Over the past few months, the rumours and speculations regarding Samsung’s upcoming Galaxy S7 flagship smartphones have come in plenty. Right from specifications to design, everything has been subject to a lot of speculations, and 3 weeks from today, we’ll know just how many of those rumours were true.
Yes, Samsung has confirmed the unveiling of the Galaxy S7 at the ‘Unpacked’ event on Sunday, February 21st, a day before the MWC kicks off. The Korean-based giant sent out invitations that include an image of a shadowy cube with two edges glowing to form a “7”. Meanwhile, the teaser trailer shows sees someone staring at the cube through Gear VR goggles.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3g3O94WALV8
So far, some of the rumours that have caught people’s attention include the design, which is being said will be similar to the Galaxy S6, suggesting that the company is focusing more on hardware. The Galaxy S7 is said to have a microSD slot, a pressure-sensitive screen, USB Type-C port, water resistance, and will be in ‘Edge’ form for all the variants. Finally, some models will come with the Snapdragon 820 chipset.
In three weeks, we’ll know just what the Galaxy S7 will look like. Follow this space for all on Samsung’s upcoming flagship.
1. LeEco Comes to India: LeEco, formerly called LeTV, launched Le Max with the tag-line”Go Big, Go Bold”, and Le 1s, along with revealing the new logo for the company, in India. While the Le Max boasts of big specs inside a big frame, the Le 1s is aimed at the mid-range market.
2. Samsung Launches Gear S2 and Gear VR Headset in India: The Gear S2 and Gear VR headset were launched in India in January, after being unveiled for the first time at IFA Berlin last year. The new smartwatch comes with a 1.2-inch screen with a 360×360 resolution (302ppi). To power the device, Samsung has used 1GHz dual-core processor and provided the option of 3G Connectivity.The pricing for the smartwatch starts at Rs. 24,300 while the head-set is priced at Rs. 8,200.
3. BlackBerry Priv Launches in India: The Priv, which was first unveiled in October, is a make or break project for BlackBerry as it sees it leaving its own OS behind in search of greener pastures that Android provides. This shift by BlackBerry is being seen as a move aimed at helping the ailing company’s return to its previous highs. It comes with a price-tag of Rs. 62,999.
4. Microsoft Launches Nokia 230 Dual-SIM in India: The Nokia 230 Dual SIM brings some flavour to the feature phone category with a premium look and feel to it thanks to its metallic construction. The phone is designed for those who want a high-end phone as far as feature phones are concerned, and are not too fond of making that leap to touchscreen devices. The phone costs Rs. 3,949
5. Motorola Cannot Stop Talking about the ‘Shatterproof’ Moto X Force: The phone was launched globally last year as Droid Turbo 2 and is all set to arrive in India now with its much talked about ‘shattershield’ display. On the specs front, Moto X Force packs a 5.4 inch Quad HD display with a resolution of 2560×1440 pixels. It is powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 octa-core chipset along with 3 GB of RAM. Moto X Force is expected to be priced around Rs.40,000.
it looks like Apple is joining the bandwagon of companies that are focusing on virtual reality technology. This is suggested by the fact that the Cupertino giant recently hired a man by the name Doug Bowman, the Director of the Center for Human-Computer Interaction at Virginia Tech.
Bowman joins the list of recently hired virtual and augmented reality experts, following Apple’s acquisition of Faceshift, Metaio, and Emotient. Apple is trying to learn as much as it can about the world of virtual reality, seeing that its major competitors like Samsung and Microsoft have already made their mark in that realm.
It not clear in any way as to Apple’s plans regarding VR. Bowman’s experience with creating 3D interfaces could be deployed in AR car control systems, which could be incorporated in Apple’s autonomous car (which in itself is a mystery right now). The other speculation is towards a Samsung’s Gear VR-like headset only using iPhones instead. We’ll just have to wait and see what Apple has in mind on that front. One thing is clear, virtual reality is here to stay.
CES, short of Consumer Electronics Show, is the place where new and shiny gadgets are revealed that sets the tone for the technology that year. CES 2016 will be no different. The event will take place at in Las Vegas from Wednesday, January 6 to Saturday, January 9, 2016. Here are some of the many technologies that will be unveiled at the four-day conference.
