Samsung just unveiled three brand new Galaxy phones

Samsung just unveiled three brand new Galaxy phones

Tech wpb   10:27

Samsung had a better than expected holiday season despite the loss of its flagship smartphone for the second half of the year, the Galaxy Note 7. While Apple’s iPhones collectively accounted for an estimated 44% of all holiday activations while Samsung phones accounted for just 22%, Samsung’s estimated share of activations during the period actually climbed 1% compared to the holidays in 2015. But now, all attention turns to the future and Samsung is wasting no time in the new year. Early Monday morning, Samsung took the wraps off of three different Galaxy smartphone models that will begin launching just a few weeks from now: The Galaxy A7, Galaxy A5 and Galaxy A3.

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Although most Android fans are dying to know exactly what Samsung’s flagship Galaxy S8 has in store for us, the Galaxy S series is just one piece of a much larger smartphone portfolio for Samsung. And before we get to the Galaxy S8 in 2017, Samsung has several other new handsets to show the world. First among them are a trio of sleek metal smartphones that fit into the company’s Galaxy A lineup.

While all three phones feature similar metal designs, they vary rather dramatically in terms of size and specs. The high-end Galaxy A7, pictured above on the far-left, sports a large 5.7-inch 1080p Super AMOLED display, a 1.9GHz octa-core processor, dual 16-megapixel camera (front and rear), a 3,600 mAh battery, 3GB of RAM, 32GB of storage and microSDXC support up to 256GB.

The mid-size Galaxy A5, pictured above in the middle, features a smaller 5.2-inch 1080p Super AMOLED display, a 1.9GHz octa-core processor, dual 16-megapixel camera (front and rear), a 3,000 mAh battery, 3GB of RAM, 32GB of storage and microSDXC support up to 256GB. Finally, the smaller Galaxy A3 (top left) includes a 4.7-inch 720p Super AMOLED screen, a 1.6GHz octa-core CPU, a 13-megapixel rear camera, an 8-megapixel front-facing camera, a 2,350 mAh battery, 2GB of RAM, 16GB of storage and microSDXC support up to 256GB.

“At Samsung, we are always trying to ensure our customers have the most advanced products on the market,” said Samsung’s mobile boss DJ Koh. “The latest Galaxy A series is a testament to this. We integrated our unique approach to design as well as the features Galaxy customers have come to love to provide added performance without compromising on style.”

All three Galaxy A series smartphones feature IP68 dust and water resistance, as well as the Android 6.0.16 Marshmallow operating system. They’ll begin rolling out in Russia in early January, followed by launches in additional markets.

Full specs for all three models follow below.

Galaxy A7
Network :LTE Cat.6 * May differ by markets and mobile operators:

Display :5.7” FHD Super AMOLED

AP:1.9GHz Octa Core

OS :Android 6.0.16 (Marshmallow)

Camera :Rear : 16MP (F1.9), Front : 16MP (F1.9)

Video:MPEG4, H.265(HEVC), H.264(AVC), H.263, VC-1, MP43, WMV7, WMV8, VP8, VP9

Audio :MP3, AAC LC/AAC+/eAAC+,AMR-NB, AMR-WB, WMA, FLAC, Vorbis, Opus

Additional features:MST technology(Samsung Pay), Samsung KNOX, S-Voice, Dual SIM option
* Samsung Pay launches may vary by market-readiness:

Connectivity :Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth® v 4.2, ANT+, USB Type-C,NFC (UICC, eSE)

Sensor :Accelerometer, Proximity, Geomagnetic, RGB Light, Hall
Fingerprint scanner, Barometer

IP Code :IP68

Memory :3GB RAM + 32GB Storage
Micro SD slot (up to 256GB)

Dimension :156.8 x 77.6 x 7.9mm,

Battery :3,600mAh, Fast Charging

Galaxy A5
Network :LTE Cat.6 * May differ by markets and mobile operators:

