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Adobe Lightroom Mobile – RAW Photo Editing Comes to Android

adobe lightroom mobile android raw photo editingAdobe has released a killer update for their Lightroom Mobile app for Android.

Not only does the app bring compatibility for tablets and MicroSD card storage, for folks looking to produce the highest quality content possible while on the go, you can now edit RAW photos.

It’s like the difference between editing the raw audio off of a CD or working from a compressed MP3. Most people use JPG files, which are squished for easier sharing. RAW photos retain all of the detail and information from the camera sensor, before software turns them into the visual equivalent of MP3’s.

This update will require the new Google Camera API which allows for RAW capture. This API was released with Lollipop, but of course not all manufacturers are using it. You can test your phone with this Manual Camera Compatibility app to see if RAW capture will work. The Galaxy S6 for example supports manual photo features, but does not support saving RAW images.

This is an excellent step for mobile content creation on the Adobe platform. You can grab Lightroom Mobile on Google Play.

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Review: Sennheiser G4ME ZERO Gaming Headset with Microphone Test

Sennheiser makes some really high quality headphones, so let’s see how their G4ME ZERO gaming headset stacks up to the competition!

Shop the G4mE ZERO on Amazon.
More info on Sennhesier Gaming Headsets.
Sennheiser Momentum Wireless Review.
Sennheiser Urbanite XL Review.

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Build 2015: Android and iOS Apps Coming to Windows 10 Phones

***Update for tech clarification at the end***

The Windows Phone platform has often been criticized for a lack of apps. Windows 10 will bring new tools for developers to create universal apps that run on Phones, Tablets, Laptops, Hybrids, Desktops, and the XBox.

Yet it can still be difficult courting developers to stray from the iOS and Android duopoly. There have been rumors swirling that Microsoft would be allowing ported Android apps to run on Windows 10, and at the Build Developer conference Microsoft took it one step further.

windows 10 microsoft build developer conference apps software ios android

New tools will be provided to easily transition Java and C++ apps from Android, and developers will also be able to transition Objective C apps from iOS to Windows Phone.

Developers typically focus on iOS first to bring new services to market thanks to the consistency of Apple’s ecosystem. Conceivably, those same developers can invest far fewer resources to bring that service to EVERY device running Windows 10 than moving that same app to Android.

microsoft king candy crush apps software gamesKing.com was given as an example of one of the first companies to utilize these new tools, porting Candy Crush from iOS to Windows Phone in a matter of hours.

There’s now even less of a barrier for developers to bring services to the Windows ecosystem, especially as Microsoft expects Windows 10 to be on over one billion devices within the first year of release, handily outpacing the number of gadgets running iOS 8 or Android 5.0.

***Update***

For those wondering, Microsoft will be adding a subsystem to Windows 10 that can run Android Open Source Project software. The APK’s which install Android apps will be installed directly, in a secure partition, though if apps call certain API’s or depend on services Google wont allow on Windows, then obviously the app wont work. Microsoft will be providing tools to easily port certain actions, say an App calls for Google Now, it can be pointed over to look for Cortana instead.

For iOS apps, Microsoft is providing software for devs to completely recompile apps written in Objective C. iPhone apps will not be running in Windows Phone in the same way Android apps will run in a little emulation pocket.

While we’ll have to wait for Windows 10 on more devices to see the fruits of Android APK support, Microsoft has already released the iOS re-compiler for free, which hopefully means we’ll start seeing iOS services show up in the Windows store soon.

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Tag Heuer Designed Android Wear Smartwatch to Sell for $1400

tag heuer smartwatch android wear google premium somegadgetguyMoving technology out of “geek” and into “chic” is now critical to get consumers to part with their cash. Apple raised the bar on what you could charge for a wrist wearable, and now traditional watch manufacturers are taking this sector more seriously.

Google announced a partnership with LVMH and we’ll soon see the fruits of that partnership under the Tag Heuer brand. Details are slim, and we don’t know yet what the watch will look like (the above pic is what I personally hope it’ll look like), but head of “Watchmaking Activities” Jean-Claude Biver estimates the watch will run for around 40 hours on a charge.