Samsung
Samsung is likely to draw a lot of attention at CES 2016. Or perhaps that may have been the case when it was expected that the company would launch its next flagship Galaxy S7 devices at the event. However, this rumour has been almost completely denied. Samsung’s invitation puts highlight TVs and home appliances as their main showcases.
But this doesn’t rule out a phone launch by the company. It may not be the Galaxy S7, but Samsung has many other handsets in its pockets that are just waiting to come out. It is likely that the Korean-based company will reveal some mid-range devices – possibly the Galaxy A4 and A7 smartphones, or perhaps the new Galaxy Tab Pro and Note Pro tablets. On the TV front, you can expect some 4K and 8K products in the offing.
Camera Tech – BRITECELL
BRITECELL is Samsung’s new camera technology that IS expected in the upcoming Galaxy S7. The technology will be showcased at CES and viewers will get a sneak peek into what they can expect from the flagship handset, at least on the camera front.
Huawei Mate 8
Huawei has been eager to launch the Mate 8 in the U.S and has received the green light for it. The device has already passed FCC and will be unveiled at CES 2016.
For those of you unaware about the Mate 8, the device sports a 6-inch 1080p touchscreen display and will be powered by Huawei’s new Kirin 950 chipset and an ARM Mali-T880 GPU. Furthermore, the handset will be available in 3GB and 4GB of RAM with 32GB and 64GB and 128GB storage variants. The Mate 8 has a large 4,000 mAh battery and will run on Android 6.0 Marshmallow.
HTC One M10
There’s a lot of uncertainty surrounding the launch of HTC’s next flagship device. The HTC One M10 has been floating between CES and MWC for a while. HTC is still enjoying the launch of the One A9, but fans have already been asking about the One M10, and HTC is likely to reveal the device soon enough.
HTC One M10 Concept
What we know so far about the One M10 is that the handset will likely sport a 5.5-inch screen with 2 GB of RAM and 16 GB storage. The device will come pre-installed with Android 6.1, which is a good piece if information. More details will be known as we get closer to the unveiling.
VR
Smartphones and other technology aside, it in VR and autonomous cars that the CES 2016 will revolve around. The two technologies are set to be the highlights at the press conference. We’re slowly moving towards an age of wearable technology and virtual reality is the next big leap. 2015 has already seen the the Oculus Rift and in action, but 2016 will see the official launch of the headgear in the first quarter.
The Oculus Rift will not be the only VR headgear at the CES. Sony’s Project Morpheus, now known as Playstation VR, will also be at the event. Furthermore, Samsung may also reveal a second version of the Gear VR, though nothing has been confirmed on that front. Lastly, HTC is also likely to present a developer version of the Vive VR at CES 2016.
While these were the major names in the department let it be known that there are more than 40 companies presenting VR gear at CES. If that doesn’t tell you how the future of technology looks, nothing will.
Autonomous Cars
Finally, the other major focus at CES 2016 will be on smart cars. A number of players in the automobile industry are set to unveil autonomous or self-driving vehicles. Some of the speculated names include BMW’s i8 Spyder and the Apple Car. Volkswagen is also keen on shifting people’s attention from the the dieselgate scam, which is why the company is also ready to unveil its first all-electric autonomous vehicle. A teaser revealed earlier this month showing a boxy shape front has raised suspicion that VW is ready with its much-talked about microbus revival.
There have been a lot of talk around whether Samsung and LG are planning to embrace Ultra HD (4K) panels for its smartphones in 2016. Latest reports from iNEWS has stated that Samsung in particular will stick with QHD (2560 by 1440) panels due to lack of 4K content in the market. Another report suggests that LG is pulling out too.
Another reason behind this decision is perhaps the overheating issues and power efficiency with 4K panels from LG Display and Samsung Display. Samsung would have benefited from 4K displays for its smartphone as would have worked well its Gear VR headset. However, the population for Gear VR users is still mighty low as of now, which is why Samsung deemed it unnecessary.
What these companies are planning to do instead is try to improve on its existing displays in power draw and outdoor visibility, especially the 1440p panels that are expected in next year’s flagships. Currently, Sony is the only phone manufacturer with 4K display resolution in the market.
