Tag: dr dre

Apple’s Original TV Show to Star Dr. Dre

Apple is going the Netflix way and is making an original TV series that will star popular rapper and Apple-owned Beats co-founder Dr. Dre. The show is called Vital Signs and is a dark drama which will have six 30-minute episodes showing Dr. Dre responding to different emotions. It is semi-autobiographical in nature and will also start Sam Rockwell and Mo McCrae.

This will be Apple’s debut venture in original content and, like Netflix, the episodes will release all at once for viewers to binge on. The series will debut on Apple Music, according to reports. It is still not clear when and how big the launch of the show will be. One of the reasons behind going with Dr. Dre for its first TV series is due to Dre’s ties with Apple on Beats.

Another reason could be Apple trying to get a piece of the success that followed Straight Outta Compton, which was a story about Dre’s life as a rapper during his time with the N.W.A. According to reports, Dre has already begun filming for the show.

Early in January, we had reported that Apple was working on a project called “Apple Video” and has partnered with ABC, CBS, and Fox. Apple has also worked out details with Sony Pictures, Universal and Disney and may be negotiation with some other studios.

Apple has been working on a video streaming service, according to the rumour mill, for the past six years. It seems 2016 will be the year of release. With the recent news of Netflix going global and launching in 190 countries worldwide, Apple may have to move fast if it wants to get on with the competition.

February 13, 2016
Apple’s Acquisition of Beats for $ 3.2 Billion Has a Reason

Since last morning tech columns and channels are abuzz with a takeover news. People are particularly elated with the fact that “Facebook” and “takeover” are not being said in the same sentence. Apple’s intention though is under serious questioning and there seems to be very few answers.

Beats headphones have quickly become the most visible brand across multiple medias. Especially the recent music videos have really gotten heavy on the “b” logo. But what does it mean for the company when one of the most creative corporations decides to spend $3.2 Billion on an audio equipment manufacturer who is currently valued at just $1 Billion.

Though the talks are still on and the deal could still be trashed, we try to comb through the noise to look at the facts as they stand now.

Apple has rarely invested in buyouts and takeovers. It mostly concentrates on getting technology from startups which helps it in its technological endeavors. It’s most recent purchase was of chipset manufacturer P A Semi, back in 2008 for their advanced chipset technology.

Beats on the other hand was a co-venture of Dr. Dre and legendary producer Jimmy Lovine back in 2008. The company recently took a $500 Million private equity firm Carlyle Group which took Beats’ present valuation at about $1 billion. This deal makes Dr.Dre the first billionaire rapper who could someday brag about his Spaceship in his rhymes. Which he totally deserves for giving humanity the gift called “Slim Shady”.

There is also a shadow loser in the game and it is HTC. The company even with its well appreciated products has recently been struggling keeping its market share. HTC owned half of Beats but sold all of its shares by September of last year.

The move also seems like Apple is putting its effort into creating some major hardware for the music industry, where the company has been prominent for a while with its iconic iPods. With the support from Dr. Dre and Jimmy Lovine, Apple may try to up its influence.

Steve Jobs had long emphasized that Apple’s greatest strengths lay in its software and in its ability to integrate hardware and software.

Beats had also released its music streaming service this January but it’s nothing the makers of iPod and iTunes can’t develop on their own. Also as the service is fairly new and area locked so it doesn’t have a massive consumer base like Whatsapp had when it was bought by Facebook.

It has also been contemplated that Apple would want to make profit in the non iPhone smartphone market. A healthy music equipment market seems like the right way forward.

So as of now between all the speculations the real intent of Apple behind such massive investment seems to be known only by Tim Cook’s men as of now. We just have to wait and see if this big step by Apple would bring next major leap in music industry or it will be a dud like the PowerMac Cube.

Late last night we got an “almost confirmation” by the Doctor himself, but we will still wait for the official announcement to confirm anything. You can absolutely feel the excitement in the air: It all starts with the words “Shit, the Forbes list just changed”.

