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HP, Michael Bastian, Gilt team up for upcoming smartwatch

Heads up! There’s news that Hewlett-Packard is teaming up with luxury fashion designer Michael Bastian and e-commerce outfit Gilt Groupe in developing a smartwatch. With all kinds of companies jumping into the “wearables” bandwagon, HP is making sure that it doesn’t get left behind. But the team-up with Bastian – and the concept photos – say a lot about what the tech company is planning to put out.



Of course, we should be correct in assuming that the technology and device development will be handled by HP. The news is that the smartwatch will initially be distributed through Gilt’s online shopping website. But the device’s look and feel, the fashion behind it – we should look to Bastian’s talent with high end fashion.


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Bastian is no stranger to watch design – he has already done work for the GANT brand on putting watches with his name on it. Would we be correct to assume (again) that he will be sticking to the looks and designs that are definitive of him? The concept pictures above say “yes, probably”. Take a look at Bastian’s watches for GANT below.


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Lastly, rumors say that this watch would be compatible with BOTH iOS and Android, initially killing off the hopes that this will be launched under the Android Wear umbrella. The high-end nature of Bastian’s products would mean that it wants to get connected to both platforms. If this pushes true, then HP is totally going for a unique approach to its wearable. Watch this space, eh?


VIA: SlashGear





The US officially legislates Unlocking Consumer Act law

This, at its most basic, should be seen as a veritable win for the American people who first called out for the need of such a legislation – and has now reached its ultimate completion with US President Barack Obama signing into law the Unlocking Consumer Act, which basically says that any consumer who has already paid for their phone can have it unlocked and take it to the mobile carrier which they think provides the services that suit their needs best.



It needs to be said, this is the first time that a petition that traces its roots via the “We the People” website – an online platform for US citizens to offer suggestions and ideas to the government for resolving relevant issues – has actually resulted in a fix via legislation. With that in mind, this can truly be marked down as a major “win” for the US consumer.


What started with a petition by digital rights activist Sina Khanifar – actually a very a simple request, that the law would allow consumers to “unlock” their mobile phones and take it to the carrier which they think best suits their needs. The petition drew enormous support, and forced the US Congress to take heed. What resulted was a very “common sense” law that says all consumers can now have their phones unlocked. What’s more, the law also ensures that US citizens without the tech savvy to unlock their devices on their own can and should receive help in doing so.


In the end, consumers are given a free choice – a real choice with market freedom and not one bogged down by hidden profit agendas – to take a phone and switch carriers, a right that they really should have if they have complied with the device’s purchase contracts and if the phone is compatible with said carrier. This is a breath of fresh air for a sector that seems to be tying down and restricting more than it is giving freedom to communicate.


VIA: The White House





More devices getting Google Now launcher support

The Google Now launcher was probably the pick of the bunch of features that launched with Android 4.4 Kitkat (you can argue that point with us, of course), and it became all the more better when Google started peddling the launcher to other devices other than those bearing the Nexus prefix through the Google Play Store. After the app’s recent update, we bet more people will be happier because of the apparently wider range of devices supported.



Upon the app update, there was no obvious aesthetic or functional change to the launcher, except that – viola! – the list of devices supported seem to have grown. Now there is support for other Android devices such as Huawei’s Ascend P7, the HTC One M8, One E8, One Mini 2, and Desire 816. Some social media reports also point to support being available to the LG’s flagship phone, the G3.


The Google Now launcher was initially limited to Nexus and Google Play Edition devices, and Android users were all collectively heaving a “well, that sucks” at Google because of the limited support. Pretty soon, workarounds were being found to load it on more devices – because the Android community always seems to find a way.


This is probably at the very least an admission from the mothership that hey, if it’s really good software, then maybe a lot more people are entitled to at least make that decision on their own after experiencing it and using it. This situation has not yet been made official – no official statement from Google has come out – but you’ll be sure to hear from us if there are changes in this situation.


VIA: Android Central





Google exploring customization with Google Workshop

Google has had relatively good success over its Nexus products, building technologies and interfaces for devices on the bleeding edge of Android development. When it comes to accessories and whatnot, Google’s history has not been that great, and it has been trying to rectify that recently with the Nexus 5 and Nexus 7 (putting out different colors of cases for the devices). With the experimental Google Workshop, the company may be trying to break into that market a little bit more.



Google Workshop is a little tool that apparently allows users to design custom cases and even their own live wallpapers. If Google finds that this strategy works, this can mean a whole new push for custom accessories for your Google devices. For now, though – in its exploratory phase – the tool is just available for the Nexus 5 device.


There are two elements right now to Workshop. First is the “MapMe” element, which allows users to build a customized phone case and a live wallpaper based on a map location that is significant for the user. The second element is called “Moments”, and as the name suggests, this feature encourages users to upload their own photos and choose one for case design, and others for the live wallpaper. Of course, users can customize the look the casing using different colors or adding specific text.


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There is very little else to Google Workshop for now, and there is no word yet on whether this service will be expanded to other devices (and upcoming devices?) as well. It’s clearly in an experimental phase and is very much a work in progress. Let’s all wait a bit more to see if this is something Google will pursue to the big time.


VIA: Android Police





Microsoft brings Samsung to court over Android patent deal

On Friday, the Redmond-based global software giant Microsoft announced that it has brought South Korean electronics manufacturer Samsung to court over a contract dispute in their patent deal for Android devices. Microsoft, in very basic terms, has a contract with Samsung where it receives royalties for every Android device it sells, and it is suing Samsung because according to them, the latter has not been keeping its part of the contract.



