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Samsung announces SLEEPsense, a device to monitor sleep and control home appliances

Derrick Miyao
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We have sleep monitors that we wear around our wrist, forehead or chest. They have the ability to measure our quality of sleep and generate reports for us when we awaken.

Samsung on the other hand, has the SLEEPsense sleep sensor they just announced at IFA. It is a small and flat sensor you place under your mattress to track sleep, movement and sleep patterns.

Where the SLEEPsense goes one step further is having the ability to control other devices around the home through the “Internet of Things(IoT).” As a refresher, the IoT are objects like air conditioners, refrigerators, and other physical devices that are connected to a network and can be controlled through sensors and commands.

This is super cool because not only can SLEEPsense monitor your sleep, but it can help you stay asleep by turning on your air conditioner if it decides the house is too hot for optimal sleeping conditions. It can also turn off your TV if it senses that you have dozed off so that the noise and light doesn’t wake you up later in the night. Now if it could get your neighbor’s dog to shut up I bet everyone would buy one. Nonetheless, controlling your devices around the home to help you stay asleep is quite an accomplishment.

The Samsung SLEEPsense has also been approved by the FDA for tracking vital signs and they have built in heart rate monitoring and breathing rates. I could see scenarios where this would be great for monitoring babies for SIDS or people with diseases such as emphysema, or sleep apnea.

According to Sammyhub the SLEEPsense will be released to South Korea first with other countries to follow. I would the US would be on the list since it was approved by the FDA.

sleepsense

 

 

Source

 

Gigaset enters mobile market with three new Android phones

Justin Marden
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gigaset featuredGigaset, a little-known German manufacturer primarily focused on home phone systems, has jumped into the mobile market at IFA this week with the launch of three new phones, all powered by Android. It looks like the company is starting off with an emphasis on design and pricing, with the three devices set in different price ranges. Gigaset’s new devices all fall under the “ME” title, which indicates that this could be their flagship line of devices here in the States.

gigaset-meFirst up is the Gigaset ME, a mid-range device that actually has a few surprises under its sleeve. Here’s a full list of specs, provided by Gigaset:

  • 5-inch full HD 1080p display
  • Snapdragon 810
  • 3GB of RAM
  • 32GB of internal storage (with microSD expansion up to an additional 128GB)
  • 16MP rear camera
  • 8MP front camera
  • USB Type-C port
  • 3,000 mAh battery
  • UV sensor, heart rate monitor, pedometer, and fingerprint scanner

All this comes in a nice little package that will cost £349 (around $528 U.S. dollars).

gigaset_me_pureNext we have the Gigaset ME Pure, which looks like a lower-spec version of the ME mentioned above. The ME Pure will hit U.S. shores with the same display, but with a downgraded Snapdragon 615 processor, 2GB of RAM, and only 16GB of internal storage. There’s a 13MP camera around back and the same 8MP shooter on the front. Despite the processor drop, users are getting a bigger battery at 3,320 mAh. The Pure will also have a fingerprint sensor, but it lacks the heart rate monitor found in the standard ME. The ME Pure is aimed at the midrange crowd, so it isn’t surprising that it comes in at an affordable £249 ($393 U.S. dollars).

gigaset_proLast but not least, the Gigaset ME Pro looks to be the largest device in the line, with a 5.5-inch full HD 1080p display and a larger 4,000 mAh battery. Other than these two specs, the Pro falls in line with the standard ME, sporting the same cameras, processor, and memory. Because of the larger screen and battery, the ME Pro will be the most expensive of the group, coming in at a cool £399 ($618 U.S. dollars).

Unfortunately for Android enthusiasts in the U.S., these devices will only be sold in Europe and China for the moment. Gigaset hasn’t announced a U.S. launch as of yet, but hopefully they will be bringing these devices to American shores soon.