Display :5.2” FHD Super AMOLED

AP:1.9GHz Octa Core

OS :Android 6.0.16 (Marshmallow)

Camera :16MP (rear), 16MP (front)

Video:MPEG4, H.265(HEVC), H.264(AVC), H.263, VC-1, MP43, WMV7, WMV8, VP8, VP9

Audio :MP3, AAC LC/AAC+/eAAC

Leaked: Nokia 5.2-inch Android phone images surface ahead of launch

Leaked: Nokia 5.2-inch Android phone images surface ahead of launch

Tech wpb   07:11

 5.2-inch Nokia Android phone leaks in live images ahead of launch In Picture: Nokia Lumia smartphones are pictured in a shop in Warsaw, January 11, 2013.Reuters
Soon after Nokia confirmed to participate in the upcoming MWC (Mobile World Congress) 2017 in late February, scores of rumours are flooding the internet about the device's features. Now, a purported live image of the mobile phone has surfaced online.

Technology blog PlayfulDroid has got hold of the Nokia mobile phone's pictures. In one of the photos, the device is shown to have to Nokia's engraving on the top right corner with a camera placed to its left side and a speaker at the centre. At the bottom, the phone has one big rectangular physical home button and capacitive-based 'Back' and 'Recents' button to its left and right corners, respectively.

It is believed to be the long-rumoured 5.2-inch Nokia D1C model, but going by the images, it looks like the Nokia device might be a prototype model, as the second photo shows some circuit parts protruding from below the display.

We believe Nokia is still testing the mobile phone to fit the right hardware, so that when launched it will be on par with the rival brands.

Though Nokia's devices are manufactured by HMD Global Oy, it will make sure the device matches Finnish brand's previous phones.

5.2-inch Nokia Android phone leaks in live images ahead of launchPlayfuldroid
Rumour has it that the company is also working on flagship phone code-named Nokia P, which is expected to boast Qualcomm's most powerful CPU yet, Snapdragon 835 backed by 6GB RAM.

It has to be noted the MWC 2017 will witness the start of Nokia's second innings in the smartphone business after it sold the mobile division to Microsoft and signed no competition agreement four years earlier in 2012.

Watch this space for more news on Nokia's products and MWC 2017.

FEED IT TO THE WORMS: AUSTRALIAN COMPANY DEBUTS COMPOSTABLE COFFEE PODS

FEED IT TO THE WORMS: AUSTRALIAN COMPANY DEBUTS COMPOSTABLE COFFEE PODS

Tech wpb   23:53

comPod

You know those single-serving coffee pods that let you make precisely one mug of coffee instead of brewing an entire pot? Well, despite the fact that they’re outrageously convenient (or perhaps because of it), they’re also pretty bad for the environment. According to one study, all the little plastic K-cups produced in 2013 alone could encircle the Earth 10 times if they were stacked end to end.

ComPod wants to put an end to this pollution — but without putting an end to the glorious convenience of single-serving coffee. How? By making the cups biodegradable, of course! “ComPod capsules brew just like your favorite Nespresso-compatible capsule,” the creators explain on Kickstarter, “but they help the environment instead of hurting it. Simply brew a delicious cup of coffee like any other Nespresso-compatible pod and when you’re done, throw your used coffee capsule in your compost, garden, or worm farm. The capsule will completely biodegrade within six months.”

For many instant coffee makers, the pods which transform a small dose of concentrated coffee into a mug of java or espresso haven’t always been particularly Earth-friendly in their construction — despite the fact coffee itself is derived from an Earth-grown plant. To combat this issue, a company out of Melbourne, Australia, recently took to Kickstarter to unveil what it’s calling the compPod, a fully compostable coffee pod compatible with Nespresso’s line of instant coffee machines. While it would be great to see a versatile line of pods capable of working with a wide array of machines, comPod is a positive first step.