Their first Android Wear watch will land by November, and will launch at $1400, making it a perfect competitor to Apple’s midrange watch offering.

I’ve made comparisons in the past to Apple becoming less a tech company, and more a fashion brand like Luis Vuitton, which makes this an interesting fit for Google as Tag Heuer is owned by Luis Vuitton. Will partners like this improve the visibility if smartwatches and other wearables? Drop us a comment below!

(via Bloomberg)

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Review: LG G Flex 2 on Sprint – Curves are Sexy

LG continues their experiment building curved phones with bent screens. The G Flex 2 is a fairly significant departure from their first phablet offering. Having used the phone for a couple weeks now, let’s see if it lives up to the legacy of its predecessor!

Shop the G Flex 2 on Amazon.
Flex 2 vs LG G3
Flex 2 vs Flex 1
Flex 2 Camera Review
Flex 2 Speaker Test
Flex 2 camera vs Lumia 930

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LG Unveils G4 Flagship Android Smartphone with Leather Back and Improved Camera!

An exciting day for LG fans!

LG finally took the wraps off of their newest flagship phone at a very conservative press event. No fashion runway, no choir, no stage. They let the device speak for itself, while detailing the new tech and design elements moving forward.

The G4 will follow in the design footsteps of the G3 and the G Flex. The screen will now feature a subtle curve, not as radical as the Flex, but offering a more ergonomic experience than the G3. As we’re still using a near-phablet 5.5″ screen, the slight bend should help with one handed use, and lining up with the contours of the human face.

lg g4 ips quantum display somegadgetguy

The screen is still a QHD (2560×1440) resolution affair, but LG is focusing on the quality and brightness of the display, over trying to cram in more dots. We’ve complained in the past that LG screens can be harder to read outdoors when compared to Samsung and Nokia, and it would seem the G4 will address that issue. They claim their IPS Quantum technology will be 25% brighter with increased contrast and color accuracy.

It’s still incredible to see a screen this large on a phone this small. As with our LG G3 vs iPhone 6 Plus comparison, you’ll get a higher resolution panel, and the same screen size as Apple’s phablet, in a phone just a touch larger than a Galaxy S6. Continue reading “LG Unveils G4 Flagship Android Smartphone with Leather Back and Improved Camera!”

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Friday Fun: What if ‘Man of Steel’ Was in Color?

This video does an excellent job of nailing one of the technical criticisms I had with Man of Steel, and something which I feel will continue to be an issue with Batman v Superman. It would seem that DC learned the wrong lesson from Christopher Nolan’s Batman films. That because the Dark Knight franchise was successful, and they were dark and gritty with muted color, then ALL superhero films should be dark and gritty with muted color.

Continue reading “Friday Fun: What if ‘Man of Steel’ Was in Color?”

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Google Launches Fi – Easy Low-Cost MVNO Cell Phone Service, Everything You Need to Know!

Rumors have been swirling that Google would launch their own phone service, and today we have official confirmation on their plans.

Project Fi

Instead of building their own towers, Google will lease their connection on partner networks, Sprint and T-Mobile at launch. This makes Google an MVNO (Mobile Virtual Network Operator), and brings them the advantage of not having to build out a competing network. The trick to Project Fi will be in delivering consumers a seamless transition between data and calls over Wi-Fi and on partner networks.

In subscribing to Fi, you will automatically be connected to the best possible network in your area. If Sprint has the best connection, your phone will connect to that network. Move to an area that’s rich for T-Mobile, you’ll jump ship to the UnCarrier. The consumer no longer has to mess with coverage maps or swapping SIM cards.

Low Cost

Pricing seems reasonable for an MVNO. There’s a base $20 a month fee for unlimited Talk and Text, with coverage for 120+ countries. Data costs $10 per GB. Want 4GB of LTE data, that will cost you $40. As the service moves between different carriers, it’s not very easy to do rollover data, instead Google is opting for cash back. If you pay for 4GB, but only use 2GB, you will receive a bill credit for $20.

Project Fi will start as an invite only service, and will only be compatible with the Nexus 6 at launch. It’s unclear how Google will move forward with other handset manufacturers, or what the certifications process for Fi compatible handsets will resemble.

You can request an invite at https://fi.google.com/about/

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