstood. So, by simply saying “No, I said” you can change certain words with your voice that Google Now misunderstood.

For example you want know what are the best ‘selfie’ phones available, but Google Now translated it to ‘cell’ phones. So, if you just say “OK Google: No, I said selfie, Google Now will correct itself and then search for what you meant in the first place, presumably because it can figure out which word is most likely to be wrong.

Word correction is one of the latest Google Now features that Google has made available to the users. The virtual assistant has come a long way and learned many other cool new tricks recently. Google Now lets users control media with their voice, and it can create event cards based on email conversations, better manage call reminders, and tell you when to get off your bus or train. Google now features are also present on Android Wear based devices which will surely make life easy for many.

July 10, 2014

Hands On : Samsung Galaxy Tab S 10.5 and 8.4

Samsung is ready to take on the iPad, yet again, with its new slew of tablets. The Galaxy Tab S is a reboot of what Samsung has been doing in terms of the overall feel of the tablets.

The new tablets are aimed at the Rs. 35-40 thousand price bracket, with pre orders already open on Samsung’s E Store.

The Tab S 10.5 and Tabs 8.4 both run on the Exynos 5 Octa chipset, have 3 GB of RAM and 16/32 GB storage capacities, infact both have almost the exact same specs except for the size of the screen. See the full details below.

Specifications	Galaxy Tab S 10.5-inch	Galaxy Tab S 8.4-inch
Battery capacity:	7,900(mAh)	4900(mAh)
DISPLAY	10.5-inch Super AMOLED display Resolution:2560 x 1600 pixels	8.4-inch Super AMOLED display Resolution: 2560 x 1600 pixels
CAMERA	Rear camera: 8-megapixel Flash: LED Front camera: 2-megapixel	Rear camera: 8-megapixel Flash: LED Front camera: 2-megapixel
RAM	3GB	3GB
Processor	Octa-Core Exynos 5 (A15 1.9 GHz & A7 1.3 GHz)	Octa-Core Exynos 5 (A15 1.9 GHz & A7 1.3 GHz)
Internal Storage	16GB/32GB expanded up to 128GB	16GB/32GB expanded up to 128GB
Software	Android 4.4 Kitkat	Android 4.4 Kitkat

In terms of look and feel these tablets are much nicer looking than expected, they feel premium and look the part. The Tab S is extremely slim at 6.6 mm and extremely lightweight at just 467 gms for the LTE variant 10.5 inch Galaxy Tab S.

Samsung has also cut down on the bloatware and offers some interesting productivity apps and services to the user out of the box – free of cost. The Tab S devices run Android KitKat 4.4.2 out of the box with a proposed Android L update shortly after the final release.

Initial impression of the screen will simply blow you away, the screen is very sharp and thanks to it being a Super AMOLED the colours look very alive and vivid.

Stay tuned for our full round up.

July 10, 2014

ASUS Launches The ZenFone Series and The Fonepad 7 in India

Taiwanese-American multinational ASUS has just opened its mobile innings in India with a major release. All of the company’s releases are powered by an Intel Atom processor. The Zenfones as they are called run on the Android based ZenUI.

The company released three phones namely the Zenfone 4,5 and 6 with the number corresponding to the screen sizes of the phones. All phones come with Corning Gorilla Glass 3. Lets check them out.

ASUS Zenfone 4

The phone has a 4 inch display. It weighs at a miniscule 115 grams. The processor on this offering is a 1.2GHz Intel® Atom™ Z2520 with 1 GB RAM . As it’s a youth oriented device the phone is available in multiple colors like Charcoal Black, Pearl White, Cherry Red, Sky Blue, and Solar Yellow. A 1600 mAh battery powers the phone. The phone has a 5 megapixel (MP) camera in the back and a 0.3 MP front camera. The phone is priced at Rs. 5999.