Something happened today. There was a sudden burst of virtual reality news all at once that has people everywhere believing that technology has indeed taken the next step. Today, The New York Times has taken a step towards VR by introducing Google Cardboard with their magazine, YouTube updated their Android app to support virtual reality videos, and finally Samsung plans on launching its Gear VR this month. Take a moment to soak all that in.
So, talking about The New York Times, the American daily newspaper that started in 1851 has now taken a step into the future. It launched the NYT VR app that gives a virtual reality experience of news along with headphones and (optionally) a cardboard viewing device. According to a blog on the NYT website, the goal is “to simulate richly immersive scenes from across the globe.”
The app started with three portraits of children “driven from their homes from war and persecution.” The first is of an 11-year old boy named Oleg from eastern Ukraine, an 12-year old Syrian girl named Hana and a 9-year old South Sudanese boy named Chuol. To watch the 10-minute short film, you’ll have to download the app and thereafter the film can be downloaded. Though the films are promoted for VR headcount, they can still be viewed normally.
Some 30 million children are displaced. Chuol, 9, escaped into a vast swamp in South Sudan when fighters swept into his village.
“This new filmmaking technology enables an uncanny feeling of connection with people whose lives are far from our own,” writes Jake Silverstein, editor of the magazine.
The New York Times has been at the forefront of journalism for 119 years. The NYT VR app is the future of journalism. The stories will provide you an immersive 360-degree video experience. NYT promises to post new stories told in virtual reality every month. The app is available for download on iOS and Android.
Samsung is all set to release Gear VR, company’s virtual reality headset, before Black Friday that is 27th November. It will be first launched in the US, followed by a UK launch a couple of days later and then other parts of the world. The headset would be shipped with the new Occulus Social app. Vimeo and Twitch videos would also be part of the app which can be watched with other people in anywhere in the world, participating as avatars.
Samsung has also launched Samsung Milk VR, it’s own VR video channel, along with a VR camera Project Beyond which is a 360-degree 3D capture camera built specifically to create videos for virtual reality.
Samsung’s Vice President for VR, Nicholas DiCarlo comments on Gear VR and says, ““Some people think virtual reality (VR) will be isolating but I think it’s clear it’s going to be a social medium… It’s the launch of consumer virtual reality.”
Other than the Occulus Social app and Milk VR, there are also plenty of games, apps such as Facebook 360 videos and Jaunt (a technological initiative that commissions and therefore encourages film-makers to make VR-friendly films) which have been developed for the headset. The headset is priced at $99 (close to Rs. 6,500) and can be plugged into the Galaxy S6, Edge, Edge + and Note 5 and any of the other new Samsung handsets.
Virtual reality seems to be the next big thing in the world of entertainment as well as tech. Would you be willing to give it a try?
At a time when Virtual Reality has taken centre stage in the tech industry, there is a lot to be done to make this revolutionary innovation reach to every corner of the world. The advanced technology that can recreate sensory experiences, designs an environment and sends users to the virtual world making them feel as if they are physically present there.
Many smartphone companies are pushing the unexplored division, by offering Virtual Reality (VR) headsets at special prices along with the smartphone. Some of these handsets include Samsung Galaxy Note, Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 Edge. More choices in VR headsets include Galaxy Gear VR, HTC Vive, Oculus Rift, Microsoft HoloLens and few more, but their market is limited to developed nations. This is where Google Cardboard comes into action. The low-cost, hand-made Google Cardboard requires only a bunch of things for its construction, and your smartphone is then ready to mount on the fold-out cardboard.
Follow the below-given steps and make one now:
List of Things Required
First of all, collect all the articles necessary for its preparation. You will need:
Cardboard: You will need a corrugated cardboard that is 9-inches by 22-inches. A pizza box, shoe box or any thin, rigid sheet would do.
Lens: The second thing is the lens. The lenses to affix the cardboard need to be 25mm in diameter with 40mm focal length. In case you don’t find lenses of these measures, 50mm focal length will do, but then you have to increase the length of your cardboard. You can also go for a plano-convex lens or biconvex lens, Google recommends the latter. So, first find out the lens available and accordingly start the project. [tw-button size=”medium” background=”#07ABE2″ color=”” target=”_blank” link=”http://www.amazon.in/Alian-Biconvex-Lens-Google-Cardboard/dp/B00UYG3G5G/ref=sr_1_10?ie=UTF8&qid=1434185814&sr=8-10&keywords=google+cardboard&tag=igyaan-21″]Buy Now[/tw-button]
Magnet: Two small ring-shaped magnets.