May 10, 2014

HTC Sensation XE with Beats Audio Review

The HTC Sensation XE has been a low baller in India, especially because it was launched soon after the Sensation, added only minor improvements that made major differences. Here is our review.

Build Quality

The Sensation XE, just like is predecessor, is built in a unibody fashion, with a sold structure and aluminum back panel with rubber edges. The front of the device has an outward curved gorilla glass which is shatter and scratch resistant. The HTC Sensation XE is superbly built and will last a lifetime by designers who took everything into perspective from the aesthetics to the functionality and the intelligent placement of the buttons – which by the way are extremely tactile and responsive.

Specs

There is no questioning the latest hardware in the Sensation XE, the latest dual core processors a very high resolution screen, functional 8 megapixel camera with full HD video at 1080p not to forget the added Beats by Dre audio.

DESIGN

The Sensation XE is still the Range Rover that the original sensation was, you can infact say this is a higher end model, especially because it does not add any changes to aesthetics except the obvious beats branding and the red accents.

PHONE AND MESSAGING

Just like the original Sensation we got superior audio in and out during calls. The network performance was excellent and sustained throughout our test period. 3G and WCDMA performance excelled in the Sensation XE. The XE also continues the standard that the Sensation set as being the best in phone networks on our list of devices. Over all impressive.

The touchscreen on the device is same as the original Sensation, allowing 4 point interaction, what that means is that you can have 4 simultaneous inputs. What it also means is that you can use the onboard keyboard as fast as you can move your thumbs. This allows for really fast messaging and the keyboard has nice and large keys considering that the Sense keyboard is one of the most coveted Android keyboards yet.

Beats Audio + Multimedia

The Sensation XE not only features a Beats audio processing engine but also has one of the best included earphones/headphones with a smartphone. The iBeats come with a uniquely distinctive carry pouch and also have online microphone and remote for audio control. While you can’t compare the quality of audio to high end standalone headphones, these uniquely stand out far above normally included ones. Offering good, deep bass and excellent vocals. The device also instantly detects the iBeats, once plugged in, and activates the beats audio profile.

The screen is a brilliant qHD Screen with a native resolution of 540 x 960 px, large enough to put any phone to shame, not considering of course the Galaxy Note and likes. The screen is also no Amoled or Super-Amoled display so don’t expect it to be as vivid. But watching movies, reading text and playing games is great on this device. The Beats audio improves the overall multimedia experience a lot, making movies, music and just plain old videos sound better.

The camera is an 8MP snapper the same from the Sensation, it captures stunning pictures and great full HD video. The camera app comes with a lot of features in the standard HTC style, which allows for a lot of tweaks to be made by the photographer at hand. On the front is a lowly VGA camera which offers decent VOIP capabilities and no video calling.

BATTERY LIFE

Values	2G	3G	WiFi
Talk Time	unto 9.5 Hours	5 hours	–
Standby time	48 Hours	30 hours	7 Days
Web Browsing	8-9 hours	5 hours	5 Hours
Video Streaming	4.5 Hours	3 Hours	4 Hours
Music Streaming	15 hours	10 hours	14 hours

In certain cases we saw improvement in the battery management on the Sensation XE compared to that of the HTC Sensation.

Conclusion

Although not a major improvement over the Sensation, in terms of looks and performance, the little add-on definitely make a big difference. The processor bump to 1.5GHz improves overall device performance and does not affect battery life. The beats audio improves the overall experience of the device and the earphone make an excellent add on. The device is robust, well made and is built to impress, a definite up above the competition.

[xrr rating=4.5/5 label=”We Rate The Sensation : ” imageset=shiny_yellow_star display_as=fraction_stars]

Price Rs. 32,599/-

Videos

Review Video

December 23, 2011

HTC Sensation XE Unboxing
The HTC Sensation XE is the first phone in India with the Beats Audio integration with HTC. The device is a standard HTC Sensation on heavy steroids. Watch our video below and stay tuned for the full review and comparison with industry standards.