ASUS Zenfone 5

This phone comes with a 1280x720p HD screen. The thickness of the phone stands at 5.5, so this one truly takes on the Gionee S5.5. The phone runs on the Intel Atom Dual-Core Z2560 1.6GHz processor along with a 2GB RAM. The phone is powered by a 2110 mAh battery. With ASUS PenTouch and GloveTouch technologies users can operate the phone with any stylus or even a gloved hand. The phone has a 8 MP back camera with Image stabilization and has a wide aperture of f/2.0. The Zenfone 5 comes in Champagne Gold, Pearl White, Cherry Red, and Charcoal Black. The phone is priced at Rs. 9,999.

ASUS Zenfone 6

This is a 6 inch behemoth with 1280x720p HD screen. It too comes with ASUS PenTouch and GloveTouch technologies. The phone is powered by powerful Intel Atom Z2580 2.0GHz processor with 2GB RAM. It holds 16 GB’s of internal storage. ASUS promise that with its SonicMaster audio technology with virtual surround sound via headphones, users will have a truly immersive entertainment experience on the big screen. The phone comes in Champagne Gold, Pearl White, Cherry Red, and Charcoal Black color options. The shooters on the Zenfone 6 are a 13MP shooter on the back with a 2 megapixel selfie shooter in the front. A massive 3300 mAh battery will definitely do justice to the screen. The phone is priced at Rs. 16,999.

ASUS Fonepad 7:

The tablet comes with an Intel Clover Trail Plus Z2520 1.2GHz Dual Core processor with 1GB of RAM. The screen is a 7 inch 1024×600 display. The internal storage is a dismal 4GB but is expandable to 64 GB. It comes with a 2 MP camera on the back with 0.3 MP camera in the front. It gets its juice from a 3950 mAh battery. The tablet can be used to make calls with its dual sim capabilities.

All phones are currently running on the Android Jellybean 4.3, but they all will be upgraded to Kitkat. They all use Quad-Thread Hyper-Threading Technology for faster performance and smooth operation of the phones.

ASUS has definitely got some good products for the Indian markets. We have to wait for them to come to our hands to know if they are as good as they appear on paper.

July 9, 2014
Leaked Images Reveal Samsung’s Virtual Reality Headset, The Gear VR

Facebook is working on it, Sony and Google too; so why should Samsung stay back and let them steal the thunder? Rumors are flying around high about Samsung’s plan to launch its own virtual reality headset. The device will take on Sony’s Project Morpheus headset and Oculus VR. And now, Sam Mobile leaked the first photo of the company’s forthcoming virtual reality headset the Gear VR yesterday.

Unlike the Oculus, the Gear VR won’t be a complete virtual reality headset on its own. The Gear VR headset introduces a modular design and structure providing users with dock for their Galaxy phones into the front. Gear VR will require a Galaxy phone in order to work because the design doesn’t include motion sensors or a screen independent of the docked smartphone.

Rumors started earlier this year, reporting that Samsung is working on an Oculus Rift-style virtual reality headset which was confirmed by Business Insider later. The leaked image is said to be first glimpse of the alleged Samsung virtual reality headset. Sam Mobile, in its post claims that the rumored virtual reality headset made by the South Korean giant will be announced alongside the alleged Galaxy Note 4 at IFA this year.

The leaked image of the alleged Samsung Gear VR headset purportedly shows its design and form factor. The report reveals that we can expect a ‘see-through button’ on the right side. It uses the smartphone’s rear-facing camera sensor to offer a video feed of the real outside world. It is also said to include a touchpad under the see-through button to navigate through the user interface on the Galaxy smartphone.

Also, same as with the company’s other Gear wearables, the alleged Gear VR is also said to get its dedicated section, including apps for the virtual reality headset. The report names some of the apps likely to be made available after the announcement, which include Theatre, 360 Player, and Gallery. In addition to this, Samsung Gear VR SDK will be also made available shortly after the launch, some reports reveals.

The headset will enter the still infant market of Virtual Reality market, which is dominated currently by the Facebook-acquired Oculus Rift. With the Gear VR, Samsung can make use of its marketing ability and reach markets where Oculus will take some time to reach. Samsung has the ability to do that, provided their product stands out and is appreciated by the consumers.

July 9, 2014
Sony Unveils a Pro-Selfie Phone, Meet The Xperia C3

Now, Sony has made a move on the selfie trend by officially announcing its Sony Xperia C3 and Xperia C3 Dual smartphones, which have been designed keeping in mind selfie lovers.

