Samsung Electronics, the world’s leading manufacturer of mobile handsets, has unveiled its latest innovation in wearable technology, the Galaxy Gear, a voice-controlled, wrist-mounted device that connects to Samsung smartphones. The novel, highly-anticipated device, which can make phone calls, take pictures as well as record videos and conversations, was unveiled at the company’s Galaxy Unpacked event in Berlin, recently.
Pre-loaded with over 60 Android apps, the surprisingly sleek, wrist-mounted device has a solid touchscreen and can sync with smartphones to display text messages and e-mails and also access the internet. It features a 1.9 megapixel camera and built-in speakers that allow users to make hands-free calls. In addition, the device boasts a battery life of 25 hours on just a single charge.
According to Samsung, the Galaxy Gear will work as an accessory to its market-leading Galaxy smartphones. The device will be available in six colours – Jet Black, Mocha Gray, Wild Orange, Oatmeal Beige, Rose Gold, and Lime Green. Speaking at a press briefing in Lagos on Tuesday, Director of Hand Held Products, Samsung Electronics West Africa, Emmanouil Revmatas, described the Galaxy Gear as a product that bridges the gap between mobile devices and the fashion world, towards creating truly wearable technology.
“The Samsung Galaxy Gear is redefining convergence and smart living as we know it. By integrating smart device technology even deeper into consumers’ everyday lives, it frees users from the need to constantly check their devices while maintaining connections. It provides what we call ‘smart freedom,’ by allowing users to choose how, why, when and where they are connected,” he said.
Samsung also unveiled two new products from its Galaxy Note category, the Galaxy Note III and the Galaxy Note 10.1 tablet, at the event. The Galaxy Note III is Samsung’s thinnest and lightest ‘phablet’ yet. It features a screen larger than that of its predecessor, the Galaxy Note II, while maintaining the same width as the previous Galaxy Note version. The device also features an improved S Pen and enhanced multitasking features.
According to Revmatas, the Galaxy Note III and the Galaxy Note 10.1 tablet will be the first smart devices to work with the Galaxy Gear. He added that software upgrades that make the Galaxy Gear compatible with the Galaxy S4 and other Galaxy smartphones will be available from October this year.
Super-shooter smartphone stand-off
Samsung backs Apple's 64-bit chip smartphone chip switch
By Leo Kelion
Samsung has confirmed its next high-end
smartphones will feature 64-bit processors.
The
announcement follows the launch of the iPhone 5S, the first handset to include
the technology.
Apple
boasted its A7 chip offered "desktop-class architecture".
However,
experts say most apps are unlikely to see much immediate benefit from the shift
from 32-bit tech and that it could introduce compatibility problems in the
future.
The
number of bits in relation to a microprocessor affects size of numbers with
which it can deal.
For
example, the amount of memory that can be directly accessed without data having
to be swapped back and forth.
In
the case of 32-bit architecture, the amount of memory than can be addressed is
two to the power of 32, in other words 4.3 billion values or four gigabytes of
memory.
In
the case of 64-bit architecture the processor can theoretically address
18,400,000 trillion values.
If
a program has been written to take advantage of a 64-bit operating system, it
should mean the processor can access data that is in this larger memory rather
than retrieving it from, for example, the hard disk. This speeds up the whole
processing chain. Although 64-bit sounds as if it should offer double the speed
of a 32-bit chip, that is not the case. The Next Web's Zee Kane explains why: Think
of the handset as a great library.
There
are all kinds of books, but also a librarian who helps figure out what books
you need.
The
librarian has 32 assistants who help fetch books on bicycles and bring them
back to the librarian.
If
someone comes in wanting all the books on dinosaurs, and there are 65, the
books will all get there in three trips.
The
first trip, all the assistants go out and each get one book on dinosaurs. They
then go back and, on the second trip, they all get another book. And on the
third trip, only one has to go and get a book - but it still takes just as
long, since the important thing is how long each trip takes.
So
to get the books, it requires three bicycle trips (but we can just call them
cycles, so three cycles).
However,
if the librarian had 64 assistants, it would only take two cycles.
There
would be a dramatic speed boost, but not double, since there would still be one
trip where only one assistant was needed, while the others are there but unable
to make it go faster.
A
longer explanation can be found at The Next Web's site
Operating
systems written for 32-bit chips can only access up to 4GB of RAM, but those
written for 64-bit processors can, in theory, support up to 16 billion
gigabytes of RAM.
Boosting
the amount of RAM allows software to become more complex and the computer to
run more programs simultaneously without having to swap as much data to other
types of slower memory.
However,
it also makes the equipment more expensive and power-hungry.
For
that reason, smart-device makers have tended to shy away from taking advantage
of 32-bit chips' upper RAM limit.
Samsung's
forthcoming Galaxy Note 3 handset goes the furthest, with 3GB of RAM. The
device also features a bigger-than-normal 3,200 mAh battery.
Incompatible
apps
Samsung
Electronic's co-chief executive announced its plan to use 64-bit chips, in an
interview with the Korea Times newspaper.
"Not
in the shortest time," said Shin Jong-kyun. "But yes, our next
smartphones will have 64-bit processing functionality."