Source: Android Community

A look at the Sony Xperia Z5 series announced at IFA 2015 today

Dan Bartram
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Just as we reported yesterday, Sony have launched a series of devices under their Xperia Z5 branding at IFA 2015 today. The trio of devices are widely welcomed as the long-awaited upgrade to the popular Xperia Z3, and the range of devices seem to offer something for everyone. These are split into the Z5, Z5 Premium, and Z5 Compact, each with their own different design profiles and specifications, as listed below.

Xperia Z5 Premium

First up is the Xperia Z5 Premium that features the worlds first 4K display on a smartphone that delivers a unprecedented 806ppi, equating to 2160 x 3840 pixels, on a 5.5-inch display. Powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 810, the Sony Xperia Z5 Premium also comes with 3GB of RAM and 32GB of storage, coupled with a 23-Megapixel Exmor RS sensor rear-camera that promises 0.03s focusing times with 192 autofocus points.

[df-gallery url=”https://www.androidguys.com/gallery/sony-xperia-z5-premium/”%5D

Xperia Z5 Compact

The baby Xperia Z5 has a 4.6-inch display with the same camera as all Xperia Z5 series devices, but has a lower amount of RAM at 2GB, as opposed to the 3GB of the rest. The Snapdragon 810 processor is powered by a 2,700mAh battery with 319 PPI.

[df-gallery url=”https://www.androidguys.com/gallery/sony-xperia-z5-compact/”%5D

Xperia Z5

Finally is the upgrade to the Z3 we were all waiting for, and it comes in the form of the Xperia Z5. With a 5.2-inch display, the Xperia Z5 equates to 401 PPI. The 2,900mAh battery again powers the Snapdragon 810 processor and 3GB of RAM.

[df-gallery url=”https://www.androidguys.com/gallery/sony-xperia-z5/”%5D

You can see a full rundown of the specs below.

Google to reportedly show off two Nexus devices on September 29th

Andrew Myrick
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Google users are about to be very happy customers, if this report from CNET is found to be true. According to the report, Google will introduce the new Nexus device(s) on September 29th. Yep, that’s right, Google may be showing off TWO new Nexus phones, instead of only one.

Rumors have been flying around the next device in the traditional Nexus lineup, with reports coming everywhere that this device will be manufactured by the folks over at Huawei. There are other reports that have been leaked with information regarding an updated Nexus 5, dubbed the Nexus 5 2015. The Nexus 5 2015 would more than likely be manufactured by LG since that’s who made the first (and only one to date).

huawei_nexus_6_leak_7_632x304x32_expand

If these reports are true, and we not only get a new Nexus 6, but the updated LG Nexus 5, people will go nuts. Maybe not literally, but I would say that any pre-orders would be sold out within minutes, if not seconds.

One more interesting point to think about is where Google will price these devices. With more and more companies making competitively priced devices, it will be interesting to see where Google decides to place these devices at. It would be safe to assume that neither of these devices would top the $500 range, but stranger things have happened.

Let us know in the comments below what you think about this report, and whether you’re excited to get your hands a new Nexus device. Additionally, let us know which device you would prefer, if the rumors of the Huawei Nexus and updated Nexus 5 come to fruition.

Source: CNET

Instagram is now adding Direct Messages with Instagram Direct

Andrew Myrick
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Instagram has been around FOREVER, and it just seems to gain popularity all the time. Even with “competitors” like Vine and SnapChat, people still opt to go to Instagram to post their favorite pictures, even if it’s of their dinner every day.

Back in 2013, Instagram introduced a way for users to share images and comments with either just one person or a small group of users. Instagram Direct has been a way to not have to deal with the slew of different users that you already follow, instead you can focus on sending that embarrassing vacation photo with just your close-nit friends.

Now, Instagram has added the ability to Direct Message another user from Instagram Direct. The move makes sense in light of the fact that Instagram is still growing, and has really been turning into a hybrid of both Twitter and Facebook, while maintaining a smaller profile.