The Xperia C3 is powered by the Snapdragon 400 chipset with a quad-core 1.2GHz Cortex-A7 processor, Adreno 305 GPU and 1GB of RAM. The rest of the specs include 8GB of expandable storage, an 8MP rear cam with a LED flash, and a super thin body at 7.6mm. Xperia C3 is also 4G-enabled and supports LTE Cat4 and a dual-SIM variant dubbed Sony Xperia C3 Dual, which supports not only dual-standby, but dual-call too.

The Xperia C3 sports an 8-megapixel autofocus rear camera along with LED flash. The smartphone is Sony’s first to come with a 5-megapixel front-facing camera along with an LED flash reson for which it is touted as a pro-selfie phone. The front-facing camera features a wide- angle view to capture a group selfie without unnecessary squeezing inside the image.

Both front and rear camera include features like Superior Auto, Portrait Retouch v.2, Timeshift-burst, Picture effects, Movie Creator, Social Live, Sweep Panorama and a special dedicated app for Vine which lets users capture short 6-second videos and share it directly from the smartphone. Both cameras also provide HDR mode and number of filter effects.

The Sony Xperia C3 with 8GB of inbuilt storage which can be expanded via microSD card (up to 32GB). It comes with a 2500mAh battery, which is rated for up to 24 hours of talk time and 1,071 hours of standby time.

Right now, it is not specified when will Xepria C3 be launched in India, but there is no doubt that it will eventually make its way here. The first market to get it is China, but it will spread worldwide shortly after. Sony Xperia C3 will be available in white, black and mint colors starting in August. The pricing is yet to be announced.

Along with the launch of the Sony Xperia C3 sony has released a massive infographic in an effort to convince you that selfies are a lot more important than you think. Check it out here.

July 9, 2014
Top 5 Must-Have Gadgets For the Monsoon

After months of sweltering heat, the monsoon winds are a bliss. However, with the rainy season comes the scary possibility of unexpected rain drenching your gadgets. We may invest in the best technology, but with a single shower of the Indian Monsoon your favorite gadget’s fate may be sealed.

Here is a list of must-have gadgets and their equipment for this season:

5. BubbleShield PRO

If you are under the impression that adding a waterproof cover to your iPad will restrict you from using it, then you are wrong. The Bubble Shield Pro is IPX7 certified and lets the tablet work even a foot under water for 30 minutes. Your tablets are more at risk because you often carry them in your hands and not in the relative safety of bags or pockets. So, this amazing cover will not only help you save your tablet from the pouring rain but also let you work on your tablet while it’s raining.

4. Otterbox Armor Series

This rugged iPhone case by Otterbox is perhaps one of the best all-weather cases you can find for your iPhone, making sure you travel without even thinking about rain or cold. Its interior are made of silicone, which makes it shockproof and the metal latches lock the front and back covers together to protect the phone from dirt and dunks for up to 30 minutes in up to 6.6 feet of water. The case increases the size and weight of the phone, but that is a small price to pay for the protection it provides.

3. Braven BRV1

A perfect system for a pool party. Braven BRV1 is a portable speaker that has a rubberised exterior to handle not just monsoon rainfall, but also drops and scratches. It can also survive accidental dunks up to 1m of water for 30 minutes. The 3 Watts of audio output from its 70mm subwoofer definitely won’t blow you away, but should be adequate if you need some light music in wet outdoors.

2. Sony Walkman NWZ-W273

Fancy going for a run in the rain? Well, this product should be on everyone’s monsoon list. It has no mini or micro USB ports and that basically means there are no inlets for water to get in and damage the internal machinery. The plastic earpieces are connected by a rubber wire to fit snugly around the back of your neck and playback controls are neatly placed at the bottom of the two pods.

1. SXtreo WP61

Number one on the list is the super flashy SXtreo WP61. It is a tough shock resistant, waterproof and dustproof features and robust multi-tasking capability device. This smartphone is engineered to perform outstandingly in the harshest of environments. Military-rugged, super-secure, cutting edge, SXtreo smartphones aren’t meant for just anyone. It is meant for you! You don’t have to worry about your phone even if you jump in a pool.

