High-end Meta M1 smartwatch now available for pre-order

Meta, the premium brand that spun off from watch retailers Fossil, is making a new high-end smartwatch that is described to be a “premium watch that just happens to be smart”. Of course, by smart, they mean that the Meta M1 watch can be interfaced with your smartphone. Let’s all take a look at the details of this glitzy new wearable.

First off, we need to say that no, it will not be going under the umbrella of Android Wear – instead Meta is putting out an app both for Android and iOS that will allow your handheld device to interface with the watch. That aside, the watch expectedly looks and feels expensive, as Meta CEO Bill Geiser says that the watch conveys the "beautiful design, quality materials, fine craftsmanship, and attention to detail" that the Meta brand wants to be known for.

But is it worth it for the company to dip its feet into smart computing and smart devices? Geiser certainly thinks so, saying that they need to become more “relevant” for users. The Meta M1 is actually a collection of watches that sport high-end stainless steel cases, stainless steel or ballistic nylon lugs, and a high quality straps. The watches also come in a wide range of colors.

For that matter, you can also use the app to change the look of your watch to match. The watches start at USD$249 all the way up to USD$449, and will be shipping by October. Meanwhile, you can visit the official website of the watch to pre-order and get more information about the collection.

VIA: SlashGear

Story Timeline

• Android Wear to get API for making custom watch faces


• TWRP descends on LG G Watch, Samsung Gear Live


• LG to roll out G Watch update after corrosion complaints

Crazy Taxi fulfils your dream of crazy driving in the city

If you ever had a secret dream of becoming a cab driver or of driving crazily around the city without consequences (if it’s the latter, we’re worried about you), then you can fulfil it now, at least digitally. Crazy Taxi City Rush is the latest strategy time management game from the makers of the original Crazy Taxi game from SEGA that can possibly reduce productivity and add more calluses onto your fingers as you try to be the craziest cab driver in the city (again, virtually speaking).

The aim of the game is simple: deliver as many passengers as you can to their destinations during the specific time allotted for you. But unlike real like driving, there are no speed limits in this game. “Your taxi. Your rules” is the battle cry of this game and that means you can weave your way through traffic, go past slow-moving cars, cut corners and go through as many obstacles as you want, just to bring your (probably terrified) passengers to where they need to be. This is probably the only time you will be rewarded the crazier you drive, so take advantage of it.

And since this is a supposedly crazy game, even the way your taxi looks should be crazy enough. You can customize and build modern or classic cabs to your heart’s content and take it through a 3D city that continually expands and adds even more attractions and crazy characters as well . And what is driving without awesome music to accompany it? You can choose from your own music library to inspire and energize your crazy driving.

Crazy Taxi City Rush is available for free download at the Google Play Store. It also has in-app purchases so make sure that if a kid is using your phone or tablet to play with the game, you need to turn off the the in-app purchase settings if you don’t want any unauthorised purchases.

PowerSquare charges multiple devices from anywhere in the pad

The days of wall chargers for devices are dwindling down, as more and more consumers have multiple gadgets and are constantly mobile (not to mention the battery drain since we use these gadgets a lot). PowerSquare is the latest entry into the wireless charging market and it lets you power multiple devices and place it anywhere in the pad, freeing you from the few seconds it will take you to dock a gadget properly.

Using the Adaptive Position-Free (APF) system, a technology that is patent-pending, PowerSquare lets you charge as many devices as you can, as long as they touch the pad’s surface. It uses transmitter coils that is easy for consumers in terms of usability while at the same time it’s not too heavy on the wallet. But of course the major requirement is that the gadgets, whether they’re old or new, have to be Qi-wireless charging compatible. So that means if you have Nokia Lumia devices, most Samsung Galaxy phones, Motorola Droids, Nexus (4,5,7) and several LG smartphones among others, then this wireless charger will work for you.

PowerSquare is part of the Wireless Power Consortium that developed the the Qi interface standard and includes OEMs like Asus, HTC, Motorola, Nokia, Samsung, Blackberry and Sony. This means that when they finally roll out the product, they will have official certification for Qi-wireless charging compatibility. While wireless charging is still in its early stages, early adaptors will probably appreciate and spend for a device like this.

Now as to how much this will cost and where you’ll be able to buy PowerSquare, that is still unclear at this moment. While their website says it will be available in the market by the end of 2014, there is still no specific date and price range for it. If you want to be one of the first to order it, you can register your email address on their official website and they’ll send an email when they’re already accepting reservations and orders.

SOURCE: PowerSquare

VIA: SlashGear

Navdy HUD projects virtual images onto car’s windshield

Several sci-fi movies from the past (and recent) years have scenes showing holograms being projected on a car’s dashboard or windshield. But with the advances in technology, sooner or later, that kind of device would not be fiction anymore, but a common reality for consumers. Navdy’s aftermarket HUD is bringing it one step closer, as the device acts as a Google Glass for your car.

Aside from just using it as a navigation system through Google Maps, the device can also be used as a secondary screen for your smartphone, as it can project several functions at least six feet in front of your windshield. Through the use of gesture controls, you can show calls and messages into your line of sight so that you don’t need to look at your phone every time a message or call comes in. If you want to answer the call, you just need to wave your hand to the left or if you’re avoiding (hiding from) a call, just wave it to the other direction.