The device is an easy way for the company to revive the dying sales of their flagship phones from companies like Samsung.
The Complete Spec List Includes :

Price

Rs. 35,500/-

CPU Processing Speed

1.5 GHz, dual core

Storage

Total storage : 4 GB

Available storage : up to 1 GB

RAM : 768 MB
Connectors

3.5 mm stereo audio jack

micro-USB 2.0 (5-pin) port with mobile high-definition video link (MHL) for USB or HDMI connection

(Special cable required for HDMI connection.)
Sensors

Gyro sensor

G-Sensor

Digital compass

Proximity sensor

Ambient light sensor
Multimedia

Gallery, Music, and FM Radio

Beats Audio™

DLNA for wirelessly streaming media from the phone to your TV or computer

Audio supported formats:

Playback: .aac, .amr, .ogg, .m4a, .mid, .mp3, .wav, .wma (Windows Media Audio 9)

Recording: .amr

Video supported formats:

Playback: .3gp, .3g2, .mp4, .wmv (Windows Media Video 9), .avi (MP4 ASP and MP3), .xvid (MP4 ASP and MP3)

Recording: .3gp
Power & Battery

Battery type: Rechargeable Lithium-ion battery

Capacity: 1730 mAh

Talk time:

WCDMA: Up to 445 minutes

GSM: Up to 550 minutes

Standby time³:

WCDMA: Up to 540 hours

GSM: Up to 310 hours
Network

HSPA/WCDMA:

Europe/Asia: 900/AWS/2100 MHz

Quad-band GSM/GPRS/EDGE:

850/900/1800/1900 MHz
Platform

Android™ with HTC Sense™

Camera

8 megapixel color camera: Auto focus and dual LED flash

Front camera: VGA fixed focus color camera

HD video recording: 1080p HD video recording
Internet

3G:

Up to 14.4 Mbps download speed

Up to 5.76 Mbps upload speed

GPRS:

Up to 80 kbps downloading

EDGE:

Up to 236.8 kbps downloading

Wi-Fi®:

IEEE 802.11 b/g/n
Bluetooth

Bluetooth® 3.0

A2DP for wireless stereo headsets

FTP and OPP (object push) for file transfer

PBAP for phonebook access from the car kit

Other supported profiles: AVRCP, GAP, GOEP, HFP, HID, HSP, MAP, SPP, SDAP
Social Networking

Facebook® and Twitter™ for HTC Sense

Friend Stream

Share photos/videos on Facebook®, Flickr®, Twitter™, or YouTube™
Location

Internal GPS antenna

With Locations, explore maps with zero wait, zero dead spots, and zero data roaming fees
Tethering

USB and Wi-Fi® tethering
Recommended Windows System Requirements

Windows® 7, Windows Vista®, or Windows® XP

HTC Sync
November 17, 2011
Soul By Ludacris SL99 in Ear Earphones Unboxing and Hands On
Its been a blizzard of Artist branded earphones, from Dr. Dre, Lady Gaga , P Diddy and even Ludacris. These SL99 Soul by Ludacris earphones are not your everyday earphones, and thats why we liked them at first go. The come with a premium pouch to safely carry them around. The flat cable is highly tangle resistant and oxygen free. Gold plated tips and solid, heavy build make these earphones look, feel and sound good.

Specs Include
- Dynamic Neodymium Drivers
- 1.2 M Flat Tangle free cable
- Leather carry pouch
- Gold plated connector
- Sound Isolating type
- Apple Controls / Remote
- Total Weight is 30g
Price – US $ 99
November 14, 2011
iG Exclusive : HTC Sensation XE Launches 7th OCT in Europe (UK) and Asia, India Possibly Included
The highly awaited sequel of the HTC Sensation, the HTC Sensation XE is all set to launch in the UK on the 7th of October 2011. It seems like the company is eager to push out its revamped device to the users/consumers, just before the next Apple device can launch.