July 9, 2014
Apple Releases iOS 8 Beta 3 for Developers

Apple yesterday released the third beta version of iOS 8 for developers. The iOS 8 beta 3 update with a build number 12A4318c is available over the air and can also be downloaded from the iOS Dev Centre.

The company has released updates for a beta version Find My iPhone. There is also a new version of Find My Friends, a new Apple TV beta, and updates to Swift, the programming language the company introduced at WWDC.

As showcased at WWDC this year, iOS 8 has some major upgrades over the last offerings. The one that is appreciated the most about the OS is its seamless interconnectivity with the OSX devices.

iOS 8 introduces an assortment of features such as improved integration with OS X through Continuity, interactive notifications, a new QuickType Keyboard and improvements to several apps like Safari, Mail, and Messages. Apart from it there is a Health app and some Family Sharing features.

This beta version has new options for iCloud Drive, a new Settings toggle for Handoff, and a new option to enable or disable QuickType.

iOS 8 beta 3 is currently accessible to the developers, and is expected to release for the public sometime around this fall. Considering previous releases, it can be said that the new iOS will release with the new iPhone and most probably the iWatch might show up too.

July 8, 2014
Rumor Roundup: All You Need to Know About the Samsung Galaxy F

Samsung, is working towards breaking new grounds with it’s upcoming Galaxy F (also referred to as the Galaxy S5 Prime.) This one seems to be targeted towards the ‘premium’ metal smartphone segment.

A couple of leaks for the Samsung Galaxy Galaxy F have making rounds apart from the rumors of its production. Recently, new leaked live photo of the Samsung Galaxy F emerged and it seemed to confirm that the said smartphone will in fact feature a metal frame.

In terms of looks, Galaxy F, is not exactly different from S5. The buttons, the Samsung logo, even the finger scanner, the camera hump, and heart monitor; everything is where we’re used to seeing it in the S5. The biggest change is said to be the metal back that is made with brushed aluminum, a material which has a more premium feel and better heat dissipation properties than plastic.

Reports so far also pointed out that the Galaxy F will come with a super high-res Quad HD (1440 x 2560-pixel) with screen size of 5.24 inches, but given the most recent announcement of the Korea-only S5 LTE-A with a 5.1” Quad HD panel, it seems that the Galaxy F might also come with a 5.1” screen.

With an expected fall release date, it seems like Samsung may ship the Galaxy F with the latest and most powerful Qualcomm chip – the Snapdragon 805 with the new Adreno 420.

The F is also said to have a better finger scanner than the Galaxy Tab S tablets, while we are not expecting it would be a match for fast and accurate one on the iPhone, we would still love to see how Samsung will tackle this problem.

With a visual upgrade, this device not only will be a powerful smartphone but also a good looking one. Till now, we are not sure what the price of this S5 upgrade. The Galaxy F release date is rumored to be in September. With Apple’s rumored plans to bring in the next iPhone and a 5.5-inch iPhone ‘Air’ around the same time, Samsung might reconsider their plans.

July 8, 2014
Top 5 Reminder Apps a Forgetful Person Should Download Now

Say goodbye to the outdated sticky notes and reminder boards and say hello to the Reminder Apps. With a hectic schedule and countless things to remember these could be your lifeline.

With millions using smartphones today, we have compiled a list of our favourite for Notices and Reminders to simplify your day.

5. DO-It (Tomorrow)

Do you love procrastinating? Is your motto: ‘Why do it today what you can do it tomorrow?’ That’s the spirit! This is the perfect app for you. Tasks not ticked off the previous day are automatically carried forward. Do It (Tomorrow) makes it easy for users to postpone their tasks to the next day, which makes it a very pragmatic and realistic app. The app also supports cloud syncing and has a pretty neat user interface. Though some people may face problems with the interface as the view sometimes freezes in the middle of two pages.

4. Any Do

Any DO is among the most popular reminder apps for both iOS and Android, and for good reason. Not only does it have a very neat user interface, it offers a lot of different ways of creating reminders and triggering alerts. The app supports location-based reminders, tasks that don’t have a specific time associated with them and even folders that can be helpful in keeping things well-organized. Any DO allows you to create reminders both via text input and voice commands.