Developed under the idea to help make “the world a better place, one coffee at a time,” comPods boast the incredible ability to fully biodegrade roughly six months after use. As stated on its Kickstarter page, comPods creator Dan McQuinn points to the fact that billions (an estimated number) of single-use coffee pods wind up making their way to various landfills annually. A staggering amount of literally anything — even something as diminutive as an instant coffee pod — McQuinn desired a way to start unclogging those landfills.

“Coffee shouldn’t cost the Earth,” stated comPods introductory Kickstarter video. “ComPod capsules brew just like your favorite Nespresso-compatible capsule but they help the environment instead of hurting it. Simply brew a delicious cup of coffee like any other Nespresso-compatible pod and when you’re done, throw your used coffee capsule in your compost, garden, or worm farm. The capsule will completely biodegrade within six months.”

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For roughly $22, McQuinn allows interested backers to purchase a month’s supply of comPods — i.e., 30 capsules — to be delivered by February 2017. Though the capsules are compatible with nearly every model of Nespresso machine, save a few professional “pouch” and “capsule-holder” machines, comPods are in no way affiliated with Nespresso or its parent company, Nestle. As of this writing, the campaign had already raised just north of $1,000 to its goal of $11,177 with 25 fundraising days left

THE ROKBLOK PORTABLE RECORD PLAYER DRIVES AROUND YOUR VINYL LIKE AN RC CAR

THE ROKBLOK PORTABLE RECORD PLAYER DRIVES AROUND YOUR VINYL LIKE AN RC CAR

Tech wpb   23:49

Normally, if you want to play a record, you place your album on a turntable, which spins it and reads the tunes with a needle. RokBlock turns that method on its head. Rather than spinning the record itself, RokBlock is designed to drive around your vinyl like a little car going in circles, read the songs with a needle, and beam the audio to a Bluetooth speaker. Pretty clever, right?

And for those of you who are worried about scratching up your vinyl, don’t be. “RokBlok has been engineered to prevent damage to your records when in use,” the company states on its Kickstarter campaign page. “We do this by carefully balancing and distributing the weight of the player (3.2oz) across it’s scratch-proof rubber wheels and not the needle. This makes it so the needle does not take the brunt of the weight out on your record’s grooves.”

The very name turntable conjures a pretty accurate image of how it works, with the platter that the record sits on essentially being a table that turns. That’s how all record players work, right? With its RokBlok portable record player, the San Francisco-based Pink Donut has set out to prove that isn’t always the case.

The RokBlok, as the name implies, is a fairly utilitarian-looking block constructed of medium-density fiberboard (MDF) and bamboo that plays records by traveling in circles on top of them. Just place the RokBlok on top of a record, pull its lever, and away it goes. The hardware packs in a preamp and included speaker, and it also features Bluetooth, allowing it to wirelessly transmit sound to headphones or speakers located within 30 feet.

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This might seem like a fast way to damage your records, but Pink Donut has already thought of this and says it won’t be a problem. “RokBlok has been engineered to prevent damage to your records when in use,” the company states on its Kickstarter campaign page. “We do this by carefully balancing and distributing the weight of the player (3.2 oz) across it’s scratch-proof rubber wheels and not the needle. This makes it so the needle does not take the brunt of the weight out on your record’s grooves.”

The RokBlok can play both full-sized LPs and 45s, and the company says the included rechargeable battery offers up to four hours of music playback or two days of standby time. Once it has run out of juice, two hours of charge time is all it takes to get it up and running again. The product is meant to be fun and easy to use, but even its manufacturer admits it won’t replace a high-end turntable.

While the retail price isn’t incredibly high at $100, Kickstarter backers can get an even better deal, with a single RokBlok going for $80 or even $70 with the limited Early Bird pricing. If you don’t want to spend that much but are interested in the novelty factor, the Kickstarter is also offering another kitschy record player in the SheetRok — a paper record player that uses no electricity. Backers can opt for a SheetRok with a random record included for just $15.

