Tag: smartwatch

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Qualcomm Toq in the SomeGadgetGuy Offices! First Impressions Video coming soon!

6tag_171213-113532 (1)I normally don’t pre-announce my videos and reviews, but I’m too excited not to share this one!

The Qualcomm Toq is on my wrist, and I’m super stoked to break it in and share my experiences using it. Part of why I’m excited is in watching a company like Qualcomm make such a direct move to interact with customers directly. Chances are your phone or tablet is using SOMETHING built by Qualcomm, but they don’t have a lot of consumer mind share.

Toq aims to change that.

My first impressions video will be posted tomorrow! Spoiler Alert: this thing is one sexy piece of smartwatch.

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PSA: Qualcomm’s Toq Smartwatch available Dec. 2nd for $349.99

qualcomm toq smartwatch faceThe smartwatch market is growing ridiculously quickly. From early novelty with niche players to seeing big boys like Samsung enter the field. We can’t go a week without another Apple or Google smartwatch rumor. Qualcomm’s entry into this field is particularly exciting as it marks their first direct-to-consumer endeavor.

If you know about Qualcomm, it’s likely because you know what kind of processor is in your phone. They aim to change that relationship with Toq, their first smartwatch, which we covered following the announcement back in September. While the watch looked cool, and we were happy to hear about broad phone compatibility, we didn’t have a release date or pricing information. Now we have both.

Toq will be available JUST in time for the holiday gift buying season, and starting December 2nd you’ll be able to pick one up for $349.99. As the Galaxy Gear will only work with select Samsung phones, Toq could be an interesting alternative for those wanting a bleeding-edge smart experience strapped to their wrist. We’ll find out more early next month!

You can find out more info on Toq at: http://toq.qualcomm.com/

Related:
Qualcomm Toq Competes For Your Smartwatch Affection
New Qualcomm Radio Power Management Means More Run Time, Less Heat

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Samsung confirms future Galaxy Gear compatibility with Note 2, GSIII, and GS4

29 gearThe Galaxy Gear has garnered a lot of attention for smartwatches, but the fact that it’s only currently compatible with the Galaxy Note 3 is a little limiting. Samsung officially announced today that they’ll be expanding the line up of phones that can talk to Gear.

Posted on Samsung’s Google Plus profile:

Today we’re announcing that the #GALAXYGear will be compatible with the #GALAXYS4 , #GALAXYSIII and #GALAXYNoteII via the Android 4.3 Jelly Bean update starting this month. In addition, the GALAXY S4 Mini, S4 Active, Mega 5.8, Mega 6.3 and S4 Zoom will also support the GALAXY Gear through a separate software update at the end of October.

Of course you have to filter updates through carriers too, but hopefully this means if you’re using one of the above phones and were thinking of trying Gear, your wait wont be much longer.

(via Samsung G+)

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The Pros and Cons of Owning a Smartwatch…

29 gearA casual chat with you fine folks, sharing my experiences using a couple different smartwatches.

I think there’s something interesting happening with consumer markets and wearable computing. It should be clear by now that I’m something of an activist for being a more responsible tech citizen. Not only to better protect people from careless behavior like watching movies on your tablet while driving, but also to improve our social interactions both digital and AFK. Our smartphones empower us, but they can also shield and block us from the world immediately in front of us.

What are your thoughts about strapping notifications and communication gear to your wrist?

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PSA: AT&T now taking pre-orders for the Samsung Galaxy Gear smartwatch

29 gearWe’re you hoping to be the first cool kid on your block to rock some Dick Tracy style smartphone wrist action?

AT&T is now taking pre-orders for the Galaxy Gear, so you best get while the getting’s good. I don’t know exactly what that last sentence means, but continuing to read this is wasting precious time better spent on setting up your pre-order.

Expect to drop $299 on Galaxy Gear, and it should arrive sometime in October… Probably around the time the Note 3 drops… Because synergy. Yeah!

(via AT&T)

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Get to know the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 intimately. Samsung posts in depth intro video. UPDATED with 18 minute Galaxy Gear Video!

17 action menuYeah. Some hot, sweet, S-Pen action!

Sammy’s Youtube channel just posted this six and a half minute long video introducing the Galaxy Note 3, and spending some time walking around all the new features.

The video details the new design, the updated hardware, and then showcases some of the new quick control actions like Air Command and Action Memo. If you’ve been curious about what the Note 3 has to offer, this video should answer a lot of questions.

Click here for our full coverage of Samsung Unpacked from Berlin!

***UPDATE***

Wow Samsung! Get a room for those two!

Not to be outdone by themselves, or anyone else on the internet reviewing tech, they just dropped this EIGHTEEN minute video showing of the combo of Galaxy Gear + Galaxy Note 3. Geez… I guess  I don’t even need to bother reviewing this stuff anymore…

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Qualcomm Toq competes for your Smartwatch affection

toq smartwatch qualcomm somegadgetguy mirasolWell Qualcomm. The one piece of advice I might give is to not announce your new smartwatch at the EXACT same time as a Samsung press event. That said, with Toq they are launching an interesting alternative to the other smartwatches we’ve seen so far.

First off the display uses Qualcomm’s Mirasol tech which reflects light around it to enhance view-ability.  Not using a traditional backlight should also reduce power consumption, a nice side effect for a gadget which should last all day and all night with you.

Unlike the Galaxy Gear, Toq will be compatible with every Android handset using 4.0.3 or higher through their Toq app in the Play store. The idea here is for sleek simplicity and at a glance functionality instead of Samsung’s approach which is almost a proper phone replacement. Toq will have simple controls for interacting with notifications and controlling apps like music playback. Plus you’ll have the ability to see caller ID to accept or reject in coming calls. No other buttons or controls. Qualcomm is keeping this set up simple.

toq smartwatch qualcomm somegadgetguy bluetooth headsetsAs an optional accessory, Toq can pair with a set of truly wireless bluetooth headsets. No cable or band connecting right ear and left ear any more, these are truly wireless. They link up and are controlled through Toq for all your audio needs.