However,
bearing in mind there will remain many iOS and Android handsets on the market
that still rely on 32-bit chips, this may deter developers from taking
advantage of the switch in the short-term.
"People
who have the old 32-bit processors will not be able to run software that is
built specifically for the 64-bit processors because the latter uses a
different instruction set," explained Prof Alan Woodward, from the
University of Surrey's computing department.
"However,
if people write in 32-bit, it will run on many of the 64-bit processors because
they still support the old instruction set.
"So,
you can get the whole market by writing the app in 32-bits, but you can only
get a very small part of the market if you write specifically for
64-bits."
Apple
dedicated part of its iPhone 5S launch to highlighting its shift to a 64-bit
processor
Once
sales of the new devices do grow, makers of video games and software to create
3D-animations might be among the first to make the switch since their programs
are among the most processor-intensive and thus most likely to see the biggest
benefit.
But
one industry watcher warned that this might create compatibility problems
unless app stores continued to offer two different versions of the same program
to accommodate both types of chip.
"When
app makers do decide to transition to fully 64-bit, it will create a divide in
the market," said Chris Green, from the Davies Murphy Group consultancy.
"We
saw exactly the same thing happen in the Windows world when software makers
moved from 32-bit to purely 64-bit."
Rise
of ARM
For
now British chip designer ARM may prove the biggest beneficiary.
Smart-device
makers are able to offer 64-bit tech because they have licensed the firm's
ARMv8 architecture, which it first announced in 2011.
ARM's
shares rose following news that Apple was licensing its 64-bit chip
architecture
The
news means the company will enjoy bigger fees. ARM's share price has risen
about 10% since the start of the week.
Some
have speculated that Apple's announcement might foreshadow the US firm ditching
Intel chips in its laptops and desktop computers and moving to its own
processors.
"Apple's
new A7 chip is not powerful enough to be a PC chip, but the architecture is
going that way," said Prof Woodward.
Apple unveil their new iPhones
The iPhone 5 gets an overhaul and now includes fingerprint recognition plus the new 'budget' iPhone is officially launched
TECH giant Apple have announced its new products at an event in the States.
Two new phones will be in shops on the 20th September and Apple's new operating system, iOS 7, will be available to download on the 18th September.
Here's how the new handsets shape up.
iPhone 5C
The iPhone 5C is Apple's first budget style handset. UK prices haven't been released yet, but in the US it will start at $99 (£63) on a two year contract.
This cheaper Smartphone has a polycarbonate case and will be available in 5 colours including red, yellow, green, blue and white.
Using the current iPhone 5s A6 processor, the iPhone 5C should be pretty quick and you'll also get an 8 megapixel i-Sight camera and 4-inch retina display.
It'll be a little chunkier than the premium iPhone 5S, and there are only 16GB and 32GB versions
.“The new iPhone 5S now includes fingerprint recognition”
iPhone 5S
The 5S replaces the current
iPhone 5 and looks pretty much the same. There are however two new colours,
Space Grey and the rather bling gold version, Apple have ditched the black
version as it scratched to easily.
The biggest news is the
fingerprint recognition, Touch ID. Placed in the home button, this new feature
scans your finger and unless it's a match you won't get access to the handset.
We've seen the Touch ID in
action, it's unbelievable quick and should make your handet more secure.
Gone is the A6 chip and has
been upgraded to the A7 chip which runs 2X faster than it's predecessor, which
should make gaming quicker and smoother
The camera has been updated
and Apple are promising near SLR quality. Features include the True Tone flash,
which gives better detail to images taken in low light, and burst mode, which
takes a number of images then chooses the best one. You can also take
slow-motion video which is a nice feature.
Sadly the battery hasn't been
upgraded although Apple say it will give you 10 hours talk time.
The iPhone 5S comes in the
usual 16GB, 32GB and 64GB versions.
New Grand Theft Auto is the most expensive video game ever at £170m
IT is the sort of figure you usually associate with Hollywood blockbusters rather than video games.
Grand Theft Auto 5, the latest in the popular series of shoot-and-drive games from Rockstar Games, will cost a staggering £170m!
The game has taken over five years to develop and has already received 2.5m pre-orders.
The series has sold more than 125m units around the world but has attracted more than its fair share of controversy too. It has been condemned in a number of countries for its extreme violence and according to Guinness World Records is the most controversial video game series in history.
In comparison the most expensive film ever made is reported to be Disney flop John Carter which cost a whopping £191m!
Get Sony Smartwatch for free
Good news if you are thinking of buying the fabulous new Sony Xperia Z1 smartphone - EE have announced you can have a Sony Smartwatch thrown in for free
By Dave Snelling
THE free watch offer is for people pre-ordering the handset on plans costing £46 per month, plus a one-off payment of £9.99.
The plan entiltles you to unlimited calls and texts plus 10GB of data on EE's 4G network.
We had a play on the Xperia Z1 and Sony’s Smartwatch last week in Berlin, and really liked both products.
So if your due for a new Smartphone, and fancy a James Bond style gadget attached to your wrist check out www.ee.co.uk
Samsung Galaxy Gears a smartwatch
SAMSUNG has launched its Galaxy Gear smartwatch at a glitzy event in Berlin, Germany.
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