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Sony Xperia Z2a is like the Xperia Z2 but smaller, thicker

Sony has just unveiled a new smartphone that caters specifically to the Taiwanese market. The Xperia Z2a shares with the Xperia Z2 flagship so much more than just the name, but in places where it does differ, the changes are anything short of disappointing.

To be fair, the Xperia Z2a only has a few thing it doesn't have in common with Sony's early 2014 premium smartphone. They run on the same Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 processor, in fact the very same variant that reaches only 2.3 GHz in speed. Memory is also premium at a generous 3 GB. The display is the same Full HD 1080p resolution, but in a smaller, and better, 5.0-inch size. The rear camera still boasts of the 20.7 megapixel Exmor RS sensor. If those specs sound somewhat similar, it's because the Xperia Z2a is practically the Xperia ZL2 unveiled for Japan last May. It is the same down to the color options, which includes that rare Turquoise you'd be hard pressed to find in the market.

Of course, the Xperia Z2a is not the Xperia Z2. The former, for example, is smaller, at least in length and width. Unfortunately, it is also thicker, almost 2 mm thicker than the Xperia Z2. The rear cover design is also quite distinct, sporting something like a lip around the edges instead of the smooth straight edges of the flagship. Quite amusingly, the Xperia Z2a lanyard holes, which isn't exactly something you'd expect to find on a somewhat high-end device. The biggest regression, however, is in the front camera and the display quality. Instead of the relatively decent 2.2 megapixel front shooter on the Xperia Z2, you get a measly 0.3 megapixel camera instead. Perhaps an even bigger disappointment is the display. The Xperia Z2a doesn't boast of the same BRAVIA and TRILUMINOS tech as the flagship, and that absence clearly shows in a side by side comparison of the two, revealing less accurate and washed out colors on the Xperia Z2a at certain angles.

That the Sony Xperia Z2a is meant for Taiwan is clearly marked by its network support. The device adds the 700 MHz LTE band, making it support the country's full-band 4G LTE network. There is no set date yet for availability, though it expected to launch some time in July. No pricing details either, but it is expected to be at least cheaper than the Xperia Z2.

VIA: ePrice (1), (2)

1Password now available for Android, free until August

Android users who keep forgetting their passwords or are fanatical about securing them need not be envious of iOS and OS X users anymore. 1Password, that password manager iPhone and Mac users keep talking about has finally arrived on Android. The best thing about it? It’s free, well, until August anyway.

Just last month, the news came out that Agile Bits was preparing to launch the Android version of 1Password which they had been working on since last year. For those who don’t know much about the app that can just about save your sanity (and sometimes your life), it is simply a password keeping and organisation app, which has a security vault that they claim cannot be cracked since it uses a 256-bit AES “military grade” encryption.

When your password seems too easy to be guessed by hackers, it will generate stronger ones for you. And even if you lose your Android phone, it has an automatic lock function so they will not be able to access your passwords. It is also available for desktop users of PC and Mac as well as iOS devices. You can also sync the passwords through other cloud services like Dropbox.

For now, just like with a lot of Android apps, the service is being offered for free to entice customers. But by August, it would be read-only (unless you’re already using it for other platforms) and users would have to pay what is expected to be a relatively expensive fee, based on its price for other devices. Let’s wait and see if Android users would be willing to shell out that kind of cash for the sake of their passwords.

Download 1Password from the Google Play Store

VIA: Slashgear

LG G Watch specs and availability leak out

LG's Android Wear smartwatch is coming, that much is known, but what it is coming with is still largely a guessing game. That is, until you see this spec sheet, or RFQ as someone pointed out, that almost tells all about the LG G Watch.

Rumors put the LG G Watch's display at 1.6 inches, and this sheet seems to confirm that. It also notes that the resolution will be 280x280 pixels, which is lower than the Samsung Gear 2's screen. The smartwatch will be running on an unannounced Qualcomm chip, specifically an APQ8026. Memory is at 4 GB, though this is for both storage and RAM, with the latter most likely taking up only 512 MB of that total. For wireless connectivity, you only have Bluetooth 4.0, which isn't surprising given the limitations of this type of device.

As for features, there doesn't seem to be much to look at, and somewhat even less than what you have on Samsung's catalog. For one, there is no built-in camera to enjoy taking covert photos or videos with. Mentioned sensors only include the usual tilt, gyro, and pedometer, with no word on biometrics inside. A lot of the functionality will then be provided by the Android Wear platform itself, like replying to SMS, making memos, and the like. Interestingly, there is no such note for playing music, implying that the LG G Watch can't be used as a standalone music player. The 400 mAh battery is advertised to last 36 hours on standby.

One important missing piece of the LG G Watch puzzle is being supplied by another leak source. The smartwatch is believed to be released in the UK on July 7, a week or so after the Google I/O event where it is expected to be unveiled. As for the price tag, the leak claims that it will be much lower than ₤169.99, roughly $284, tag of the Samsung Gear 2 Neo, which itself is cheaper than the Gear 2, though no estimate has been dropped.

VIA: @upleaks, MoDaCo

Samsung Galaxy S5 Mini leak, seen side-by-side flagship

The smaller Galaxy S5 Mini is the last missing member of Samsung's flagship family, but we might not see in unveiled anytime soon. So instead, a tipster has leaked out a couple of photos of the miniature flagship, comparing it with the Galaxy S5 itself, just to whet the public's appetite.