The RokBlok has already surpassed its $50,000 goal, with 47 days left to go at the time of this writing. The campaign comes to a close on January 24, with rewards planned to begin shipping to backers in September. For more information, see the campaign page on Kickstarer.

NIKE TO OPEN NEW YORK CITY STORE LOADED WITH TECH

NIKE TO OPEN NEW YORK CITY STORE LOADED WITH TECH

Tech wpb   07:30

Nike has come a long way from its humble beginnings, when founder Phil Knight sold early shoe models from his station wagon, to its present status as the most powerful sports brand in the world. The footwear conglomerate is flexing its creative and technological muscles with its new five-story, 55,000-square-foot store in the SoHo section of New York City. According to Engadget, it will have everything from 3D-printed decorations to a Kinect-powered basketball court.

The store will also provide Apple Pay support and wall-mounted touchscreens where you can hail a helpful associate, or buy Swoosh gear on the spot. It was scheduled to be open on Friday November 11, but Sneakerwatch reports that the opening date is still TBD due to permit issues.

More: These smart customizable e-sneakers have real sole

Sean Madden, senior director of service and experiences for Nike’s direct-to-consumer division, mentions that the tech inside store isn’t the main event. These are enhanced features designed to augment the shopping experience and make it more distinctive and unique for each customer. The Kinect sensors capture body movements and display that data on the screen in front of you. Of course, if you’re impressed and feel a little giddy at this 21st century sales pitch, you might just be more inclined to buy some merch, which is the whole point of any retail store


“We’re leading the transformation of sport retail — offering the best of Nike products, services and experiences under one roof,” Heidi O’Neill, Nike’s President of Global Direct to Consumer told Modern Notoriety. “With Nike Soho we can realize the promise of personalized performance. Powered by immersive digital trials and in-store experts, this store is about elevating every athlete’s potential.”

More: Nike rolls out the first post-career Kobe Bryant sneaker

The sneaker fans at Kicks On Fire noted some other features of the massive store. The Nike+ Basketball Trial Zone is nearly half a court on the 5th floor with 23-foot ceilings. The first floor Nike+ Running Trial Zone lets consumers test shoes on a treadmill. The third floor Nike+ Soccer Trial Zone is a 400-square-foot space with a synthetic turf field floor for testing soccer shoes. Nike By NYC is a studio where you can laser engrave and print unique NYC symbols on Nike gear. And The Lounge is a women’s boutique within the store meant for services like bra fittings and pant hemming.

Oh, and there’s a water bottle station.

The NexD1 - The first Multimaterial & Electronics 3D Printer

The NexD1 - The first Multimaterial & Electronics 3D Printer

universe wpb   17:19

3D printing has progressed by leaps and bounds over the past few years, but regardless of all the advances we’ve made, the vast majority of printers can still only print parts. If you want to create a functional electronic objects, you generally have to print multiple separate parts, add wiring/electronics, and then fasten everything together at the end.

The NexD1 aims to change all that. The printer features an innovative multi-material printing system that allows you to not only print plastic parts, but also print functional circuits directly into the parts you’re printing. In essence, this allows you to create electronic objects that are fully functional and ready to use right after you pull them off the print bed — no wiring, no soldering, and no assembly required. This could very well be the future of 3D printing.

Read our full coverage here.

Apple is testing more than 10 different prototypes of the iPhone 8

Apple is testing more than 10 different prototypes of the iPhone 8

Tech wpb   01:44

Businessinsider India

But Apple is pushing the other three to gear up to supply OLED iPhone screens as soon as 2018. That would require significant investment - the Journal says that Sharp would need to spend more than $5 billion to develop the technology and capacity to ...

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Curved iPhone 8? Apple said to be exploring OLED screens video - CNETCNET

Apple iPhone With Curved Screen Could Come as Soon as Next YearWall Street Journal