Today’s updates also bring a brand new way to start conversations around what you see on Instagram. When you find something inspiring or funny, your first instinct is often to share it with friends who you know will appreciate it. Today, people do this by @-mentioning friends in comments, so much so that nearly 40% of comments include an @-mention. This update has made it easier to share content that you love.

It seems that Instagram is trying to kill the “@” action that everyone performs just about every other social media platform uses. It will be interesting to see whether this catches on, and if this will influence any changes to other social media platforms.

Let us know what you think about these changes in the comments below, and whether you actually use Instagram Direct, or if you just Instagram to look at those dinner pictures from two days ago.

Source: Instagram

Hulu bucks the commercials and adds a new commercial-free tier

Andrew Myrick
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Commercials are annoying. Every time you watch a YouTube video, or a random video on the web, there’s almost ALWAYS a commercial. We understand why there are commercials, but it doesn’t mean that it makes them any more informational or any less annoying. Thankfully, Netflix does not put their customer’s through this ordeal since they are subscription based, and don’t need money from advertisements in their videos. Today, Hulu is also bucking that trend. Kind of.

Earlier today, Hulu announced that they would be adding a subscription-based, commercial-free viewing tier. For $12 a month, users can sign up and not have to deal with those pesky commercials every 7-10 minutes, and can watch almost whatever they want, interruption free.

By almost, we mean that while the majority of Hulu’s lineup falls under the commercial-free tier, there are still some titles that Hulu was not able to acquire the licensing for.

In response to feedback from our viewers, we started offering a commercial-free experience on Hulu. For a small number of shows, however, we have not obtained the rights to stream commercial free and they are not included in our No Commercials plan. You can still easily access these shows with a short commercial before and after each episode with no interruptions during the episode. Specific shows that still have commercials accessible through the No Commercials plan will be noted throughout the signup, switching, and playback experience. While the list of shows may change, these shows are currently: Grey’s Anatomy, Once Upon A Time, Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., Scandal, Grimm, New Girl, and How To Get Away With Murder.

This isn’t the end of the world, since the list of shows is so small, but it’s pretty awesome to see Hulu grab the streaming rights to other great shows like South Park, Seinfeld, CSI, Deadliest Catch and more.

For only $12 a month, you can get rid of those commercials and watch your favorite shows thanks to Hulu. Let us know what you think about these changes in the comment section below, and whether you will be signing up.

Source: Hulu

Knee Kick Girl: an RPG with loose controls, a paywall, and a good soundtrack (App Review)

Jalen Benjamin
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Before the start of this review, I must say that I played the game for about five hours and was not close to finishing it because of its paywall.

Today, we’ll be taking a look at the action RPG Knee Kick Girl created by developer soundsfromyourhead. The company’s indie rock band of the same name composed the game’s soundtrack.

The story centers around a girl who is trapped in Purgatory and makes a deal with Lucifer in order to escape. To do so, she has to conquer enemies with an array of dungeons in order to fulfill the contract.

Screenshot of Knee Kick Girl's prologue

Setup

The game’s setup is a standard affair. Download and install it from Google Play. Once you open it, you’ll be right in the game.

Functions and Features

Think of Knee Kick Girl as a horde mode game. In every two out of three dungeons, you need to eliminate every foe. Then, on every third dungeon, you’ll fight an end-of-chapter boss. Once you’re successful in killing it, even if you have not finished off everything else, you’ll still receive all of the drops.

There are items (like healing hearts, temporary ally characters, etc.) and power-ups (temporary attack buffs and permanent general buffs) to collect along the way.

Knee Kick Girl's chapter selection menu

 

Gameplay within Knee Kick Girl

The leveling up system uses the currencies of gold coins (the most common) and blue stars (a distant, second-most common) in the game, so you don’t earn experience directly by defeating monsters. Diamonds, the rarest currency, cannot be obtained in the game whatsoever and can only be earned with actual money.

What We Liked

  • The ability to stack items and power-ups for tougher dungeons and bosses.
  • Decent but somewhat repetitive soundtrack.

