Let's Talk Tech
Do you want better drop and scratch protection for your iPhone 6? Do you want some fun color accents and a fun design? Speck might have the case for you with their two piece MightyShell + FacePlate. Let’s take a look!
Shop the Speck MightyShell on Amazon.
More info on Speck Products.
It’s a service I use almost every day, and now their Android app is much easier to use. KCRW is a listener supported radio station in LA, which produces fantastic news and music shows with a global focus. Let’s take a look at their new app for streaming live audio and organizing their podcasts!
More phones are arriving with wireless charging built in. Nokia pioneered the tech in the Lumia line, Samsung has made specialty back plates and built it into the GS6, and several Nexus phones have incorporated the technology.
Even with growing support from phone manufacturers, it’s still largely regarded as a “geeky” tech, and utilizing it means buying a special charging pad. IKEA is looking to make the adoption of wireless charging easier with a surprisingly comprehensive live up of products.
Lamps, desks, end and bedside tables, stand alone pads, they’re even providing a kit to help consumers drill holes in existing furniture to build in their own charging pads. This is not a company dipping a toe into the tech market, they’re betting big on being first to market.
Each product will feature a small circle with a + sign on it. Plop your phone down on that and it’ll start charging. No more fuzing with charge cables.
Based on the Qi standard, this line of products should be compatible with most of the phones that have wireless charging built in, and for iPhones and Galaxy S phones that lack wireless charging, IKEA will have cases available that will add the charging coils.
You can see the whole line up via the IKEA press release, and the collection should be available later this Spring.
It sounded like a joke at first. Google built a template that allowed users to cut out a cardboard headset which turned their phone into a Virtual Reality display.
What started off as a proof of concept for VR applications on mobile devices, has exploded as it’s one of the easiest and most cost effective ways to try out VR content. App developers are paying attention as there’s a growing list of services being developed for VR with Google Cardboard in mind. While you can create your own headset using Google’s template, there are also a number of companies building pre-assembled headsets out of cardboard or plastic. Even the Viewmaster will be returning this Fall as a Cardboard inspired VR experience.
With a growing community, it would only make sense that Google would continue investing in this project, and they’ve now announced a “Works With Cardboard” program for better hardware and software compatibility moving forward.
Developers will receive better tools for migrating existing apps and services into a VR environment, Manufacturers will get a new tool which helps customers automatically configure the app for different hardware builds, and consumers will have access to a better organized app store experience.
It’s a very positive development to see Google taking this sector seriously, as VR is primed to be a hot industry as Oculus, Razer, Samsung, and HTC are all moving to get solutions into consumer’s hands. Google is betting on your first taste of VR coming from the (Android) phone you already own.
On a video released yesterday, LG claims “You deserve this”.
What you deserve is apparently a brighter and more colorful phone display, which would be a welcome addition to one of their flagship phones. It’s been one of my more consistent criticisms of LG devices, that while their screens are high resolution, they’re a bit dimmer than their Samsung, HTC, and Lumia counterparts which affects outdoor view-ability.
Is this a killer app for you? Are you looking forward to the G4 reveal on the 28th? Drop us a comment and watch LG’s teaser video below!
Samsung has been on a roll with their camera tech. Does the Galaxy S6 continue their record of delivering excellent optics? Does it live up to the hype? Let’s run this flagship smartphone though our slate of real world video tests!
Shop the Galaxy S6 on Amazon: http://goo.gl/Ii0Qg1
I’ve already written a cranky editorial about how frustrating it’s been to watch Google and the Carriers repeatedly shoot themselves in the foot over mobile NFC payments. Thankfully, with Google buying out Softcard, we can maybe see some more progress in the retail arena.
My Note 4 just got an app update this morning for the pre-installed Softcard service, which now labels “Google Inc” as the developer. Upon opening the app, what did I find? You are no longer able to create a new Softcard account, and are now directed to use Google Wallet.
It’s dead Jim, and I can’t say I’m sorry to see it go.
Apple would have you believe smartwatches are brand spanking new, but Samsung has already released three generations of Gear products. The Gear S represents the company’s most ambitious push in migrating data services to your wrist. Does it live up to the hype? Let’s take a look!