Sources close to iGyaan have told us that the company plans a launch of the devices in Europe including UK and Asia including India in the first ten days of October 2011. The revamped handset boasts a bunch of improvements over the original Sensation including a faster processor.

Price for the UK remains at £410 (£492 inc. VAT) and the device is expected to HIt India at the 32,500/- Rupees price mark with a significant decrease to 28,500/- within 15-20 days of launch. The box of the Sensation XE will come bundled with urBeats in-ear headphones from Monster Cable (part of Beats by Dre)

The Complete Spec List Includes :

CPU Processing Speed

1.5 GHz, dual core

Storage

Total storage : 4 GB

Available storage : up to 1 GB

RAM : 768 MB
Connectors

3.5 mm stereo audio jack

micro-USB 2.0 (5-pin) port with mobile high-definition video link (MHL) for USB or HDMI connection

(Special cable required for HDMI connection.)
Sensors

Gyro sensor

G-Sensor

Digital compass

Proximity sensor

Ambient light sensor
Multimedia

Gallery, Music, and FM Radio

Beats Audio™

DLNA for wirelessly streaming media from the phone to your TV or computer

Audio supported formats:

Playback: .aac, .amr, .ogg, .m4a, .mid, .mp3, .wav, .wma (Windows Media Audio 9)

Recording: .amr

Video supported formats:

Playback: .3gp, .3g2, .mp4, .wmv (Windows Media Video 9), .avi (MP4 ASP and MP3), .xvid (MP4 ASP and MP3)

Recording: .3gp
Power & Battery

Battery type: Rechargeable Lithium-ion battery

Capacity: 1730 mAh

Talk time:

WCDMA: Up to 445 minutes

GSM: Up to 550 minutes

Standby time³:

WCDMA: Up to 540 hours

GSM: Up to 310 hours
Network

HSPA/WCDMA:

Europe/Asia: 900/AWS/2100 MHz

Quad-band GSM/GPRS/EDGE:

850/900/1800/1900 MHz
Platform

Android™ with HTC Sense™

Camera

8 megapixel color camera: Auto focus and dual LED flash

Front camera: VGA fixed focus color camera

HD video recording: 1080p HD video recording
Internet

3G:

Up to 14.4 Mbps download speed

Up to 5.76 Mbps upload speed

GPRS:

Up to 80 kbps downloading

EDGE:

Up to 236.8 kbps downloading

Wi-Fi®:

IEEE 802.11 b/g/n
Bluetooth

Bluetooth® 3.0

A2DP for wireless stereo headsets

FTP and OPP (object push) for file transfer

PBAP for phonebook access from the car kit

Other supported profiles: AVRCP, GAP, GOEP, HFP, HID, HSP, MAP, SPP, SDAP
Social Networking

Facebook® and Twitter™ for HTC Sense

Friend Stream

Share photos/videos on Facebook®, Flickr®, Twitter™, or YouTube™
Location

Internal GPS antenna

With Locations, explore maps with zero wait, zero dead spots, and zero data roaming fees
Tethering

USB and Wi-Fi® tethering
Recommended Windows System Requirements

Windows® 7, Windows Vista®, or Windows® XP

HTC Sync
September 23, 2011
HTC Sensation XE is Official with 1.5 GHz and Beats Audio, Comes in September

HTC has finally intro’d the long rumored HTC Sensation XE, the new smartphone will have a revamped 1.5 GHz processor and beats audio. Now the unit itself essentially is the same with a qHD display (540 X 960) resolution and boasts a larger 1730mAh battery.

This Special edition unit will come with a set of Beats by DRE Headphones and 8/16GB microSD cards and a remote control that allows audio track management. The Sensation XE is slated to launch in Europe, Asia, Africa and the Middle East sometime this month. So you can expect the device to hit our Review labs sooner than later.