Velcro strips: Two velcro strips with adhesive on the plane surface. [tw-button size=”medium” background=”#07ABE2″ color=”” target=”_self” link=”http://www.ebay.in/itm/10-METRE-Sew-on-type-Polyster-Velcro-Hook-Loop-Tape-1000-CM-BLACK-COLOR-/111678681852?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_203&hash=item1a009172fc”]Buy Now[/tw-button]
Other things are a rubber band, glue, a pair of scissors, and a cutter.
Steps to Make Google Cardboard
1. Print out the cardboard template by clicking on “Download the Kit” on the provided link. Apply some glue on the back of the template and paste it onto the cardboard with light numbers on top of the darker ones.
2. Now start cutting along the edges and fold the area marked by the red line.
3. Once you are through with cutting the cardboard, place the lens in the curved area and magnet at the other side of the cardboard mentioned on the template. Glue the area that’s done and affix the Velcro strips where you’ll be slipping your phone.
4. If you have followed the steps mentioned above, your cardboard is almost ready.
5. Put your smartphone in the cardboard and tie a rubber band so that your phone doesn’t slip through.
6. One more thing left is the installation of Cardboard app from Google Play Store that provides you content to see through the hand-made Google Cardboard. Launch the app and click the desired category by sliding down the magnet, placed on the side. You can get back to the main menu just by holding your VR headset upright.
In case everything fails, you could order one online:
After their formal introduction at MWC 2015, Samsung’s new Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 Edge instantly became one of the most sought-after devices. They received a record of 20 million unit orders within a week of their launch. Over the years, Samsung has become a company that is known for experimenting with unique variants of its products. Carrying on the trend, Samsung affirmed that they will be releasing a limited set of Avengers-themed Galaxy S6 Edge, starting off with an Iron Man themed handset.
Samsung confirmed on Monday that Iron Man themed Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 Edge will be launching by next month and will be based on Iron Man’s standard red and yellow suit colour. Though Samsung Mobile Exec, Young Hee, did not mention where and at what price.
Avengers: Age of Ultron one of the most-anticipated films of 2015 broke the world record by making over $40 million in IMAX theatres in just 12 days of release.
Meanwhile, Samsung and Marvel teamwork resulted in a free app called ‘Battle for Avengers Tower’ that uses Samsung Gear VR headset. You can check out the 360-degree video below.
Taiwanese smartphone maker, HTC is known as one of the premier smartphone companies. It was one of the first companies to bring out Windows and Android based devices. It’s known for its unique design elements that make its devices recognizable in the crowded smartphone market. HTC is now taking an aim at a new device segment; virtual reality(VR) headset with the new HTC Vive.
HTC has unveiled the Vive at a special event held in Barcelona, Spain. The device is made in collaboration with an entertainment software technology company called Valve. Valve will offer its Steam VR tracking and input technologies whereas HTC is responsible for the design as well as the build of the product.
HTC Vive will take on the likes of Oculus Rift, Gear VR and Project Morpheus.
HTC Vive is claimed to offer immersive VR experience that includes moving around and interacting with the virtual space. The device comes with wireless controllers that make it rather easy to operate and get on with the virtual gaming. It offers high-quality graphics, 90 frames per second video and impressive audio fidelity.
HTC has collaborated with many game developers such as Vertigo Games, Wemo Labs, Google, Owlchemy and others to generate content for the HTC Vive. Beta versions of the games for the Vive Developer Edition have already been produced. HTC is also working with companies like Google, HBO, Lionsgate and the National Palace Museum in Taiwan to create unique content for the new VR device.
In its present iteration, the HTC Vive looks like the first generation Oculus device. It looks massive and messy with the cables hanging on top of it. Being the Developer edition, it still has a look of a prototype device. HTC might tweak the design to make it wireless by the time it arrives in the consumer market.
The Developer Edition of the HTC Vive will be launched this spring. The consumer edition is expected to come out by the end of 2015. Virtual Reality headsets are one of the most promising consumer devices and have tremendous potential. HTC’s entry into the VR foray definitely makes things interesting for the market.