A wireless charging base comes with Toq which can also juice up the bluetooth headsets. Again, simple and clean presentation, Toq looks like any other watch in a nice stand or case even when charging. No “geeky” cables or flaps hiding USB ports. Hopefully his should mean decent water resistance.

Lastly, and perhaps most importantly, this is one of Qualcomm’s first forays into the consumer space as its own brand. The techiest of folks might know which phones use Qualcomm internals, but few consumers probably have Qualcomm on their radar. This is a big step for a company which formerly operated in a somewhat “behind the scenes” fashion, and will likely be the beginning, the first product in a chain of future releases as they try to form relationships with consumers directly.

toq smartwatch qualcomm somegadgetguy wireless charging

More info on the official Toq site, and intro video below.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YzTrqifCOhs&w=640&h=480]

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Samsung shows off Galaxy Note 3, Galaxy Gear, and Note 10.1 2014 Edition

unpacked building note 3Thankfully this follow up Unpacked event was far more mature than what we saw for the Galaxy S4. None of that musical theatre train wreck, this time around Samsung largely let their new devices speak for themselves. Simple and straight forward.

As expected, we saw the official unveiling of the Galaxy Note 3, the Galaxy Gear smartwatch, and I was surprised to see a main stage announcement for the updated Note 10.1 2014 edition.

Galaxy Note 3

16 air commandThe Note 3 looks like it’s going to be another powerhouse phablet. A 5.7″ full HD (1080p) screen backed up by 3GB of RAM. CPU’s will change based on region a quad core in LTE areas (likely the Qualcomm 800) and Samsung’s Octa-Core in 3G zones. A new camera module is on board featuring improvements to lighting and image stabilization, but no mentions of proper hardware optical image stabilization were to be found. Video is going  to get a huge shot in the arm however as the Note 3 will support 60FPS 1080p video recording -OR- 4K video for Ultra HD playback on supported 4K TV’s and monitors.

17 action menuThe Note 3 will be sporting a Category 4 LTE radio giving it access to most LTE networks around the world. A nice touch for people who travel a lot (watch those roaming data rates).

S-Pen is getting spruced up, now with even more ability to control actions and shortcuts on the phone. Smart Command can pop up almost anywhere on the screen to provide quick access to shortcuts. S-note is getting a face lift with more gesture support and a cleaner interface plus support for Evernote. Almost any content can be “Circled” to save in personal Scrapbooks, later to be retrieved via S-Finder universal search. Drawing a box allows users to customize the size of widgets which float on top of the app currently being used. For example, you need a calculator on screen, you draw how big that calculator should be so you can still see info on the rest of the screen.

 

20 multi-windowMulti-Window support is improved for better multi-tasking, and users can even open multiple instances of the same app, say for instance you’d like to have two chat windows open at the same time.

 

Note 3 will come in three different leather clad back pates, black, white, and pink, and designers are working on numerous color and texture options for further customization. The Window Flip Cover accessory from the GS4 returns with an even larger window to support alerts on the screen when the screen is technically off.

14 back coverThose of you worried about corporate solutions, Samsung Knox security software will now be rolling out worldwide.

Samsung is shooting for worldwide availability by September 25th. An ambitious release schedule. Pricing info to come shortly as carriers jump on the press circuit.

Galaxy Gear

29 gearSammy proudly showed off their smartwatch, ending all the rumors on what kind of tech we might see on board. a 1.6″ touchscreen AMOLED display will be paired with an 800MHz CPU and a host of sensors, gyros, mics, speakers, and a camera. Movement tracking will allow Gear to help you sort work out and fitness info, and gestures can be utilized. Answering a phone call happens by holding your hand up to the side of your head. That seems funny, until you see that the mic and speaker are built into the watchband. Not exactly handsfree, but easier to support than holding a Note 3 up to the side of your face, and less “crazy person talking to no one” looking than some of the smaller bluetooth headsets.

25 answerA 13MP camera is built into the strap as well, allowing Gear owners to snap pics and vids directly from the wrist. Lining up shots might be tricky holding your arm out sideways, but it’s nice to have an easily accessible camera which can shoot quickly from simple gestures. Custom apps are already available. to take advantage of the smaller screen, and it interacts with Samsung handsets, specifically the Note 2 & 3, the Galaxy Note 10.1, and the Galaxy S4. Smart relay will auto transfer what you see on the Gear screen simply by picking up a paired device. Plus Sammy is claiming 25 hour run time on the watch for all day and all night activity.

Expect a price of $299 when it’s released to the world, also shooting for a September 25th release.

Galaxy Note 10.1 – 2014 Edition

28 note 10Less time was spent on the Note 10 during the press event. Most of the new tech included in Note 10.1 was detailed during the presentation of the Note 3. Happily we are seeing a refresh on the screen. Now sporting a 2560×1600 resolution display, similar to the one found on the Nexus 10, this absolutely shames the 1280×800 screen on the last generation Note. The new Note 10.1 will have an 8MP rear camera (no word on 4K video so that’s probably not included), and the same CPU split will happen with LTE variants likely receiving Qualcomm’s 800 series CPU. I would expect WiFi and 3G variants to sport Sammy’ s Octa-core Exynos.

Huge news from Sammy today, and if you were holding off buying a new premier phone or tablet, Samsung totally justified your cautious shopping decision.

Click here to watch the Unpacked event.

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