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Openmix turns you into a smartphone DJ

With the ability to carry hundreds or even thousands of songs or use streaming music apps on smartphones, many people use their smartphone as the source for music at parties or get togethers. If you like the idea of mixing your own music from two sources Openmix will allow you to do that. The sources can be two smartphones, a smartphone and an MP3 player, or any other devices that use standard 3.5mm headphone jacks.



Openmix is a miniature audio cross fader that can be used for mixing back and forth between two tracks. With the device plugged in, users can make smooth transitions from one song to another. Openmix will do more than cross fade between two devices; it also has a third input for audio.


That third input will allow you to connect another audio input device so you can add sound effects to the tracks from a tablet or other device running a DJ app. Audio is outputted to any speakers with a 3.5mm input directly from the Openmix device.


Openmix is on Kickstarter seeking $65,000 and has raised over $10,500 at the time of writing with 28 days to go before the project ends. Getting your own Openmix will set you back $39 or more. If you plunk down $59 you will get the Openmix Party Kit including speakers. Shipping is estimated to start in January 2015.


SOURCE: Kickstarter


Pocket Lock locks your phone automatically when you put it in a pocket

If you have ever dialed someone accidentally when you were trying to put your phone into your pocket, you know how embarrassing that can be. An app called Pocket Lock can help you be sure that you never butt dial anyone again. Pocket Lock is an intelligent lock and unlock application.



One of the things it can do is lock your phone automatically when you put it into your pocket. The app will keep your phone locked until you pull it out of your pocket when it can unlock your device automatically.


Pocket Lock has been updated recently and the update adds back in the ability to start the app on boot, which was accidentally removed in a previous update. Gravity and proximity sensors are used by the app for the automatic locking and unlocking action.


The app is disabled during phone calls and can be disabled when the screen is rotated. The app measures 317KB and has been installed 10,000-50,000 times according to Google Play. Pocket Lock is free with no ads and is on version 1.4.2, Android 4.0 or higher is required for the app to function.


SOURCE: Google Play


Weak Control adds control to Android devices with mouse and keyboard

An app called Weak Control has hit Google Play in version 1.0 for Android devices running Android 4.4.x or higher. The app works for both tablets and smartphones and requires root permissions. The point of the app is to allow users to control their smartphone or tablet from a Chrome browser using a mouse and keyboard.



With the app, installed users will be able to stream full HD movies in real time, play games, and text. The app uses Chrome H.264 decoding capability to use less CPU power on the client devices. That means that just about any computing device including PCs, MacBooks, or Chromebooks can be used to control the smartphone.


In addition to being able to watch movies over the chrome browser, users can also use Weak control to Play games, chat with friends, and write using the keyboard. The app is 162k in size and is on Google Play right now.


Required permissions for the app include Superuser, Internet, WiFi state, Record audio, and license check. This sounds like an interesting way to control your smartphone or tablet from a computer.


SOURCE: Google Play


Moto G2 Indian pricing leaked

Last week some new images of the Moto G2 smartphone leaked showing what the device looks like and highlighting the removable back plates for the smartphone. We also know the pricing for the device in Europe thanks to leaks. In Europe, the smartphone will land on September 10 for €250.



This week the import data for India has surfaced for the Moto G2 smartphone showing some pricing information for the country. Import price for the 16GB version of the smartphone in India will be INR 10,640 ($176) for the 16GB version.


g2-india


That suggests that the retail price for the smartphone will be around INR 13,000 ($215). There are 70,000 of the black and white G2 smartphones heading to India and the smartphone will be sold by Flipkart.


Motorola has a launch event for the smartphone set for September 5 in New Delhi, which is before the European launch. All of the details on the Moto G2 smartphone will be offered at that event.


SOURCE: GSM Arena


Samsung to unveil new smart home products at IFA 2014

IFA 2014 is set to kick off very soon and ahead of the official start of the show, Samsung has announced that it will be rolling out new smart home products. Samsung says that the new smart home products will include services and products that will increase home safety, improve energy management, adapt to in-home locations, and can be operated using voice control.



Samsung's expanded smart home portfolio will also include third party devices and the hardware will run the gamut from digital door locks to IP cameras and smart plugs. The IP cameras will have a Home View function that allows a companion app to access the video feed to see who is at home and keep an eye on things from a distance.


Energy management products aim to help users control the power consumption in their home to save money and be green. Samsung Smart Home service will monitor energy consumption by things like air conditioners and display the expected cost of the appliance. Location aware services in the home allow the air conditioner or lights to switch on automatically when the user nears home.


Samsung is also talking up the ability to activate products and devices in their home using their voice with S Voice on Samsung Gear devices or Galaxy smartphones. Voice commands for Smart LED lighting, AC units, and robotic vacuums have been built into those Samsung devices.


SOURCE: Samsung Tomorrow



WhatsApp Messenger update adds Android Wear support

WhatsApp Messenger has been updated and has added in support for new devices and other improvements. The app is now at version 2.11.362 and the update went live on August 29. The exact size of the app will vary depending on the device you are installing it on.



WhatsApp Messenger has been very popular with between 500k and 1 million installs so far. Android 2.1 or higher is required for the app to function. The latest update brings with it Android Wear support, improved message storage reliability, and several bug fixes and improvements.


WhatsApp Messenger allows you to use 3G or WiFi to send messages to friends or family. There is no charge for the app for the first year of use and then it costs 99 cents per year after. WhatsApp Messenger supports multimedia video, images, and voice notes and group chats.


The update also adds support for stacked notifications, letting users see multiple notifications on their wrist by tapping the +1 button. Another cool Android Wear feature is the ability to dictate replies to messages from your watch. The app is available on Google Play right now.


SOURCE: 9to5Google and Google Play



Sony may go beyond 2m of water in new devices at IFA 2014

Sony may have established itself as the newest expert when it comes to waterproof devices ever since the advent of the Xperia Z series, but it still wants to push the aquatic boundaries even more. In their latest teaser before the start of the IFA 2014 in Berlin, they hinted that they may be going to a deeper level with the new devices that they will be announcing at their upcoming press event during the ubiquitous tech expo.



“We’ll be getting deep at #IFA2014. But how deep…?”, was the tweet that Sony sent out last August 31, with an underwater image in a swimming pool. The 2m and question mark text in the image may very well refer to the fact that the new devices they will be revealing may be immersed in 2 meters or more of water. The Xperia M2 Aqua, billed as having the “world’s highest level of waterproofing available in a smartphone” can only be dunked in 1.5-2 meters of freshwater for around 30 minutes, with its IP certification of IP68.


Now if indeed the new devices can go deeper than 2 meters, that would be a watery feat for the Japanese OEM. It can also boost the Sony Underwater apps, which they released last month and allows users of the Xperia Z1s or Xperia Z to enjoy underwater games with their devices. The apps will only work when the smartphone detects that it is underwater through the power of spectrograms.


The Sony event will be on September 4, in what promises to be another highly competitive exhibition of the latest gadgets that tech companies have to offer. So far Sony seems to have cornered the market in waterproof devices so let’s wait and see what they have to offer.


VIA: Xperia Blog