[toggle title_open=”PRESS RELEASE” title_closed=”PRESS RELEASE” hide=”no” border=”yes” style=”default” excerpt_length=”0″ read_more_text=”Read More” read_less_text=”Read Less” include_excerpt_html=”no”]HTC AND BEATS INTRODUCE NEW HTC SENSATION XE™, THE FIRST PHONE WITH INTEGRATED BEATS AUDIO™

New 1.5 GHz dual core processor and longer battery life extend the HTC Sensation XE’s sophistication and overall experience.

TAOYUAN, TAIWAN – September 14, 2011 – HTC Corporation, a global designer of mobile devices, today unveiled the new HTC Sensation XE – the first in a new line of HTC smartphones to feature Beats Audio technology to deliver studio quality audio. Taking HTC’s flagship handset to a new level of high fidelity audio, the HTC Sensation XE offers consumers the ultimate multimedia experience, setting a new standard for audio quality in the mobile market. In addition, the HTC Sensation XE boosts performance and battery life even further with the addition of a blazing fast 1.5GHz dual core processor and an extended battery that enables you to listen, watch, speak and browse for even longer.

“Audio is a crucial part of any consumer’s mobile experience and we are continually pushing the audio boundaries to encompass not only improved voice but music, movies and games,” said Jason Mackenzie, president of global sales and marketing, HTC Corporation. “The HTC Sensation XE offers a truly incredible experience that demonstrates our commitment to place consumers at the center of their mobile worlds.”

The ultimate audio experience

The HTC Sensation XE is the first handset to offer a Beats Audio experience – a combination of software & hardware that allows you to hear music the way the artist intended. When used with the exclusive Beats by Dr. Dre in-ear headphones, the handset automatically switches to the bespoke Beats by Dr. Dre sound profile, delivering audio tracks tuned specifically for the headphones.

Whether you are using any of the many music services available in the Android market you will notice fuller bass and crisper vocals and a new level of clarity and range offering audio the way the artist intended it to be heard.

Beats Headphones

The HTC Sensation XE also ships with a microSD card (8GB/16GB) allowing you to carry thousands of songs. The exclusive Beats by Dr. Dre in-ear headphones feature a remote control, allowing you to pause, play or skip through tracks and answer/end calls while the phone is in your pocket.

Availability

HTC Sensation XE will be available across EMEA and Asia Pacific from late September[/toggle]

September 15, 2011
HTC puts profits to use, Buys into Beats by DRE, Strategic partnership (PR)

HTC has had a highly profitable quarter, the company decided to buy into Beats by Dre ( the wonderful audio equipment manufacturer)

HTC says in the Press Release (below) that they have been working with Beats By Dre for some time and will have devices by the end of this fall.

The HTC and Beats by Dr. Dre partnership is an opportunity for two world-class companies to redefine the smart phone industry and define the future. For Beats by Dr. Dre, this represents a critical step in our continued mission to clean up the destruction of audio caused by the digital revolution; and reengineer how sound is delivered so that the consumer feels the music the way that the artist intended.”

-Jimmy Iovine, Chairman of Beats by Dr. Dre and Chairman and CEO of Interscope Geffen A&M Records.

[toggle title_open=”Collapse ” title_closed=”Expand Press Release” hide=”yes” border=”yes” style=”default” excerpt_length=”0″ read_more_text=”Read More” read_less_text=”Read Less” include_excerpt_html=”no”]

HTC AND BEATS BY DR. DRE SET TO INTRODUCE NEW ERA IN MOBILE AUDIO

Strategic HTC investment to result in Beats integrated HTC phones this Fall

India, New Delhi – August 11, 2011 – HTC Corporation, a global designer of mobile devices, today announced a strategic partnership and investment with Beats™ Electronics LLC, the company redefining the audio market with its iconic Beats by Dr. Dre™ audio experience. The two fast-growing brands will focus on bringing high performance sound to HTC phones.