The photo above shows how much smaller, or actually how not so much smaller, the Galaxy S5 Mini is compared to the Galaxy S5. It is reported to have a 4.5-inch screen instead of 5.1 inches. That might not look like much, but it could still mean a world of difference to somebody's hand. The resolution, however, is also lower, at 720p versus 1080p, but given this is not the flagship, that could probably be forgiven. Quite noticeable in one of the photos is the lack of the flap that covers the micro USB port at the bottom. According to the source, however, the Galaxy S5 Mini still enjoys an IP67 rating, partly in thanks to the rubber gasket inside, though we still have to hear how Samsung managed to pull it off.

The source also shared some screencaps of the AnTuTu app that gives insights into the device's inner workings. In particular we're seeing a quad-core CPU running at 1.4 GHz, believed to be an unannounced Exynos 3 Quad. There is also 1.5 GB of RAM, which seems to be Samsung's new standard for mid-tier or miniature devices, and 16 GB of internal storage. As for software features, the Galaxy S5 Mini runs Android 4.4.2 out of the box and boasts of the same unique features that came with its bigger sibling, like a fingerprint sensor, Private Mode, and Ultra Power Saving Mode.

The date of the Galaxy S5 Mini's reveal is still unknown. While Samsung does have an upcoming Premiere event this week, all signs point towards a more tablet-centric affair. That said, it is still possible that the manufacturer would also announce, or at least pre-announce, this smaller smartphone, so we will be keeping our eyes peeled for any hint of that happening on June 12.

VIA: SamMobile

Dash’s new IFTTT channel gives smarter driving options

Have you ever wanted to boast about your “driving score” (in real life, not in just a game) on Facebook? Did you wish that you could log all your car trips automatically to Google Drive? Well Dash, the popular car app, now has its very own IFTTT channel so you can do these things plus other recipes to make you drive smarter.

Dash is an app and hardware combination that claims to turn your vehicle into a “smart car” by using an OBD (on-board diagnostics) plug-in to track your driving habits, including your gas consumption, crash data, and even gives you tips on how to get rid of certain “bad habits” like braking too fast or swerving a little too close for comfort. It also gives you a Driving Score based on the driving behaviour it detects, and now, there is an IFTTT recipe that will let you tell all your friends about how good (or bad) a driver you are.

There are some practical recipes like automatically letting your Twitter friends know when you are behind the wheel so they won’t bother you with inane mentions. For those who have a compulsion to record every detail of a trip, you can now log them directly to Evernote. If your Dash app detects that your Check Engine Light is on again, it will give you a reminder to visit your mechanic.

If you are in your friends’ neighbourhood, an IFTTT recipe can automatically send them an SMS that you’re nearby, which is probably not a good idea if you’re hiding from some of them. You can even text yourself when you’re in a specific place, maybe something like “You were robbed here a year ago so better get out of there fast!” There are now more than 30 recipes available, but of course the beauty of IFTTT is that you can create your own practical and silly combination as well.

SOURCE: IFTTT

VIA: Slashgear

Sony SmartBand, hands-on and first impressions

The Sony SmartBand, first shown off at CES this year, has arrived. The wearable wants to monitor your life, accompanied by an app that works with many Android phones. We’ll be strapping this to our wrists for a week or so, but our first look at the device has us excited to give it a shot.

The actual band is comfortable, made of a fairly soft rubberized material (which picks up lint really easily). Softer than the Garmin VivoFit we reviewed a while back, it’s comfortable around the wrist. The small lifelogging device, dubbed Core, serves as the mother brain here, and sits easily inside the band. The overall design is sleek, stylish, and minimal. Aside form the bright aluminum clasp, this is one smooth wrist strap.

Sony’s SmartBand app offers back-end support, cobbling your data into something you can understand. The app will let you decide which activities to track, too, making the strap as much or little as you need. We will note it doesn’t work well with any device, though, even those it should. Though it was noted as downloaded on a Moto X, it wasn’t on the device at all — same goes for the HTC One (M8). We’ll look to resolve this issue, but it’s a major concern upfront.

For now, we like the svelte styling and lightweight form factor. It’s comfortable to wear, and easy to like. Once we get our software issue resolved, we’ll make sure to give it a full review.

D-Link’s WiFi Audio Extender to stream music, extend connection

Gone are the days when the music that plays at your home, whether there’s a party or just for your personal enjoyment, comes from a home sound and theatre system. Now, it usually comes from your mobile phone or tablet, but you’d still want to have it play on good, loud speakers. D-Link’s newest gizmo, the Wi-Fi Audio Extender (DCH-M225), will let you play the music from your device through WiFi, saying goodbye to the hassle of wires or burning music onto a CD.

The compact gadget, which is just the size of a small USB wall charger at 2.13 1.65 x 2.15 inches , has a distinct advantage over other wireless speakers which are becoming more popular these days. Instead of the usual Bluetooth connection, which can be unstable at times, it uses your home WiFi network to connect your device to a speaker. All you have to do is plug the Wifi Audio Extender into a wall socket and then connect to your router by pressing the WPS button and then the gadget’s setup button. Then use a 3.5 audio jack to connect to your preferred speaker and now you can play music to your ears’ content, from wherever you are in the house, as long as there’s WiFi.

If there’s an area in your house that’s a WiFi deadspot, the DCH-M225 can also help you out with that. It can serve as a wireless range extender to make sure that all the areas in your house can connect to the Internet, whether you’re in the bathroom, basement laundry room or the attic. It uses the Wireless N technology so you can reach as high as 300 mbps, of course depending on the actual speed of your connection.

If you’re scared that your neighbours will be able to access your WiFi by going through your Wi-Fi Audio Extender, it boasts of security features that can protect your network and personal information. You can purchase the DCH-M225 through Amazon for $49.99 or through any of D-Link’s outlets (prices may vary).