Room for Improvement

  • Movement is slippery. Knee Kick Girl commonly will keep circling around enemies or move in unexpected ways, especially on stairs and near walls and corners.
  • Attacks are stiff and somewhat delayed. Combined with the above point, Knee Kick Girl can easily be damaged even if she gets her attack, which temporarily stuns, off first.
  • While costing US $0.99, the game has a paywall, which can be seen in the item shop and after playing just three to four dungeons.
  • Poor grammar and syntax in dialogue, menus, and popups.

An example of Knee Kick Girl's paywall

I probably could tolerate Knee Kick Girl‘s faults more if it was not behind a paywall. I can understand the need for one in games such as this, but users are paying for this from the start only to be met with slippery, sometimes frustrating controls. Between this and how early the paywall arrives, it’s difficult for me to justify the cost.

Before you think about buying the game, consider Knee Kick Girl – Ghost Hunter, the free-to-play version.

[pb-app-box pname=’com.soundsfromyourhead.ghosthunterpaid’ name=’Knee Kick Girl’ theme=’dark’ lang=’en’]

Huawei beats Apple to the Force Touch punch with the Mate S

Andrew Myrick
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Today’s a busy day for those in the Tech world, thanks to IFA 2015 in Berlin. We’ve seen announcements from Huawei, ASUS, and Acer, and are expecting plenty of more over the course of the rest of the week. In addition to announcing and opening pre-orders for the Huawei Watch, Huawei has announced their latest flagship device.

The Mate S is Huawei’s latest flagship to grace the market, and includes quite a few stunning features. Sporting a 5.5-inch 1080p Gorilla Glass display with a contrast ratio of 1.8M:1. What’s more surprising about this display is the fact that Huawei has beat Apple to the punch by introducing Force Touch Technology.

For those who aren’t sure exactly what Force Touch technology is, here’s a little run down. Force Touch technology allows your device to recognize exactly how hard you press down on the screen. By being able to track this, manufacturers can then program the device to react to certain pressures on the device. In the case of the Mate S, users will have various gestures that can be used to open up various applications and perform various tasks while in other applications.

The Mate S is also sporting a fingerprint scanner on the back of the phone, below the 13-megapixel camera. The camera will be paired with Optical Image Stabilization and an RGBW sensor, allowing the device to have more vivid pictures, without having to worry about shaky hands. Also, the front of the Mate S will have an 8-megapixel camera for those great selfies that everyone loves to take.

[graphiq id=”16axQ1KxHtX” title=”Huawei Mate S” width=”600″ height=”400″ url=”//www.findthebest.com/w/16axQ1KxHtX” link=”http://smartphones.specout.com/l/4167/Huawei-Mate-S” link_text=”Huawei Mate S | SpecOut”]

Below the surface, the Mate S will have 3GB of RAM with an octa-core Kirin 935 processor. As for storage, there will be three variants; 32GB, 64GB, and 128GB. However the 128GB variant of the Mate S will be available later this year, while the 32GB and 64GB variants will ship alter this month.

Last but not least, the Huawei Mate S will sport a 2700mAh battery, which while it seems tiny compared to other devices of this size, the Mate S will also have Quick Charge capabilities. While this isn’t the greatest news, the addition of Quick Charge will help make sure that you make it at least a full day on one single charge.

[df-gallery url=”https://www.androidguys.com/gallery/huawei-mate-s/”%5D

As for pricing of the Mate S, you will be able to get the Standard 32GB for €649 ($729) and Premium Mate S for €699 ($786). The Mate S will be up for pre-order on September 15th from Huawei’s Vmall store. Huawei will also provide more details on the 128GB variant later this year.

Acer launches new Android smartphones, tablets, and Chromebook at IFA

Scott Webster
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Acer is off to a huge start for its 2015 showing at the annual IFA trade show. Today sees the company introducing a whole slew of new consumer products, a handful of which happen to fall into the AndroidGuys wheelhouse. Among the fresh crop are four Android smartphones, an Android tablet, and a convertible Chromebook.