We barely have a day before Samsung officially unveils its flagship smartphone to the world in Barcelona. A lot is at stake here for the Korean manufacturer. The device is supposed to redefine Samsung’s approach to design and features. The Korean electronics giant has really come to struggle in the market in the past couple of years and it is imperative the company comes out with an exceptional device.
The rumors of the upcoming S6 have been encouraging with a continuous onslaught of leaks and teasers, and we’ve gathered it all here in one place.
What can we expect from the new Galaxy S6, here’s a compilation of our calculated prediction as to what can we expect from the next big thing from Samsung.
Rumor mill suggests the upcoming Galaxy S6 will get a Super AMOLED Quad HD display anywhere between 5-5.5 inches with Corning Gorilla Glass 4. The Galaxy S5 sports a 5.1 inch display, and as we’ve seen in the past, large screen sizes are reserved for the Galaxy Note phablet range. Hence we can expect a smaller screen size, something in line with the Galaxy S5.
What about curves, will the Galaxy Edge get a curved edge? Well, going by the most recent leak from T-Mobile, it’s a YES. The picture titled “SIX APPEAL” clearly shows a Note Edge like device. Samsung had hinted before that the S6 will have a curved screen, and the image gives a clear view of the curved display. Some even suggest that Samsung will be extending it to both sides of the device.
The Galaxy Note Edge made quite a stir with its unusual and distinct design, so its a reason good enough for Samsung to bank upon this idea.
NEW DESIGN AND BODY
Plastic or metal, this could be anyone’s guess. Samsung has been flaunting new metal bodied phones, such as the all-metal Samsung Galaxy A5, Galaxy A3 along with the Galaxy A7.
The latest teaser by T-Mobile clearly shows grey metal body visible around the display, hence we can expect the Korean manufacturer to bolster its image with a premium metal clad smartphone.
CAMERA
We saw some awesome camera performance with the Galaxy S5 and the Galaxy Note 4, both of which came with 16 megapixel cameras, though the Galaxy S5 lacked OIS; a significant feature appreciated in the iPhone 6 Plus. So it’s a reason good enough that Samsung would bring this feature in their latest flagships’s camera.
Galaxy S5’s 16-megapixel camera is one of the best smartphone cameras around.
As we’ve seen in the past, Samsung usually increases the megapixel count with their new models. Samsung’s senior VP in a blog post recently stressed upon the fact how they have been constantly working on improving the cameras used in the Galaxy Series. In addition, Jang also stressed on the importance of the selfie cam, and duly noted that it forms an essential part of the whole ecosystem.
A recent report suggested a 20 MP camera sensor along with OIS and a 5 MP front facing shooter on the Galaxy S6 prototype. Both cameras are likely to include sensors from Samsung.
PROCESSOR, MEMORY AND STORAGE
Rumours suggest Samsung may be opting for its in-house Exynos 7420 for the first batch, and probably even make different variants of the phone. The Exynos 7420 is a 64-bit chip with four Cortex-A53 and four Cortex-A57 cores.
The Korean manufacturer plans to ditch Qualcomm’s Snapdragon chips with the Galaxy S6 as it reportedly faces overheating issues. As we’ve seen with its earlier flagships, Samsung will make different variants of the Galaxy S6 with different chipsets for different markets.
On the memory front, the phone is rumoured to come in 32, 64 and 128 GB variants. Samsung is likely to equip the Galaxy S6 with 3GB of RAM, along with a microSD slot that is expandable upto 128 GB.
OS and TouchWiz
TouchWiz sitting atop Android 5.0 Lollipop should be the standard norm of the day. A recent report says Samsung will chuck many of its own programs in its forthcoming TouchWiz user interface. Instead Samsung will bundle Microsoft apps including OneNote, OneDrive, Office Mobile, and Skype.
Samsung’s TouchWiz is getting final touches before its anticipated announcement in Barcelona. And Samsung is apparently being sensible as it’s doing away with its own bloatware which included apps like S Health and S Note.
It’s likely be a toned down version of TouchWiz on the new device, in an attempt to improve the overall performance and responsiveness of the device.