This is a great app for personal as well as business use.

3. Astrid To Do List

If you’re looking for an app with a little more options, Astrid is the app to get. It’s easy to set up and also throws in some more “advanced” options like Google task sync, priority levels, tags, timed reminders, and calendar integration. Astrid Tasks is intuitive and compact, but doesn’t skimp on flexibility or options. It has a home-screen widget, quick add function, alarms, reminders, a back-up function, tags and even a timer. Despite these multiple functions, Astrid couldn’t be simpler to use. Perhaps the only drawback is its limited widget options.

2.To Do Reminder

To Do Reminder App is quick and easy to use; you can set a task in the reminder list in mere seconds. It has an easy-to-use interface with a voice handling feature available. Additional attractive features include Synchronising birthdays from Facebook, daily-weekly or monthly repetition of a task.

Being quicker and relatively easier to use however limits the customization options and functionalities available in this app.

1. Evernote

The Top app and one of the most popularly used one when it comes to Reminders is Evernote. Evernote lets you take notes, capture photos, create to-do lists, record voice reminders and makes these notes completely searchable, whether you are at home, at work, or on the go. Its key features include -In-app and email alarms, pinning notes to the top of your note list and even a web clipper (which allows you to save anything you see online).

Exceeding the limit of its download, Evernote requires a payment of a subscription fees which perhaps is its only dis-advantage.

July 8, 2014
Breaking : Google Nexus 8 spotted on Indian Import Manifest

Is this the next Nexus tablet the Nexus 8 being shipped to India? The import database shows a Nexus 8 prototype (marked as being similar to Nexus 7) shipped from USA to Bangalore via Air shipment.

No information is let out on the specifications of the device, but here are a few things we do get to know, the Nexus 8 is real and will be 8 inches, the price is estimated to be between Rs. 18,000-20,000 keeping in mind previous similar leaks and final pricing.

The manifest makes the tablet as “similar to the Nexus 7” possibly to make it easier for customs to release the device with whatever fixed charges they might have for an already established unit.

In conversation with HTC’s Faisal Siddiqui , he was mum on their work in tablets, unlike previous occasions when HTC would continue to reinforce that “they are a mobile phone company”.

Either way, with an estimated under Rs. 20,000 price for the entry level variant , an 8 inch tablet built by HTC sounds more promising. Even more than the Google Nexus 7 of 2013

July 8, 2014
India’s upcoming floating Solar Farm

India is in a major energy crisis. With the population multiplying on a daily basis the need for cheap forms of electricity have become a must. India has large plans, whether politically invoked or not; we might be one of the first few nations with a large chunk of renewable electricity sources.

About five years ago large parts of the Thar desert in Rajasthan and surrounding areas was sanctioned for subsidised privately run solar farms. The land was practically given for free, and an energy reclaim of Rs. 5/ KW (8 cents approximately) was promised to the solar energy companies that were supposed to be set up.

The project is yet to see the light of day. However, sources tell us that the work is still underway.

Meanwhile, a new project in the southern state of Kerala is said to lead the Solar energy revolution in India, thanks to the abundance of sun and large water bodies. A new 50MW plant built entirely on 1.27 million square meter floating platform in Kerala is said already to be in the works. The plant has been approved by the NHPC and will get commissioned in October of 2014. (Yes this year).

This Solar Farm project will provide cheap and renewable electricity to about 18,000 homes. After the states announcement on building two lakh megawatt of solar power generation capacity, the price of barren solar usable land rose this quarter by tenfold, building a plant on water will be cheap for the government as well as the people enjoying the electricity.

[quote text_size=”small” author=”SP Gon Choudhury” author_title=”chairman of the Renewable Energy College”]

Each station would require around 3,000 square feet of space to generate 20 kilowatt of power. There are many water bodies that could be used for this

[/quote]

The total project is estimated to cost between Rs 350 crore and Rs 400 crore, the Renewable Energy College will assist in sourcing material till commissioning of the plant.
The first phase of this Solar Farm, estimated to cost Rs 35 lakh, has been fully funded by the ministry of new and renewable energy and is expected to generate around 12 kilowatt of power to begin with by October 2014.