Liquid Smartphones

Whereas each of the smartphones has its own unique specs or selling point, they all share several features. Acer BluelightShield, for instance, limits the exposure of blue light from the display, making it less likely to keep you wide awake in bed as you browse Reddit.

The DTS Studio Sound offers up high-quality audio for movies, music, and games while Acer QuickMode provides three distinct layout designs for specific user types: Standard, Easy, and Basic.

  • Standard Mode for those familiar with a smartphones;
  • Easy Mode for those who are just learning
  • Basic Mode that offers a range of protective options for kids offers Kids Center, a protected environment with parental control

The Acer Liquid UI has been refreshed and is touted as more consumer friendly than in past iterations. Key applications are designated “Float Apps” and take up a small portion of the screen, providing quick access to browser, calendar, maps, and more.

[df-gallery url=”https://www.androidguys.com/gallery/acer-ifa-2015-smartphones/”%5D

Select models also include camera software enhancements for selfies and other shots. Gourmet mode, Favorite Shot and Bright Magic Selfie are designed to help produce better images in various situations.

Standout features of the various models:

[row][double_paragraph]

Liquid Z630 “Big on Power and Size”

  • 5.5-inch HD IPS display
  • 8-megapixel rear camera
  • 8-megapixel front-facing camera
  • Android 5.1
  • quad-core 1.3GHz processor
  • 2GB RAM
  • 16GB storage
  • 4000mAh

[/double_paragraph][double_paragraph]

Liquid Z630S

  • 5.5-inch HD IPS display
  • 8-megapixel rear camera
  • 8-megapixel front-facing camera
  • Android 5.1
  • octa-core processor
  • 3GB RAM
  • 32GB storage
  • 4000mAh

[/double_paragraph] [/row]

[row][double_paragraph]

Liquid Z530 “Perfect Selfie Smartphone”

  • 5-inch HD IPS display
  • 8-megapixel rear camera
  • 8-megapixel 84 degree wide-angle front-facing camera
  • Android 5.1
  • 1.3GHz quad-core processor
  • 1GB/2GB RAM
  • 8GB/16GB storage
  • Cat4 LTE
  • WiFi 802.11 b/g/n
  • Bluetooth 4.0 EDR connectivity

[/double_paragraph][double_paragraph]

Liquid Z530S

  • 5-inch HD IPS display
  • 8-megapixel rear camera
  • 8-megapixel 84 degree wide-angle front-facing camera
  • Android 5.1
  • ocata-core processor
  • 3GB RAM
  • 32GB storage
  • Cat4 LTE
  • WiFi 802.11 b/g/n
  • Bluetooth 4.0 EDR connectivity

[/double_paragraph] [/row]

[row][double_paragraph]

Liquid Z330 – “Android for Everyone”

  • Qualcomm Snapdragon 210 processor
  • 4.5-inch WVGA wide view angle display
  • 1GB RAM
  • 8GB storage
  • Android 5.1
  • 5-megapixel front facing camera
  • 5-megapixel rear camera
  • Cat4 LTE
  • WiFi 802.11 b/g/n
  • Bluetooth 4.0 EDR connectivity

[/double_paragraph][double_paragraph]

Liquid Z320 – “Pocket Friendly Android”

  • Qualcomm MSM 8209 processor
  • 4.5-inch WVGA wide view angle display
  • 1GB RAM
  • 8GB storage
  • Android 5.1
  • 2-megapixel front facing camera
  • 5-megapixel rear camera
  • 3G connectivity
  • WiFi 802.11 b/g/n
  • Bluetooth 4.0 EDR connectivity

[/double_paragraph] [/row]

For now, the aforementioned smartphones will be sold in Europe, Middle East, and African markets. Pricing ranges between €129 and €199, depending on model and country.

Predator 8

Considered a dedicated gaming tablet, the Acer Predator 8 is an 8-inch FHD (1920 x 1200 pixel) experience that runs Android 5.1 Lollipop. Powered by an Intel Atom x7 processor, the tablet is a mere 8.7mm thick and weighs only 350 grams.