FEATURES
The Galaxy S6 will reportedly get a host of new features. It may feature dual front speakers like the HTC Boomsound. Meanwhile, Samsung itself has dropped a lot of hints about its next-gen flagship. For instance, we can expect the Galaxy S6 to get wireless charging and fast charging capabilities. Rumour also has it that it’ll get a fingerprint sensor.
While, recent reports also suggest that the Galaxy S6 will have support for Gear VR, currently compatible only with the Galaxy Note 4.
MULTIPLE VARIANTS
The Korean giant is expected to launch the Samsung Galaxy S6 flagship along with the anticipated curved-display variant, rumoured to be called Galaxy S6 Edge at the Galaxy Unpacked 2015 event.
Hence we can expect multiple variants of its new flagship, with and without curved displays. Which makes sense as the Galaxy S6 might be akin to a more traditional flagship, while curved could be the model that brings a different flavour to the flagship.
Launch, availability and Price
Samsung has already sent out teasers and invitations for its forthcoming Galaxy Unpacked event on 1st March in Barcelona at MWC. Samsung’s earlier flagship model, the Galaxy S5 was unveiled at MWC 2014. The phone went on sale just a few weeks later, hence we can expect the Korean manufacturer to do the same with its upcoming flagship – the Galaxy S6.
Tentative release date for the Galaxy S6 is rumored to be somewhere between March 22 too April 19. A recent report claims that similar to last year, Samsung will release its flagship champion(s) in the Indian market in early-to-mid April. Indian customers can place pre-orders for the Galaxy S6 starting mid-March.
As far as pricing goes, Samsung tends to stick to the same pricing for its Galaxy Range. Initially, it is expected to be priced exorbitantly, easily above Rs. 60,000, which will likely come down to Rs. 50,000 within months (knowing Samsung). In short, it’s going to cost a lot of money, and we hope it’s worth it for prospective buyers.
The independent cinema fair of 2015, Sundance Film Festival, showcased some top-notch films. The one that left the world awestruck was the first virtual-reality film by Facebook-acquired Oculus. Facebook premiered its first short piece titled ‘Lost’. It is the first of five short animated flicks the company will be making this year.
Oculus has built in-house studio called Story Studio, where the company will be creating virtual reality films and research on the story telling.
By developing content for virtual reality, Oculus aims to attract more filmmakers to invest in the new technology. To start with, the company has tapped the highest talents from both the film industry and video gaming world. Veteran of Pixar Animation Studios and Lucasfilm Ltd., who were responsible for films like Toy Story and Monsters Inc., will be attached to the upcoming five-film project.
The premiered movie Lost is helmed by former Pixar artist Saschka Unseld, who is now the creative director of Story Studios. The film takes the viewers to the middle of the forest where a mechanical creature bounds into the scene. The Chief Executive of Oculus Brendan Iribe described the flick as ‘a real-time version of a Pixar experience that you’re inside of.’
Iribe further added to his statement –
This is really tuning into what a lot of people who are extending 360-degree film into VR cannot do yet. It’s getting into the heart and soul and magic of VR.
Virtual Reality films are the real-time cinema where you can not only see, but also feel your presence in the space. However, the concept of experiencing 360-degree panoramic view using a gadget that fixes at the head has not reached the masses as of yet. In spite, Samsung and Google have developed products like Galaxy Gear VR headset and Google’s Cardboard VR device, the journey of it to be available mainstream will take some time.
When Facebook acquired Oculus Rift for a price of $2 Billion, we had a feeling it has something big planned for it. Virtual Reality(VR) is a budding market that is growing at a slow and steady pace. Facebook sees huge potential for these devices and is now on a hiring spree to get Oculus Rift up and running in the consumer space.
Oculus can be credit for bringing Virtual Reality back from the dead. Using the increased processing might of this generation chipset has helped these device give an authentic VR experience. The graphics quality has gotten better and there are now multiple headset options in the market that promise an immersive experience. While devices like Gear VR from Samsung are already in the market, Oculus Rift’s consumer version is still in the development stage.
Facebook acquired Oculus last year for a sum of $2 Billion
Facebook has listed 54 jobs on its website that seem to directly focus on it VR division. The jobs listed include managers to oversee logistics, procurement and global supply chain planning. Analysts believe this hints that the company is ready to bring the consumer version in the market.
