Let's Talk Tech
File management sounds boring, but it’s a really big deal, giving us control over what pics, vids, and documents live on our phone and who we can share them with. It’s something Android users take for granted, and now Windows Phone owners have the same capabilities!
Best of all, for people using Nokia handsets, this Files app finally gives us access to the full resolution pictures on our phones to back up and share online!
The game is afoot.
The number one manufacturer of Android handsets is now taking a stab at releasing a phone with their own operating system. We’ve been hearing about Tizen for a while now, and it made its first commercial appearance on the Gear 2 and Gear 2 Neo smartwatches. Now Sammy thinks it’s ready for the big time.
The Samsung Z is an upper mid-range phone sporting a 4.8″ 720p display, powered by a 2.3GHz quad core processor. 2GB of RAM will be on board, and the normal split of 16GB and 32GB storage options will be available, backed up by a MicroSD card reader for expansion. Â An 8MP camera is on the back, and the whole affair is juiced by a 2600mAh battery.
For a first phone, Samsung is packing in a surprising number of high end features from their Galaxy line. IR Blaster for universal remote control function, finger print scanner, NFC, Heart Rate Sensor with S-Health, and the Downoad Booster which uses WiFi and LTE to improve data speeds.
Samsung Android phones are a heavily customized experience, with a number of services built directly by the manufacturer. It’s clear that Sammy believes a “Touchwiz” phone can stand on its own regardless of what OS lives underneath the candy color UI.
We’ll have to see how developers embrace the platform, and what apps will be available as we can be pretty sure that some core Google services like Maps, will likely not be found on this phone. Samsung will be releasing the Z in Russia during Q3 of this year with pricing info to follow soon.
Would a “pure” Samsung device interest you? Can any company launch a new OS in this maturing smartphone market? Drop us a comment below!
Continue reading “Samsung Announces First Smartphone Running Tizen OS”
Here at SomeGadgetGuy, we have the most comprehensive collection of speaker reviews available anywhere on the internet.
However, when listening to music, playing games, or watching movies, we often listen over headphones. This video, we’re taking a look at the best non-iPhone devices to offer up the highest quality playback over their respective headphone jacks!
Continue reading “Top 5 Best Non-iPhone Smartphones for Audio Playback Over Headphones!”
A handy little feature is being activated for premium Spotify subscribers on iOS and Android. You can now take your entire collection offline.
If you’re worried about streaming audio taking a chunk out of your precious data plan, but you don’t want to give up on the variety of audio in your playlists, the newest version of Spotify now has a setting to download the whole kit and kaboodle. You can pre-cache all that music over WiFi, and never again worry about data charges on your cell phone plan.
Of course, if you’re an avid music listener, you’ll want to make sure you have a couple gigabytes of space on your phone…
Grab it from your app store of choice.
It kinda makes sense when you think about it.
The supercomputer that spanked the top two most winning human contestants on Jeopardy is a master of parsing data. After his game show appearance, Watson has also been used in the medical industry, but now IBM is playing with a more fun application. Chewing through ingredients online to develop new recipes.
Scanning through dishes, Watson is able to start finding patterns in how certain dishes are prepared, and he’s then able to make certain assumptions based on region to arrive at new food combos and recipes. Watson’s attempts are then handed off to human chefs.
The real fun of this project however is how IBM is testing the dishes Watson creates. It’s no fun if it’s just developers and employees, IBM built a food truck for Watson’s cuisine to hit the streets.
Hey IBM, I REALLY want this on my phone. Google Now, Cortana, and Siri are cool and all, but can we make a Watson app happen?
For this VLOG we’re backtracking to test the front facing camera on the Galaxy S4, and helping you folks out with a diving tutorial.
If you’re thinking about visiting or moving to Los Angeles, here’s a handy driving tip for you to better blend in with the natives!
Following in Netflix’s footsteps, Google has launched a site to report average Youtube streaming speeds. It allows consumers to compare performance between different providers in their area.
This is a tactical play by Google who recently signed off on a letter supporting Net Neutrality in the face of the FCC’s proposed “Fast lane” rules. It’ll provide customers an additional tool to shop service (at least for those people who have more than one option in their area). Based on location, you can see which companies are providing more HD, standard definition, or low def video streams.
In a climate where Americans often pay more for service than other developed nations, and receive slower speeds, providing shoppers more info is handy as ISP’s usually only discuss what their theoretical maximum download is.
You can check out your area here http://www.google.com/get/videoqualityreport/
LeVar Burton is trying to bring Reading Rainbow to the web and produce a specialized classroom version of the show which will be freely available to educators. Their goal for the project? $1,000,000.
With 33 days to go on the project backers have already pledged $2.5 Million.
Produced from 1983 to 2006, the project producers believe that the next frontier to help improve child literacy isn’t TV, but the internet. The fact that the project reached its goal before the end of its first day, it would appear a lot of people would agree. An emotional LeVar Burton took to Youtube to express his thanks.
The project still has a month to go, and there are plenty of fun perks left to grab. Head on over to the Kickstarter page to check it out, but you don’t have to take my word for it…