According to Microsoft’s deputy general counsel David Howard, this legal action was done “simply to enforce our contract with Samsung.” In 2011, Microsoft signed one of those landmark Android patent deals, claiming that every Android device Samsung sells infringes on its patents, hence the royalties. As of late, Microsoft claims that Samsung has not been paying them the royalties they’ve agreed upon based on that 2011 contract, a situation that started last year – specifically after Microsoft’s Nokia acquisition.


What Microsoft is asking is actually for the court to enforce the contract as legal and binding, where Samsung has already made clear its disagreement to it. “After spending months trying to resolve our disagreement, Samsung has made clear in a series of letters and discussions that we have a fundamental disagreement as to the meaning of our contract,” Howard said.


Samsung has replied with a standard answer to the lawsuit, saying in a published statement: “We will review the complaint in detail and determine appropriate measures in response.” This patent contract has made Samsung – and many other Android device manufacturers – beholden to Microsoft, something that Google has vocally lambasted over the years. “This is the same tactic we’ve seen time and again from Microsoft,” Google said in a statement when the patent deal was signed in 2011. “Failing to succeed in the smartphone market, they are resorting to legal measures to extort profit from others’ achievements and hinder the pace of innovation.”


VIA: Recode





Epic Arena is like chess but with swords, magic, and cards

There are no dearth of games on Android, that's for sure. But perhaps it isn't an exaggeration to say that majority of them simply reuse the same old material, same old gameplay, or same old idea over and over again. There are times, however, when something unique comes along, either by offering something completely new or through a rather creative mashup of familiar elements. Epic Arena is one of the latter.



Creator Travian Games describes Epic Arena as "chess on steroids", but that doesn't really capture the essence of this game. In truth it's like chess, with Magic the Gathering inspired summoning and power ups, with MOBA-style "destroy the enemy's tower" goals, and Plants vs. Zombies progression system. Sounds confusing? Sounds interesting! You take the role of an unaffiliated commander who must make the decision to join either the Brotherhood of Order or the Legion of Chaos (DotA anyone?). Each battle consists of putting down your units (chess pieces) on hexagonal cells, summoned from a randomly shuffled deck of cards. You are allowed a fixed number of moves before you hand over the turn to your opponent. Cards can either power up your own units, heal them, or deal devastating magic to your enemies. A mission is over when you destroy the other side's "artifact", basically their tower of power. That just about sums up the basic setup of the game.


Epic Arena's graphics isn't as resource intensive as some "Triple A mobile games" (can we use that term now?) on Android, but that's not to say they're not good. They're done well enough that they don't look disturbing or distracting, but they do lack a bit in detail. You won't find any gorgeous card artwork here either, but that's not really surprising. This isn't Magic 2015, even if it may, at times, feel like it. Controls are simple, easy, and all touch-based. Considering the nature of the game, there is no need for kludgy virtual joysticks. Everything happens at a tap. Tap and hold brings up more details about units and cards, and swipe and pinch manipulate the view, which you might want to do especially when units start filling the board.


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Likening the game to chess isn't completely inaccurate either. While soloists might find the game playable in solo missions, the game really shines through in online player vs. player matches. So yes, you can play with a real, live human being (presumably) from some other part of the world. Or maybe just down the street. You can take your time in the Duel Mode, where asynchronous gameplay is allowed, or you can feel the rush of adrenaline in Blitz Mode, where time is not your friend. Epic Arena is a cross-platform game, and by that they mean Android, iOS, and Facebook. It is also free to download and play, but after a while, but you will be met with (optional, they say) in-app purchases. But you probably already expected that.




Download: Epic Arena on Google Play Store


Samsung Galaxy Alpha leak: Exynos 5433, 12MP camera, August 13

It looks like the somewhat mysterious Galaxy Alpha is shaping up to be quite a contender. What started out as an almost negligible semi-metallic mid-range smartphone is now turning into another mini flagship, bearing a decent set of specs inside a partly aluminum shell. Whatever the Galaxy Alpha may be, Samsung may have scheduled to reveal it to all in two weeks' time.



Samsung isn't exactly in trouble, but it got a rather shocking wake up call when its Q2 profits dipped for the first time in about three years. Now it seems that the manufacturer is quickly assuring the public, fans or otherwise, that it's not yet through and that is has aces up its sleeves. A company executive revealed that it has two high-end smartphones in the works. One we all know to be the next Galaxy Note to be unveiled next month. The other, according to the exec, is built out of new materials, fueling rumors of a metal clad Samsung smartphone.


The Galaxy Alpha might be that device, since it was leaked to have a metallic frame, unfortunately still with a plastic rear. However, early leaked specs didn't exactly inspire confidence, especially the 4.7 or 4.8 inch 720p screen that was consistent across leaks. Now, however, there might be some meat to those expectations after all. AnTuTu places a certain SM-G850F, believed to be the Galaxy Alpha, with a Samsung Exynos 5433. This is the very same processor rumored to drive the Galaxy Note 4 and has been seen to blow even the Qualcomm Snapdragon 805 out of the water. With a 4.8-inch 720p screen, also confirmed by this AnTuTu sighting, the SoC has less to drag it down in performance. There is also a good amount of RAM at 2 GB. Also interesting is that it will have a 12 megapixel camera on the rear.



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A last minute photo confirms some of the other features of this device, including a nano SIM card slot, a heartrate monitor, and the lack of a microSD slot. Samsung is reported to now be eying an August 13 unveiling of the Samsung Galaxy Alpha, instead of August 4, but still well ahead of the announcement of Apple's iPhone 6 that this smartphone is being poised to compete with directly.


VIA: SamMobile





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