If you want to test out the Oculus Rift, the company offers a Developers Kit that supports over 188 game titles. Other players in the VR market include Sony with its Project Morpheus, Google with the low-cost headset called the Cardboard project and Avegant Glyph. There are also some start-up projects working on their VR headsets too, like ANTVR.
We hope the wait for the consumer version of the Oculus Rift is coming to an end. It may be only a while before VR would be the way to game because of its immersive advantage.
Samsung’s keynote at Consumer Electronics Show 2015 brought us some big announcements. One of the main highlights of the show was the the Korean brand’s upcoming flagship TVs; these aren’t just UHD TVs any more but are SUHD TVs now. Other than this, the company also pulled the wraps off Milk VR, portable SSDs and a surprising new Chef Collection.
1.Super Ultra High Definition TV’s
The company launched the much talked about 2015 4K lineup of its flagship TVs called SUHD TV where S stands for Super. SUHD lineup, which uses quantum dot tech, comprising of three series and nine screen sizes that range from 48-inches up to 88-inches. According to the company the new TV lineup will support both 10-bit color and High Dynamic Range.
Samsung 65JS9500
High Dynamic Range or HDR means that the TVs, which will be available in 65, 78 and 88-inch versions, will be bright enough and powerful enough where colour processing is concerned to handle sources mastered to deliver a much wider colour space than you get with the usual industry video standards.
As the company announced previously, all the 2015 TVs will be powered by Tizen OS. The company said that the Tizen smart TVs will automatically search for nearby Samsung mobile devices and connect to them. The home network will allow the content to be easily shared back and forth. “Users can also watch live broadcasts or TV on their mobile devices, anywhere on their home network, even when their TV is powered off,” Samsung said.
Samsung SSD T1
2. SSD T1
The company has also added three new variants of SSD T1 in its offerings. Available in 250GB, 500GB and 1TB variants, the drives measure a mere 71 x 53.2 x 9.2 mm, which is smaller than a business card, the company claims. It supports AES 256-bit encryption, USB 2.0 and USB 3.0 along with transfer speeds of up to 450MB/s. The SSD T1 models will be made available later this year.
3. Milk VR
The company has entered the virtual reality space with the Milk VR, available exclusively for its virtual reality device Gear VR. It will allow users to stream 360-degree video. Along with Milk VR, Samsung has announced the expansion of Milk Music and Milk Video to the web and smart TVs, respectively.
Chef Collection
4. Chef Collection
The most intriguing announcement was in the lifestyle section. The company introduced the Chef Collection(hardware for the chefs) along with a new app that comes with recipes and tips from expert chefs which will be available for download for free from Google Play starting next month.
The announcements for home products also include new Activ Wash+ technology by Samsung washing machines. The new top-load washer comes with built-in sink, water jet and scrubber and Super Speed technology that helps cut down on wash time.
From Virtual reality to 3D printing, the past 12 months have been a whirlwind of impressive new gadgets and game-changing innovations. Apple launched a handful of devices including iMac with Retina 5K display, iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus and most notably, the Apple Watch. It was big year for Virtual Reality as well with Google’s, simple yet intelligent, Cardboard project, Samsung’s Gear VR and Oculus Rift’s $350 development kit coming into the market this year.
We look into 2014’s most epic and innovative releases:
10. YotaPhone 2
YotaPhone 2 was officially announced earlier this month and is already setting benchmarks when it comes to innovation. The YotaPhone 2 has got some considerable improvements over its predecessor. It features a 5-inch 1080p AMOLED display and a 4.7-inch QHD e-Ink touchscreen, which is way better than the 4.3-inch screen of the previous model. The e-Ink paper display on the smartphone is similar to the e-Ink display we find on Amazon’s Kindle readers. It shows notifications, clock, weather, and is great for reading books and other readables in an eye friendly display.
9. Google Cardboard
Google Cardboard is a fold-out cardboard smartphone mount that, when combined with lenses, a magnet, a piece of hook-and-loop fastener, rubber band and held against the face, affords a virtual reality experience. Impressive, right? This is a DIY project from Google can can be made right at your place with minimal investment. In order to build it, all you need is a pair of lenses with a 40mm focal distance to keep the phone’s screen in focus some magnets, velcro and a rubber band. Thats it, with this tiny tinkering, you’ll be ready to hit the virtual reality experience. And if you don’t want to take the efforts of making one, you can always find ready made Cardboard headset for just $20-$40.