To ensure you hear every little music note or game sound effect, the slate boasts a four array front-facing speaker setup with virtual surround. For an added aesthetic touch, Acer has included a red stainless steel mesh which delivers a distinct, if not aggressive look.

acer_predator_8

Key hardware includes up to 64GB internal storage with microSD support for up to 128GB external space and 802.11a/b/g/n wireless  with 2×2 MIMO support.

The Acer Predator 8 will be available starting on November 6; Newegg gets a two week exclusive followed by other retailers. The tablet will sell for $299 and will be pre-loaded with Asphalt 8 and 320,000 game credits ($50 value).

Chromebook R11

As Acer’s first convertible Chromebook, the R11 is the perfect type of device for users who like to write, edit, and create documents and media. Powered by an Intel Celeron processor, this one can be transitioned into four different modes:  laptop, pad, display and tent.

acer_chromebook_r11

The 11.6-inch display allows for ten-point touch and features a 1366 x 768 pixel resolution. Other specifications include a USB 3.0 port, 2×2 MIMO 802.11ac wireless support, and 360-degree hinge.

The Chromebook R11 will be offered in North America as early as October with prices that start at $299. We might assume this to mean multiple storage capacities and memory options are on the horizon.

Acer | Acer | Acer

 

Starting today you can pre-order your Huawei smart watch

Austin Hyde
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0

Starting today, you can pre-order the new Huawei Android Wear watch from Amazon, Best Buy, Google Play or  GetHuawei.com. The pre-orders will be shipped out starting on September 17th.

There will be 6 different watch bodies to choose from. From stainless steel and black to rose gold-plated, the watches will range from $349 to $799. But, only the  stainless steel and black models will be available for pre-order. The rose gold model will be available later this year.

“Designed first and foremost as a watch, the Huawei Watch is unlike any smartwatch available today,” said Zhiqiang Xu, President of Huawei Device USA. “We are committed to meeting U.S. consumers’ demands for premium products and the Huawei Watch is a step in that direction. It embodies Huawei’s technology innovation heritage, pursuit of premium design and integration of useful functionality that we strive to develop in each product.”

Huawei Watch specs

42mm diameter by 11.3mm thickness

Silver, Black, Gold

1.4-inch full circle AMOLED display

400×400, 286ppi

Sapphire crystal

316L Stainless Steel

Qualcomm APQ8026 1.2GHz

Android Wear

512MB RAM + 4GB ROM

Bluetooth 4.0/4.1

Gyroscope + Accelerometer, PPG, Barometer, Vibration Motor

Built-in MIC

300mAh

Stainless steel or leather

 

[graphiq id=”d1z16jc3pel” title=”Huawei Watch” width=”600″ height=”400″ url=”//www.findthebest.com/w/d1z16jc3pel” link=”http://smartwatches.specout.com/l/90/Huawei-Watch” link_text=”Huawei Watch | SpecOut”]

The 300 mAh battery reportedly offers up to two days of battery life under normal use, which is impressive when you coinsider that the always-on watch face is, well, always on. It also has fast charging that offers 80 percent battery life in just 45 minutes, or 75 minutes for a full charge.

Huawei’s smart watch also has Wi-Fi connectivity for connectivity when the phone isn’t in Bluetooth range. Bluetooth 4.1 LE enables consumers to directly pair to Bluetooth headsets and speakers for music with or without a smartphone.

The 6-axis motion sensors automatically identify activity and provide accurate tracking and an enhanced heart rate monitor delivers measurable health tracking.

The most impressive spec is that the 1.4-inch AMOLED screen has the highest resolution of any Android Wear watch currently on the market at 400 by 400 pixels with 286 pixels per inch.

[df-gallery url=”https://www.androidguys.com/gallery/huawei-smart-watch/”%5D

What do you think? Will you be picking the Huawei smart watch? Let us know in the comments.

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