Samsung Galaxy Tab Active aims at active business users

Samsung has rolled out a new tablet at IFA 2014 this week called the Galaxy Tab Active. This tablet is aimed at business users that need a tablet that will last all day and is rugged enough to survive the bumps that go along with life on the road. The tablet has an anti-shock covering that allows the internal hardware to survive a drop from 1.2 meters up with the cover on.

Samsung also secures the tablet with an IP67 certification for dust and water resistance. An autofocus camera with 3.1MP resolution is built-in and is designed to scan barcodes. Samsung also equips the tablet with NFC technology for easy pairing.

The Tab Active also gets the C-Pen to give stylus input option for users who have to wear gloves. Power comes from a large battery good for up to ten hours of use per charge. LTE is supported along with 3G or 2G service. An 8-inch screen with 1280 x 800 resolution is used and the OS is Android 4.4 KitKat.

Support for common video formats is built in as well as support for common audio file formats. A 1.2GHz quad core processor with 1.5GB of RAM is integrated and internal storage is 16GB. Other hardware features include GPS, GLONASS, an accelerometer, and light sensor. Pricing and exact availability are unannounced.

SOURCE: Samsung Mobile

Xperia M2 Aqua smartphone unveiled in copper color

Sony went official with the Xperia M2 Aqua smartphone last month and the smartphone brought waterproofing to the budget class of devices. Sony has rolled out another revision for the M2 Aqua for fans to enjoy that come in a new copper color. Other than the color, nothing else has changed with this new device.

Sony says that the coppery colored smartphone is inspired by the "fusion of metal and earth tones." The copper version of the smartphone is the same as the existing M2 Aqua on the inside. There are now three M2 Aqua colors for fans to choose from including the original black or white colors.

The copper version of the M2 Aqua will be offered as an exclusive from Vodafone in the UK, South Africa, and Germany. If you are unfamiliar with the smartphone, as I mentioned before one of the big features is waterproofing. In fact, the smartphone is so water resistant that you can use it to take pictures underwater.

The display is a 4.8-inch unit with 540 x 960 resolution and 230ppi. The smartphone measures in at 140 x 72 x 8.6mm. The OS is Android 4.4 KitKat and Sony fits the smartphone with a Snapdragon 400 1.2 GHz quad core processor under the hood paired with 1GB of RAM.

SOURCE: Sony

LG Display in mass production with plastic circular OLED display for wearables

LG Display has announced that it is in mass production with the world's first circular plastic OLED screen. This little screen measures 1.3-inches in diameter and is the circular screen from the LG G Watch R that debuted late last month. This thin display will eventually turn up as the screen for other wearables on the smartwatch market.

While the round screen certainly looks good and makes smartwatches using it look more like a traditional watch, the main reason for the round screen is to get more viewable space in the same footprint. The round screen has a 57% larger viewing area than a square screen of the same size.

Resolution for the 1.3-inch circular screen is 320 x 320 and it has 100% color gamut, 300-nit peak luminance, and unlimited contrast ratio. One of the best features of the display for wearables is that it has the ability to use Power Save Mode so the screen can stay on at full resolution without power from the integrated circuit.

That means that wearables using the display will have longer battery life than others with screens lacking power save mode technology. LG Display is using new techniques to mass produce this circular screen with new processes to improve deposition efficiency and a highly precise laser cutting and processing technology is employed.

Story Timeline

• LG G Watch R revealed head of IFA: R is for "round"


• LG G Watch R revealed to have a hefty price tag

Diamond Digger Saga makes turns you into a treasure-hunter

As if Candy Crush did not destroy so many digital lives already, the creators are now trying to drive us crazy (in a good way) again with a brand new game where you turn into a cute treasure hunter. Diamond Digger Saga is a level based puzzle game where the object is to unearth all these gems and treasures while going through underground worlds and solving various missions.

The game’s character is Diggy, a playful creature of undetermined specie that loves to go underground. When he finds a treasure map, it sets out to find as many gems as it can. You have to go through worlds called Diamond Dale and Turqoise Meringue, all while clearing away groups of 3 similar jewels until you reach the target score. But it’s not easy as you will encounter some blockers like Frozen Block, Multiclear and Indestructuble which can eventually be neutralised by power-ups like Colour Burst, Magic Orb, Dynamite, etc.