8. Vibso headphones
Build by designer Renaud Defrancesco, Vibso headband is made of a transparent acrylic glass and sends music vibrations across its surface to the user’s ears. The VIBSO headphones play music via Bluetooth and has a vibrating electromagnet that is hidden under an opaque plastic cover on top of the head and helps create the sound for the wearer. The electromagnet works like a speaker and has a connecting element that causes a membrane to vibrate and create sounds. The membrane, in this case, is made in a two-mm-thick transparent acrylic glass. Defrancesco used acrylic glass because it transmits sounds well and is flexible and easy to form.
7. Epson Wireless Workforce WF-100
Touted as the world’s smallest and lightest mobile printer yet, the WF-100 comes with built-in wireless and Wi-Fi direct capabilities to hook up to your laptop, tablet or any Android phones. The printer uses a rechargeable battery that charges via a USB port. It can print both A4 as well as 4X6 inch photos. It prints at the speed of 6.7 pages in a minute for black and 3.8 pages per minute for color.
6. LIX – 3D Printing Pen
London-based startup LIX created the smallest 3D printing pen in the world, a device that enables users to doodle in the air. Milled from aluminum and measuring 164mm x 14mm, it allows users to make objects in just a few seconds, including calligraphy, accessories and one-off prototypes. With functionalities similar to 3D printers, the USB port chargeable LIX pen quickly melts and cools colored plastic, which enables the pen to create rigid and freestanding structures on demand. Drawing in the air, now its cool or what?
5. DJI Phantom 2 Vision+
The DJI Phantom 2 Vision+Quadcopter comes with a GPS based navigation system, flies for up to 25 minutes, and has the capability to take still photos and shoot streaming video. The $1,200 price tag may make you lose the interest, but this drone is known of its exceptional flying capabilities and its powerful camera.
4. Blackphone
The Blackphone is a smartphone developed by SGP Technologies, that provides encryption for phone calls, emails, texts and internet browsing. SGP Technologies is a joint venture between the makers of GeeksPhone and Silent Circle. Blackphone’s Security Center in PrivatOS gives control over app permissions, such as the bundled Silent Phone and Silent Text services that encrypt communications so no one can eavesdrop on voice, video and text calls.
3. GoPro Hero4 Black
GoPro’s latest offering, the Hero4 lineup builds on the legacy and comes with great new upgrades. On the top of the line-up is the Hero4 Black, which comes at a price of $499. It shoots 4K video at up to 30 frames per second, giving you some incredible eye-popping visuals. Apart from that, it shoots Full HD (1080p) at 120 frames per second so you can play with some sweet slow-motion action shots. And of course, it offers 12-megapixel photos for folks who want a selfie at an epic destination.
2. Oculus Rift Developers Kit
The Oculus Rift DK 2 is an amazing piece of hardware, and while it’s far from ready for consumer use, it delivers a highly compelling experience that shows exactly how easy it is to get lost in virtual reality. From a gaming perspective, there’s no doubt that this is one of the most interesting new pieces of hardware. Oculus claims that the display works at 75 Hz, which is above the standard 60 Hz refresh rate. On their website, Oculus calls its display a low persistence OLED display, to eliminate motion blur and judder, two of the biggest contributors to simulator sickness. The 5.7 inch Note 3 display might address the pixilation issue and probably save people from the day long motion sickness they feel after wearing these headgears.
1. Apple Watch
Among other things, 2014 marked the return of Apple. Its iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus rollout was usual – full of giddy anticipation and excitement. The two models did not just break sales records globally, but they put Apple back on the front row. Apple also launched another product which is probably 2015’s most awaited device called the ‘Apple Watch’ (not iWatch). Apple is entering a completely new market category by bringing out the first Apple Watch. This smartwatch, expected to be out in early 2015, will come in three variations – Apple Watch, Apple Watch Sport and the Apple Watch Edition. The wearable will be compatible with iPhone 5, 5S, 5C, 6 and 6 Plus.
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