As for reading and sending messages and making calls, you will be able to use Google’s voice recognition system to do those functions. You can even use it to post something on Twitter while you’re driving (and maybe not be pulled over by the police for tweeting while driving).

Navdy can also be used for Google Now and most of the major music apps, which might eventually make the need for a tape or CD deck in your car obsolete. Your other notifications can also be projected but not all of them can be actionable. There's also a split-screen option so you can see both your notifications and your navigation details.

The device, which runs on Android 4.4, has a 5.1-inch transparent HUD display and has WiFi and Bluetooth for connectivity. For the touchless controls, it uses an IR camera and in terms of navigating, it includes an accelerometer, digital compass and ambient light sensor. It can also warn you when your oil needs replacing and when your car needs to be serviced next. You can pre-order it now at $299 although by the time it hits retail stores in 2015, it will cost you $499. But if you really want a cool device in your car and you could afford it, then you wouldn’t mind shelling out that much for sure.

VIA: SlashGear

Must download game: Skulls of the Shogun for Android

“Skulls of the Shogun”, a turn-based strategy game built by developers 17-Bit, has had gamers on PC and iOS glowing with all the nice things to say about this game. It’s about time that it’s made the jump to Android, and not surprisingly, it is still as amazing as they come.

The fellows at 17-Bit have resumes that include Sega, Nintendo, Irem, Sony, and EA among their former employers – so we are not surprised that this game is as fine as they come. The bobblehead-inspired art of the game is in keeping with the zaniness of the concept – you are a dead Japanese general/shogun who wakes up in the afterlife… and there is a long queue to get into paradise.

As the dead general rebels against the guards, he gathers an army of undead to do the fighting for him. This is turn-based fun, without the hexagons to bore you with limited movement. The fighting aspect of the game is pretty fluid and straight-forward – without spoiling it for you, we can say that you’ll learn to do it the first time you try it. That is not to say that the game is not challenging at all, the fight AI will not give you any freebies, so you have to be on your toes.

Skulls of the Shogun E3 2012 Trailer

The game is a USD$1.99 download from the Google Play Store, and we can assure you that even just by the game length (it is looong), the game pays for itself many times over. The gameplay is deep, and will sure to keep you interested for long periods of time, unlike other such games out there which really fail in this aspect. Check out the source link to get it.

DOWNLOAD: Google Play Store

Story Timeline

• Be part of the Guardians of the Galaxy in new Android game


• Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movie tie-in game now on Android


• Marvel Contest of Champions game promises many things

First Galaxy Note 4 phone pictures leaked

Less than one month until Samsung reveals the new Galaxy Note 4, we now have the first pictures leak of the Samsung phablet flagship. It looks like the Galaxy Note 4 will use the same faux leather design as the current Galaxy Note 3 and a microUSB 3.0 connector, S-PEN stylus.

If you have been following the recent Galaxy Alpha leaks, the Galaxy Note 4 seems to have a similar metal side-frame design. Part of the metal frame at the bottom is also thicker for the microUSB 3.0 connector. Home button and the 2 soft keys are the same as what Galaxy S5 has. There is no longer a menu soft key, instead it is replaced with a multi-tasking button for app switching. Though, you can still bring up the menu if you press and hold the multi-tasking button.

Samsung has finally decided that 5.7-inch display size is good enough for phablet. Display screen size for the Galaxy Note series has been increasing from 5.3-inch (Galaxy Note), 5.5-inch (Galaxy Note 2) to the Galaxy Note 3’s 5.7-inch. According to the previous rumor, Galaxy Note 4 will come with the same 5.7-inch display size, but upgraded with a QHD resolution (2560 x 1440 pixel).

Other specs of the Galaxy Note 4 remain unknown, Samsung plans to announce the smartphone on 3rd of September, which is two days before the start of IFA 2014.

SOURCE: GSMArena

New HTC mid-tier phone gets leaked, to feature 64bit SoC

A possible HTC mid-tier phone got leaked, code named the HTC A11, which from visible aesthetics and design would go well with the brand’s Desire line. HTC has been relatively quiet on new products these past few weeks, and so it’s good to see that it is not resting on its laurels on putting out what is arguably one of the best Android phones to date with the HTC One M8.

The highlight of this newly leaked smartphone will be its rumored 64bit processor, the Qualcomm Snapdragon 410, the first ever 64bit quadcore SoC from the brand. It will run a 1.4 GHz quadcore Cortex-A53 CPU, and an Adreno 306 GPU. 64bit processors have not been part of the highlights even for most high-end phones, and very few apps will be able to take advantage of this – but maybe HTC will start a trend here. Will this feature also be in their next-in-line flagship phones?

To complete the specs, the device will also have a 4.7-inch (480x854) touchscreen, a 5MP rear camera without an LED flash, and a VGA front-facing camera. It will all run on an Android 4.4.2 KitKat OS, of course, with an HTC-tweaked UI.

If you check out the images above, the mid-range phone will not have the dual front-facing speakers found on HTC’s higher-end devices. That is pretty much all the details we have for the HTC A11 as of now. There is no available release date yet, and no idea yet on the pricing as well. Given the meager spec line, you can expect this phone to have a decent enough price tag.

SOURCE: Upleaks

VIA: GSM Arena

Story Timeline

• AT&T now offers the Amazon Fire Phone, HTC Desire 610


• HTC One M8 gets 4.4.3 update with some 4.4.4 fixes


• HTC One M8's Duo Cam now allows others to refocus your photos