Smartwatch and Projector Phone Concepts Showcased at Lenovo Tech World

lenovo-new-logo-2015-bgLenovo wrapped up their Tech World conference by talking about the future and showing off some concept products.

As we throw around buzz words like “Internet of Things” the tech industry is actually facing it’s next major hurdle in how we can better integrate data and services into people’s daily lives. Products like smartwatches are another step in that conversation.

smartwatch concept front2Lenovo’s Magic View concept takes the standard smartwatch face we all understand (which looks a lot like the display found on the Moto360), and adds a second virtual screen. That small rectangular patch below the watch face is a virtual privacy display which can project content up to 20 times larger than the watch face.

concept phone with projectionProjection was a hot topic for phones too. Smart Cast is the world’s first laser projector in a mobile phone. Not only will it display the contents of your screen onto a flat surface, but it will also allow you to interact with the UI through the projection.

Lastly, Lenovo announced a partnership with Microsoft to bring exclusive features to Cortana on Lenovo PC’s. REACHit will provide cloud search and sync access to Cortana for popular services like DropBox and Google Drive. Files in the cloud and on various PC’s, Tablets, and Phones will all be accessible to users regardless of where they are or which device they’re using.

As Lenovo continues their lead in the PC space, most of the talk at Tech World focused on a future where services and information are a bit more fluid than the traditional PC experience. Buying Motorola was certainly a step in expanding their influence in the mobile market, and now “Internet of Things” is looking like the next arena they want to play in.

You can see more from the conference on Lenovo’s Youtube channel.

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)

SomeGadgetGuy’s International Samsung Gear Smartwatch Giveaway!

Fun fact: Did you know that almost 70% of my Youtube audience lives OUTSIDE the USA?I feel like celebrating!

How about a nice new smartwatch for Samsung owners, and let’s make this contest a WORLDWIDE affair! Yup. I’ll ship this puppy anywhere I can legally send a product, so don’t be shy.

Contest rules are simple: Continue reading “SomeGadgetGuy’s International Samsung Gear Smartwatch Giveaway!”

Long Term Review: Samsung Gear S on AT&T – The Smartwatch to Beat?

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!

Shop the Gear S on Amazon.

Moto 360 Smartwatch Gets a Price Drop!

android wear motorola moto 360 price drop google somegadgetguyWas it my favorite Android Wear Watch? Nope. But it still represents one of the most stylish entries into the world of wearable tech, and now you can get it for a LOT less.

Originally launched at $249, you can now find it for $165 on Google Play before tax and shipping, or $179 on Amazon for you Prime folks. Not a bad piece of kit at around half the price of the Apple Watch. You can catch our full review below.

The Better Smartwatch Commercial? Apple or Google? FIGHT!

The “Tech as Fashion” wars are heating up. Now that Apple has finally released all their details on the Apple Watch, and started advertising it on TV, now other companies are cutting TV ads to compete. Why Google would have waited for Apple to start broadcasting ads I’ll never understand, when Android Wear had a solid head start in the market, but I digress…

Anywho, now that the two companies are duking it out on TV, who do you think has the better ad? Apple went with their classic “Simple and show some functionality” approach, while Google played into the more recent feel good slate of ads, like their Animal Friends, with some colorful dance moves. One team’s ad is all about focus, the other all about diversity.

Which company did the better job introducing the world to their smartwatch? Drop us a comment below!

Google:

Apple:


Apple, Fashion, and Perceived Exclusivity – Keeping Desire High for iProducts

I recorded a video earlier this week in response to Apple’s MacBook and Apple Watch announcements, where I washed my hands of the tech angst many of us gadget geeks face when discussing Cupertino. Many of us who are now the most critical of the company, were at one time the most passionate advocates of the brand. I myself was an Apple product specialist for a company that sold systems and maintenance contracts to Department of Energy research facilities. The general thesis of my video focused on the realization and acceptance of the fact that Apple is not (and some would argue hasn’t been for some time) a tech company, but is now a full-fledged fashion and lifestyle brand.

Apple Watch stainless steel premium smartwatch iosScanning through Apple’s site and ads, we see a company showcasing design in much the same way that a jewelry website would show off luxury, premium offerings. Sure, there’s a tab you can click on to get a full listing of hardware specs, but it’s neatly tucked to the side, while large banners talk about “Reinventing the Laptop”, or how Apple Watch is their “Most Personal Device” yet. Marketing intangibles, statements designed to make you feel good, appeal to you emotionally, but which aren’t quantifiable or verifiable.

macbook gold new apple laptop OSX USB C netbookWhile Apple has often been accused of recycling their designs, the tick-tock update schedule of the iPhone is a perfect example, the company has learned an incredibly important strategy from the retail arena. While iProducts rarely change much from year to year, the subtle design changes keep brand awareness high amongst the demographics of folks with money to burn.

When moving from the Black iPhone 5, to the “Space Grey” iPhone 5S for example, this was a clear visual signal that you had spent money recently to acquire the new phone, instead of slumming it with an old phone. A Silver MacBook likely wont stand out much in a coffee shop when surrounded by MacBook Airs, but a Gold MacBook gives up a ready signal that you are on the pulse. It just wouldn’t do to be seen with last season’s Apple gear. We can count on the next MacBook to be a modest iteration improvement to the internal technology, but we’ll likely focus more on a new design accent or a new color option. Continue reading “Apple, Fashion, and Perceived Exclusivity – Keeping Desire High for iProducts”

Huawei Impresses with Fashionable Android Wear Smartwatch

huawei-watch-100570928-large.idgeThe wearables market is expanding, and we’re seeing more competition from tech companies trying to create fashionable accessories.

Primary in the Android Wear ecosystem, circular displays are becoming equated with “premium”. Leading up to MWC this year, Huawei took the wraps off their smartwatch solution. Huawei Watch will sport a higher resolution display than the LG G Watch R or Moto 360, but to keep the device slim, will use a smaller 300mAh battery. The smart guts powered by a Qualcomm 400, 512MB of RAM, and 4GB of storage.

The stainless steel housing will arrive in three different colors, black, gold, and silver. I’m really happy to see that the front face will not be clad in glass, but sapphire crystal, which we know is far more resistant to abuse. While we don’t have pricing or shipping info yet, we can be pretty sure that combo means this is targeting a “premium” market. Continue reading “Huawei Impresses with Fashionable Android Wear Smartwatch”