The Iphone 8 could be following the trend of the G6 and the Galaxy S8 by eliminating as much of the phone’s bezel as possible. In a leak , similar to one earlier in the year from Andy Rubin, a Chinese site, ifanr.com, asserts that the new Iphone could have a nearly bezel-less display. Below are a few renders of what we might be seeing later this year.
source – BGR
Timed to take some steam out of the upcoming announcement of the Galaxy S8. Andy Rubin Tweeted out a pic of a phone that he and a small team have been working on. The team consists of some former Google and Apple employees and claims that they will be jumping in the the high end smart phone space soon.
I'm really excited about how this is shaping up. Eager to get it in more people's hands… https://t.co/LRzQCFSKTm—
Andy Rubin (@Arubin) March 27, 2017
It seems the S8 is just about the worst kept secret. Here are the latest leaked pictures. If you would like to know just about everything about the new S8 phonearena has a great article.
Preview builds of the new Android OS are now live and available for download for the Nexus 5X, Nexus 6P, Nexus Player, Pixel, Pixel XL and Pixel C devices. I’ll wait for the beta build but if you would like to give it a try, head on over to the developer site and download the image for your phone.
What’s new in O?
Android O introduces a number of new features and APIs to use in your apps. Here’s are just a few new things for you to start trying in this first Developer Preview:
Background limits: Building on the work we began in Nougat, Android O puts a big priority on improving a user’s battery life and the device’s interactive performance. To make this possible, we’ve put additional automatic limits on what apps can do in the background, in three main areas: implicit broadcasts, background services, and location updates. These changes will make it easier to create apps that have minimal impact on a user’s device and battery. Background limits represent a significant change in Android, so we want every developer to get familiar with them. Check out the documentation on background execution limits and background location limits for details.
Notification channels: Android O also introduces notification channels, which are new app-defined categories for notification content. Channels let developers give users fine-grained control over different kinds of notifications — users can block or change the behavior of each channel individually, rather than managing all of the app’s notifications together.
Notification channels let users control your app’s notification categories
Android O also adds new visuals and grouping to notifications that make it easier for users to see what’s going on when they have an incoming message or are glancing at the notification shade.
Autofill APIs: Android users already depend on a range of password managers to autofill login details and repetitive information, which makes setting up new apps or placing transactions easier. Now we are making this work more easily across the ecosystem by adding platform support for autofill. Users can select an autofill app, similar to the way they select a keyboard app. The autofill app stores and secures user data, such as addresses, user names, and even passwords. For apps that want to handle autofill, we’re adding new APIs to implement an Autofill service.
PIP for handsets and new windowing features: Picture in Picture (PIP) display is now available on phones and tablets, so users can continue watching a video while they’re answering a chat or hailing a car. Apps can put themselves in PiP mode from the resumed or a pausing state where the system supports it – and you can specify the aspect ratio and a set of custom interactions (such as play/pause). Other new windowing features include a new app overlay window for apps to use instead of system alert window, and multi-display support for launching an activity on a remote display.
Font resources in XML: Fonts are now a fully supported resource type in Android O. Apps can now use fonts in XML layouts as well as define font families in XML — declaring the font style and weight along with the font files.
Adaptive icons: To help you integrate better with the device UI, you can now create adaptive icons that the system displays in different shapes, based on a mask selected by the device. The system also animates interactions with the icons, and them in the launcher, shortcuts, Settings, sharing dialogs, and in the overview screen.
Adaptive icons display in a variety of shapes across different device models.
Wide-gamut color for apps: Android developers of imaging apps can now take advantage of new devices that have a wide-gamut color capable display. To display wide gamut images, apps will need to enable a flag in their manifest (per activity) and load bitmaps with an embedded wide color profile (AdobeRGB, Pro Photo RGB, DCI-P3, etc.).
Connectivity: For the ultimate in audio fidelity, Android O now also supports high-quality Bluetooth audio codecs such as the LDAC codec. We’re also adding new Wi-Fi features as well, like Wi-Fi Aware, previously known as Neighbor Awareness Networking (NAN). On devices with the appropriate hardware, apps and nearby devices can discover and communicate over Wi-Fi without an Internet access point. We’re working with our hardware partners to bring Wi-Fi Aware technology to devices as soon as possible.
The Telecom framework is extending ConnectionService APIs to enable third party calling apps integrate with System UI and operate seamlessly with other audio apps. For instance, apps can have their calls displayed and controlled in different kinds of UIs such as car head units.
Keyboard navigation: With the advent of Google Play apps on Chrome OS and other large form factors, we’re seeing a resurgence of keyboard navigation use within these apps. In Android O we focused on building a more reliable, predictable model for “arrow” and “tab” navigation that aids both developers and end users.