[quote text_size=”small” author=”SP Gon Choudhury” author_title=”Chairman of the Renewable Energy College”]

The ecology of the water body is not likely to be affected much, and it will also reduce evaporation, thus helping preserve water levels during extreme summer. Solar panels installed on land, face reduction of yield as the ground heats up. When such panels are installed on a floating platform, the heating problem is solved to a great extent

[/quote]

The yield on these panels is expected to be 20% higher than land based solar power plants. The overall capital cost for such solar projects will be around Rs 6.5 crores per megawatt, which will bring down costs of electricity to Rs 7 / unit. This price will then be further regularised by the state electricity board.

With the large availability of Sun energy in the country, the future may finally hold a strong supply of electricity for everyone, everywhere!

July 7, 2014
Android Wear Based Samsung Galaxy Gear Live Now Available in India

If you were waiting for the Android Wear based smartwatches then your wait is over. Samsung has released its Android smartwatch OS based Galaxy Gear Live at the Play Store for Rs15,900.

Android Wear was one of the most exciting announcements at this year’s Google I/O. The OS has a number of good features. The Galaxy Gear Live was introduced along with the LG G watch and the MOTO 360 watches.

The watch sports a 1.63 inch Super AMOLED touchscreen display with 278 ppi. It is powered by a 1.2 GHz processor and a 512 MB RAM. The phone sports a 4 GB internal storage which is good enough for the functions it offers.

The Gear Live has a heart rate monitor, accelerometer, gyroscope, compass and the best part, it is water and dust resistant. The watch takes its juice from a 300 mAh battery.

The Android Wear has a lot of features right out of the box. It is voice controlled device and lets you access and reply to important notifications from your phone. It is almost a portable control for your phone with health monitoring features of its own. It can be used for checking messages and emails, doing online searches, navigation and a lot more.

The Android wearables will definitely get a boost with the Android Wear. Presently the Moto 360 with its round display looks the most alluring but its other first generation Android wear siblings don’t fall too far behind.

July 7, 2014
Skully Brings Augmented Reality On-Road for a Safer Ride
Augmented reality has become a revelation in the gaming world; with products like Sony’s Project Morpheus and the Oculus Rift promising to make play time more entertaining and interactive. Furthermore Google Glass has opened up a new possibility with respect to augmented reality.

Skully, a San Francisco-based start-up, has given this technology a new meaning.

Skully AR-1, as the company claims proudly, is the world’s first augmented-reality motorcycle helmet. It is an anti-fog, anti-glare and face shield helmet, features a heads-up display that shows blind spots, GPS mapping, weather with other additional features. Skully also features Internet connectivity and a Bluetooth smartphone connection. The Skully AR-1 allows you to control the interface with your voice. You can control your music, send texts, make calls and change your GPS destination, all hands-free. Never before has riding been so connected.

With Synapse(TM) integrated Heads-Up Display (HUD), Skully provides an advanced situational awareness system, showing navigation and blind spot data, allowing you to stay focused on the most important part of your ride – The Road. Skully AR-1 has a patented integrated rear view camera system with a 180 degree viewing angle. The rear view camera feeds video to the HUD to provide complete situational awareness.

Skully AR-1 is already making waves in the tech world. The helmet won the coveted SXSW Accelerator Award in the Wearable Technology in Austin, Texas this year.

Key Features include-
- Lightweight, aerodynamic shell
- 3D laser-cut foam for a perfect fit
- Fully adjustable flow-through ventilation
- Anti-fog, anti-scratch, anti-glare face shield
- Quick release chin strap and visor
- SKULLY SYNAPSE (TM) Heads Up Display system with voice control
- Visual GPS navigation
- 180 degree wide angle rearview camera
- Bluetooth connectivity to smartphone
- Internet connectivity via smartphone
Presently, Skully AR-1 is not available for commercial sale. However you can apply to become an approved beta-tester for the Skully AR-1. Approved beta-testers may get to test a pre-released version of the AR-1 before the official release date.
July 5, 2014