The game is a bit like Bejeweled but with more of a “backstory” and cuter creatures around with names like Jiggly Jiraffe, Jolly Joyphant, and Irresistible Moustache Pistache. It has 130 levels available once installed, with more to be added later on with updates, just like what they did with Candy Crush. Aside from those levels, there are also other missions like “Rescue the Fireflies” and “Collect The Toys” (pretty self-explanatory already).

The game has already been active on Facebook (you’ve probably received some game requests by now). But now it is available for free download from the Google Play Store.

SOURCE: King

Four camera apps to come with Sony Xperia Z3

The phone camera has evolved from just being a simple, bonus accessory to an essential part of the smartphone’s unique selling proposition. And it’s not just about having higher megapixels and features, but to what else you can do with it that you can’t do with other smartphones. The newly-launched Sony Xperia Z3 wants to get ahead of everyone else with four camera apps for their “smart social camera” that aim to revolutionise how we take pictures and videos.

The Face in app will let you capture both the view that you’re taking and your reaction to it by allowing you to use both the front and back cameras at the same time. You can overlay the images as creatively as you want and “take selfies to another level” (but do we really need that?). If you’ve always wanted to have photos that can capture the actual sound, Xperia devices now have this app called, what else, Sound Photo. When you press the shutter inside the app, 10 seconds of sound and 1 second of animation are recorded. You’ll be able to view these sound photos in your Xperia album or share it on the Play Moments stream.

If you have friends who also have Xperia devices, then you’ll have fun using the Multi camera app which can let you record videos from up to three different angles at the same time and combine it into a single video. Among the four camera apps, AR fun sounds like the most, uhm, fun. It lets you add real life objects, animation, drawings, scribbles to your photos and videos while you’re taking them. And even if you move the camera while shooting, the AR stays in place.

Aside from the four apps, the Xperia Z3 also has a live on YouTube camera that lets you broadcast up to 15 minutes your live footage. So if you want to have a live broadcast of your vlog or cooking show or mini-concert, you can now do so. All of this sounds fun, but probably only if you’re an Xperia owner. We doubt if these apps will be available for other devices, so you have to get an Xperia Z3 if they sound irresistible to you.

VIA: Xperia Blog

Story Timeline

• Xperia Z3 and Z3 Compact: PS4 Remote Play, 20MP, and more


• T-Mobile to bring Sony Xperia Z3 to US by end of 2014

Android Wear 2.0 May Launch as Soon as Next Month

Almost seven months after the platform's launch in March, Android Wear may already be preparing for its first update, according to Android Police. And it could have some goodies you've been waiting for.

Read more...

Sony updates PlayMemories Mobile app for QX30, QX1 lens cameras

Sony’s latest QX30 and QX1 boast of the company’s impressive lens cameras that we all know. The Japanese manufacturer has introduced the pair at the IFA 2014 this week.

We’ve featured these Sony cameras in detail earlier and mentioned that they will work with the PlayMemories mobile app which Sony recently updated.

Sony’s updated free app promises better shooting and sharing of photos. The PlayMemories Mobile app version 5.0 is ideal to use not only with the QX30 and QX1 but also with other lens-style cameras from Sony such as the QX100 and QX10.

With the app, you can turn your smartphone or tablet into a powerful camera. Wi-Fi-enable Sony cameras can send videos and photos to your smartphone and shared to your favorite social networks.

The app also enables remote shooting from the smartphone or tablet, functioning as a remote where you can control camera functions and view captured contents on the screen.

If you have an Xperia, this app works well via NFC so you can easily and quickly transfer and share photos between the lens-style camera and the phone. Editing, viewing, and sharing can also be done right on the photo with a simple click, drag, and tap.

The app update also features a new interface that is said to load faster and easier to navigate with one hand. You’ll see a new touch shutter function so you can just tap the screen to shoot using a QX camera.

The PlayMemories mobile app gives you that feeling and experience of using a powerful and professional camera. Thanks to Sony’s QX camera software that plays at ease with the mobile app.

New features of the camera app also include Supported location information, Mirror Mode to reverse live-view, Gridline, and a new operability that allows intuitive control by one-hand.

PlayMemories Mobile Remote app is now ready for download at Google Play.

Source: SONY

Story Timeline

• Sony Lens Cameras get official: Be a photographer with any smartphone


• Sony lens cameras back on center stage with new QX30 and QX1