AAudio API for Pro Audio: AAudio is a new native API that’s designed specifically for apps that require high-performance, low-latency audio. Apps using AAudio read and write data via streams. In the Developer Preview we’re releasing an early version of this new API to get your feedback.
WebView enhancements: In Android Nougat we introduced an optional multiprocess mode for WebView that moved the handling of web content into an isolated process. In Android O, we’re enabling multiprocess mode by default and adding an API to let your app handle errors and crashes, for enhanced security and improved app stability. As a further security measure, you can now opt in your app’s WebView objects to verify URLs through Google Safe Browsing.
Java 8 Language APIs and runtime optimizations: Android now supports several new Java Language APIs, including the new java.time API. In addition, the Android Runtime is faster than ever before, with improvements of up to 2x on some application benchmarks.
Partner platform contributions: Hardware manufacturers and silicon partners have accelerated fixes and enhancements to the Android platform in the O release. For example, Sony has contributed more than 30 feature enhancements including the LDAC codec and 250 bug fixes to Android O.
source – Google
Preview builds of the new Android OS are now live and available for download for the Nexus 5X, Nexus 6P, Nexus Player, Pixel, Pixel XL and Pixel C devices. I’ll wait for the beta build but if you would like to give it a try, head on over to the developer site and download the image for your phone.
What’s new in O?
Android O introduces a number of new features and APIs to use in your apps. Here’s are just a few new things for you to start trying in this first Developer Preview:
Background limits: Building on the work we began in Nougat, Android O puts a big priority on improving a user’s battery life and the device’s interactive performance. To make this possible, we’ve put additional automatic limits on what apps can do in the background, in three main areas: implicit broadcasts, background services, and location updates. These changes will make it easier to create apps that have minimal impact on a user’s device and battery. Background limits represent a significant change in Android, so we want every developer to get familiar with them. Check out the documentation on background execution limits and background location limits for details.
Notification channels: Android O also introduces notification channels, which are new app-defined categories for notification content. Channels let developers give users fine-grained control over different kinds of notifications — users can block or change the behavior of each channel individually, rather than managing all of the app’s notifications together.
Android O also adds new visuals and grouping to notifications that make it easier for users to see what’s going on when they have an incoming message or are glancing at the notification shade.
Autofill APIs: Android users already depend on a range of password managers to autofill login details and repetitive information, which makes setting up new apps or placing transactions easier. Now we are making this work more easily across the ecosystem by adding platform support for autofill. Users can select an autofill app, similar to the way they select a keyboard app. The autofill app stores and secures user data, such as addresses, user names, and even passwords. For apps that want to handle autofill, we’re adding new APIs to implement an Autofill service.
PIP for handsets and new windowing features: Picture in Picture (PIP) display is now available on phones and tablets, so users can continue watching a video while they’re answering a chat or hailing a car. Apps can put themselves in PiP mode from the resumed or a pausing state where the system supports it – and you can specify the aspect ratio and a set of custom interactions (such as play/pause). Other new windowing features include a new app overlay window for apps to use instead of system alert window, and multi-display support for launching an activity on a remote display.
Font resources in XML: Fonts are now a fully supported resource type in Android O. Apps can now use fonts in XML layouts as well as define font families in XML — declaring the font style and weight along with the font files.
Adaptive icons: To help you integrate better with the device UI, you can now create adaptive icons that the system displays in different shapes, based on a mask selected by the device. The system also animates interactions with the icons, and them in the launcher, shortcuts, Settings, sharing dialogs, and in the overview screen.
Wide-gamut color for apps: Android developers of imaging apps can now take advantage of new devices that have a wide-gamut color capable display. To display wide gamut images, apps will need to enable a flag in their manifest (per activity) and load bitmaps with an embedded wide color profile (AdobeRGB, Pro Photo RGB, DCI-P3, etc.).
Connectivity: For the ultimate in audio fidelity, Android O now also supports high-quality Bluetooth audio codecs such as the LDAC codec. We’re also adding new Wi-Fi features as well, like Wi-Fi Aware, previously known as Neighbor Awareness Networking (NAN). On devices with the appropriate hardware, apps and nearby devices can discover and communicate over Wi-Fi without an Internet access point. We’re working with our hardware partners to bring Wi-Fi Aware technology to devices as soon as possible.
The Telecom framework is extending ConnectionService APIs to enable third party calling apps integrate with System UI and operate seamlessly with other audio apps. For instance, apps can have their calls displayed and controlled in different kinds of UIs such as car head units.
Keyboard navigation: With the advent of Google Play apps on Chrome OS and other large form factors, we’re seeing a resurgence of keyboard navigation use within these apps. In Android O we focused on building a more reliable, predictable model for “arrow” and “tab” navigation that aids both developers and end users.
AAudio API for Pro Audio: AAudio is a new native API that’s designed specifically for apps that require high-performance, low-latency audio. Apps using AAudio read and write data via streams. In the Developer Preview we’re releasing an early version of this new API to get your feedback.
WebView enhancements: In Android Nougat we introduced an optional multiprocess mode for WebView that moved the handling of web content into an isolated process. In Android O, we’re enabling multiprocess mode by default and adding an API to let your app handle errors and crashes, for enhanced security and improved app stability. As a further security measure, you can now opt in your app’s WebView objects to verify URLs through Google Safe Browsing.
Java 8 Language APIs and runtime optimizations: Android now supports several new Java Language APIs, including the new java.time API. In addition, the Android Runtime is faster than ever before, with improvements of up to 2x on some application benchmarks.
Partner platform contributions: Hardware manufacturers and silicon partners have accelerated fixes and enhancements to the Android platform in the O release. For example, Sony has contributed more than 30 feature enhancements including the LDAC codec and 250 bug fixes to Android O.
source – Google
Samsung announced pre-order and availability of the Samsung Galaxy Tab S3, a powerful and fast 2-in-1 tablet packed with advanced technology. Pre-order for Tab S3 begins on March 17 at $599.99 at Samsung.com and select retailers such as Best Buy and Amazon, with in-store availability starting March 24. The Tab S3 will be available in Black and Silver.
Samsung Galaxy Tab S3 Specifications*
| Samsung Galaxy Tab S3 | |
|---|---|
| DISPLAY | 9.7” Super AMOLED QXGA (2048×1536) |
| CHIPSET | Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ 820
Quad Core 2.15GHz + 1.6GHz |
| MEMORY | 4GB + 32GB microSD up to 256GB* |
| CAMERA | 13MP AF + 5.0MP, Flash |
| PORT | USB 3.1(Type-C) |
| SENSORS | Accelerometer, Hall Sensor, RGB Sensor, Finger print Sensor, Gyro Sensor, Geometric Sensor |
| WIRELESS CONNECTIVITY | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, Wi-Fi Direct, Bluetooth® 4.2 |
| GPS | GPS + GLONASS, BEIDOU, GALILEO |
| DIMENSION, WEIGHT | 237.3 x 169.0 x 6.0mm 429g(Wi-Fi) / 434g(LTE) |
| BATTERY CAPACITY | 6,000mAh, Fast Charging |
| OS/UPGRADE | Android 7.0 |
| SAMSUNG SERVICES & APPLICATIONS | Samsung Smart Switch, Samsung Notes, Air Command, Samsung Flow |
| VIDEO | Recording: 4K (3840×2160) @ 30fps
Playback: 4K (3840×2160) @ 60fps |
Product page at Bestbuy.com
I have no idea if this game will end up being any good but from the little we know, it looks like it has potential.
Late April 2017
Source – nonstopchucknorris.com
Two years ago, Google announced their plans to build a new campus located in Mountain View, CA near it’s current headquarters and they’ve finally been given the go ahead to get started on construction. The new building will be two stories tall and about 595,000 square feet.
Below are the images of what the campus should look like.
source – business insider
There have been new rumors coming from bloomberg.com that Nest is developing a cheaper version of its thermostat. They’re aiming to to get the price below $200 in hopes that introducing a cheaper version will give them a competitive edge in the smart home market. I’m hoping that they will also make a higher end device that fully integrates a google home interface and has a larger screen that is able to show the results of the Google Assistant’s responses.
Another rumor is that Nest will be introducing a service for home security, building upon the Nest Cam that they currently sell with an added a smart doorbell. My hope is that they will bring them to market at a reasonable price.
Nest needs to start diving deeper in the the total smart home experience by adding basics like smart light switches, smart plugs, and other smart home related products, similar to what Belkin has with their Wemo line. It seems like a natural step to add these products to their line up.
source – bloomberg.com
Below is the rumored benchmark for the Galaxy S8. For reference the s7 Edge scores a single core score of 1911 and a multi score of 5620. So almost no increase in single core performance but multicore benchmark shows a 7 percent increase in performance.
| Mar 06, 2017 | Samsung Galaxy S7 edgeARMv8 1586 MHz (8 cores) | Android 64-bit | 1911 | 5620 |
source – slashleaks.com
andrewstwocents.wordpress.com 