“The HTC and Beats by Dr. Dre partnership is an opportunity for two world-class companies to redefine the smart phone industry and define the future,” said Jimmy Iovine, Chairman of Beats by Dr. Dre and Chairman and CEO of Interscope Geffen A&M Records. “For Beats by Dr. Dre, this represents a critical step in our continued mission to clean up the destruction of audio caused by the digital revolution; and reengineer how sound is delivered so that the consumer feels the music the way that the artist intended.”

HTC® and Beats™ have been working together to create superior mobile audio experiences for consumers, which will result in a line of HTC devices integrated with Beats sound innovations, available this fall.

“Beats has found a unique way to harness popular culture in a manner that is unlike any other brand today,” said Peter Chou, CEO of HTC Corporation. “It’s an exciting brand that has been built around providing something very special, and we believe our strategic partnership will provide customers with unbeatable sound on HTC phones. We obsess over every detail of a consumer’s mobile experience and audio is a critical part of that experience.”

HTC is known for unifying content, services and devices into unique mobile experiences. And Beats is known for its unique consumer brand appeal and ability to reproduce the full spectrum of sound captured in professional recording studios, allowing consumers to hear music the way the artist intended. Bringing these two great brands together will create superior mobile music and sound experiences, while accelerating HTC’s entry into the youth and accessories markets globally.

Beats Electronics will continue to operate autonomously with Iovine as Chairman and Luke Wood as President & COO with its current business partnerships that include Monster Cable Products Inc., Hewlett-Packard and Chrysler Group LLC.. Iovine will also continue serving as Chairman of Interscope Geffen A&M Records.

“Our customers have clearly responded to Beats and HTC, and Best Buy is proud to feature their products in our stores,” said Brian J. Dunn, CEO, Best Buy. “We are committed to offering innovative and entertaining technologies that help consumers enhance their lives. Our customers expect that from us. The unique HTC Sense experience and the great sound of Beats provide prime examples of that focus.”

About Beats Electronics LLC

Established in 2006, Beats Electronics is the brainchild of legendary artist and producer Dr. Dre and Chairman of Interscope Geffen A&M Records Jimmy Iovine, who set out to develop a new type of headphone with the capability to reproduce the full spectrum of sound that musical artists and producers hear in professional recording studios. For more information, please visit http://beatsbydre.com.

About HTC

HTC Corporation (HTC) is one of the fastest growing companies in the mobile phone industry. By putting people at the center of everything it does, HTC creates innovative devices that better serve the lives and needs of individuals. The company is listed on the Taiwan Stock Exchange under ticker 2498. For more information about HTC, please visit www.htc.com.

[/toggle]

August 12, 2011

Tag: dr dre

Build Quality

Specs

DESIGN

PHONE AND MESSAGING

Beats Audio + Multimedia

BATTERY LIFE

Conclusion

Videos

Review Video

Price

CPU Processing Speed

Storage

Connectors

Sensors

Multimedia

Audio supported formats:

Video supported formats:

Power & Battery

Talk time:

Standby time3:

Network

HSPA/WCDMA:

Quad-band GSM/GPRS/EDGE:

Platform

Camera

8 megapixel color camera: Auto focus and dual LED flash

Front camera: VGA fixed focus color camera

HD video recording: 1080p HD video recording

Internet

3G:

GPRS:

EDGE:

Wi-Fi®:

Bluetooth

Social Networking

Location

Tethering

Recommended Windows System Requirements

CPU Processing Speed

Storage

Connectors

Sensors

Multimedia

Audio supported formats:

Video supported formats:

Power & Battery

Talk time:

Standby time3:

Network

HSPA/WCDMA:

Quad-band GSM/GPRS/EDGE:

Platform

Camera

8 megapixel color camera: Auto focus and dual LED flash

Front camera: VGA fixed focus color camera

HD video recording: 1080p HD video recording

Internet

3G:

GPRS:

EDGE:

Wi-Fi®:

Bluetooth

Social Networking

Location

Tethering

Recommended Windows System Requirements

Standby time³:

Standby time³: