Samsung, LG to mass produce next-generation Quantum Dot displays this year

Mobile displays continue their path to a better future as the industry awes us with more unbelievable screens. Smartphone resolutions have reached levels that match 50-inch televisions, sometimes even surpassing them. And with both LCD and AMOLED displays available, there is room for everyone’s taste. We even have flexible screens now! What is the next step in display technology?

When considering smartphone and tablet displays, we must worry about multiple factors, more so than with TVs. Power efficiency, color accuracy, brightness and refresh rate are among the most important. Imagine if you could mix the vibrant colors AMOLED offers with the color accuracy and energy efficiency LCD displays tout?

In comes Quantum Dot, the next step (and the future) in display technology. Quantum Dot is said to drop our jaws in a world where it has become very hard to impress users. It will bring LCD displays the amazing color range only AMOLED displays have seen so far.

How is Quantum Dot different?

Quantum Dot’s semiconductor nanocrystals offer a solution to a problem LCD panels have always had. These screens are known for color accuracy, but the images don’t “pop”. This is because color reproduction in LCD displays highly depends on the quality of the color being emitted by the LCD backlight.

The main difference in Quantum Dot screens is that light is emitted on demand, and customized to serve specific areas and colors at certain times, instead of LCD lights, which are continuously on. This is how Quantum Dot displays can reach wider color ranges. Likewise, color gamut improves by 40%-50%, and energy efficiency rises by 15%-20%.

We can currently see Quantum Dot displays in one Android device – the Amazon Kindle HDX. Now that we have perfected other screen technologies, it’s time to get Quantum Dot out there.

These displays are said to be the best in the market, so long as they are properly calibrated. If they are not, the blue colors could be less saturated than expected.

When will we see Quantum Dot displays coming to mobile devices?

New reports state Samsung and LG, two of the biggest leaders in smartphone/tablet display technology, will pioneer the Quantum Dot movement. The Korean giants are said to start mass producing mobile Quantum Dot LCD screens during the second half of this year, with the first devices sporting these panels as soon as 2015.

Can Quantum Dot finally take AMOLED’s crown? It seems so. The industry knows it, manufacturers know it and you know it. Much like megapixels in a camera sensor, screen definitions mean nothing without good quality panels. Let’s stop focusing so much on the pixels and get to the root of good viewing experiences.

from Android Authority http://ift.tt/1l6N0j0

Samsung Galaxy S5 Mini captured in beautiful HD images

The mobile industry has a plethora of unnaturally large devices, creating a whole new category in the future of smartphones. Manufacturers have started creating “Mini” smartphones, meant to replicate the looks and capabilities of their larger counterparts, only in a smaller body. The Samsung Galaxy S5 Mini has been one of the most rumored miniature devices, and today’s images are here to clear out your doubts about it.

It’s rather unusual to see a device leak in high resolution images, forcing us to take a closer look at these Samsung Galaxy S5 Mini (you may also know it as the Galaxy S5 Dx) shots. Literally looking like a small clone of the Galaxy S5, the Galaxy S5 Mini could be one device to keep an eye on.

It is interesting to see the Galaxy S5 Mini from all its angles and even its internals, but even more interesting is the other bit of news we are getting with this leak. The anonymous informant has provided us with screenshots of the device running through Antutu benchmark and CPU-Z, hence giving us a healthy list of specs.

Samsung Galaxy S5 Mini rumored specs

• 4.5-inch 720p Super AMOLED Display


• 1.4 GHz Samsung Exynos 3 Quad (Exynos 3470) processor


• 1.5GB of RAM


• 16 GB of internal storage


• 8 MP/2.1 MP cameras


• Fingerprint reader and heart rate sensor


• LTE, Wi-Fi 802.11n, Bluetooth 4.0 LE, IR Blaster, NFC, GPS with A-GPS support and GLONASS, MicroUSB port

If the rumored details and leaked images are to be considered real, Samsung is doing a great job at keeping their Galaxy S5 and Galaxy S5 Mini as similar as possible. Extra features and good specs all seem to be included.

I was surprised to see the fingerprint reader and heart rate sensor on board, for example. Not to mention, IP67 certification is very welcomed, making this neat smartphone water and dust resistant.

Pricing and launch information continue to be a mystery, as are all the rumored details, really. Take it all with a grain of salt, as these rumors can sometimes prove to be wrong.

from Android Authority http://ift.tt/1kk3pAl

LG G Watch rumored release date and pricing emerge

Interested in purchasing an LG G Watch? We know a launch is nearing when we start seeing rumors of a device showing up more frequently. The latest murmurs gave us details on the specs, and suggested the smartwatch would be one of this year’s Google IO freebies. If that isn’t enough proof that the LG G Watch is soon to launch, now we also have a rumored release date and pricing information!

Anonymous sources tell Modaco LG’s Android Wear device is to be released on July 7th, soon after this year’s Google IO concludes. Pricing details are still a bit vague, but we are getting an idea of how affordable the device will be.

It is said the LG G Watch will cost less than the Samsung Gear 2 Neo, which is currently priced at $199 or £169.99. “Under $199″ leaves a pretty large window, but even if priced at almost $200, this wouldn’t be a bad deal. Especially with competitors like the Pebble Steel around, with more limited software and a $249 price point.

Do remember these are rumors and we have no solid evidence to back them up, even though the information does make sense. Take it with a grain of salt and hope for the best.

LG G Watch details

Let’s go over some of the LG G Watch details we know so far, just in case you are still on the fence about it. Of course, there are the specs we found out about this morning, which include a 400 mAh battery, 4 GB of internal storage and a 1.65-inch 280x280p display.

If you want even more information, you can also take a look at a hands-on video that recently reached the inter webs! Yes, a full hands-on video. In fact, this was the only one around, but it was soon taken down and made private. The good news is we managed to capture all the details and even some screenshots.

from Android Authority http://ift.tt/1qqrFGb

OnePlus One invite emails suggest the handset’s arrival will be delayed

A year ago no one knew who or what OnePlus was, today it’s one of the most talked about Chinese phone companies, at least among the techie-types. Not bad for a company that’s spent almost nothing on marketing and has yet to get its product into the hands of consumers, aside from a very lucky few.

Of course, not all the talk centering around the OnePlus One has been favorable. While early reviews of the device have been fairly good, the problem lies with various PR mishaps that have happened along the way for the company. Most of the controversy has surrounded OnePlus’ invite system and the company’s inability to get the phone into the hands of folks who are actively interested in buying one.

If you are the type that is getting sick of the waiting game, you’re not going to like today’s news. Reportedly Oppo has sent out invites to select individuals but with a small catch: the invite allows you to buy the phone now, but with the revelation that the phone won’t ship just yet. Instead, it will be shipped as soon as possible and OnePlus says it will keep the buyer updated on the progress of getting the phones out.

The reason for the delay? According to Cyanogenmod’s ciwrl , the reason centers around new issues with openSSL that were made public on June 5th. He says they decided to “include the correction for those vulnerabilities, in the factory release of the One”. Furthermore, a whole new firmware means the device needs to be re-certified.

Regardless of what happened, delays never make a company look good. It also seems a bit strange that OnePlus couldn’t have shipped the handset and then simply released an OTA firmware upgrade shortly thereafter, since they’ll have to do that for handsets that are already in the wild. It’s currently unclear how long it will take before OnePlus ships out phones purchased through the invite system, though hopefully it’s a short delay.

What do you think of OnePlus and the One? Still excited, losing interest or have you already turned your attention away from the OnePlus One almost entirely?

from Android Authority http://ift.tt/1kYwVBH

Lens Blur Live Wallpaper – Indie app of the day

What is Lens Blur Live Wallpaper

As you can imagine, Lens Blur Live Wallpaper is a live wallpaper and thus it does live wallpaper things. You set it as your wallpaper and it then populates your background with lens blur images that you took with Google Camera. It’s not just an image-rotating wallpaper and it does come with some special effects.

Okay here is how it works. You take a bunch of lens blur photos with Google Camera. Lens Blur Live Wallpaper then uses those images as backgrounds for your devices. According to the app description, it gathers up the depth information on your blur photos and then uses that information to create a sort of 3D parallax effect. What this means is elements of the photo will move around depending on what angle you view your device. So it’s a little bit of optical illusion magic that makes your backgrounds pop.

The only real prerequisite needed to use this app is to have photos on your device that were taken with Google Camera’s lens blur effect. Unfortunately it doesn’t work with other photos taken with other cameras. So if you have a nice collection of photos with some good bokeh, it won’t work. It has to be photos taken with Google Camera.

---

PROS

• It's free!


• It produces a fun and unique effect that looks really cool.


• Works with lens blur images taken with Google Camera.


• Some options to customize the image such as focus and depth effect sliders.

CONS

• There is a serious bug that causes crashes that should be fixed soon but it isn't fixed yet.


• Only works with the Google Camera lens blur.


• The UI could use some refining.

6.0

Overall this is a really cool app for Google Camera enthusiasts to try out. Granted, there are some pretty serious bugs that need fixed for some devices, but we imagine that once those get ironed out the app will be much better. It’s unique and the effect does give devices a fun look. It’s free in the Google Play Store if you want to check it out. Click the button below to get started.

Check out the last indie app of the day: addappt



from Android Authority http://ift.tt/1xEX2Sf

Recertified Samsung Galaxy Gear can be yours for just $99

It’s no secret that the original Samsung Galaxy Gear was a bit of a dud, in large part due to early constraints such as few useful apps, limited notifications and limited device support. Samsung has since fixed many of these early issues for the OG Gear watch, even though the Korean giant has since moved on to the Gear 2 family.

The good news for consumers is that even though the Gear is no longer the latest and greatest from Samsung, it’s actually become a reasonably decent choice through updates and Samsung’s abandonment of the device means you can find it for cheap. How cheap? Right now Daily Steals is offering the watch for just $99.

The catch? This is a recertified watch, though it still comes with a 90-day warranty. If you are the kind that don’t mind buying recertified or used products to save some hard-earned cash, you’ll want to check out this deal.

Get the Samsung Galaxy Gear for $99 from Daily Steals.

from Android Authority http://ift.tt/SvyQRE

Switch between reading and listening with the updated Kindle for Android

Amazon is updating its Kindle app for Android with tighter Audible integration, making it easy to switch between the regular and the audio version of a book.

Amazon bought audiobook purveyor Audible in 2008 to establish a foothold in the fast growing segment of audiobooks. Now the retail giant is giving users of Kindle for Android quick access to the Audible version of the book they are reading, all without leaving the app. Using the Whispersync for Voice feature, users can buy “professionally narrated” audiobook versions of the books they are reading, and switch between the two versions at will. This makes it possible, for instance, to start reading a book at home and switch to audio for your drive to work, with the app keeping track of your place in the book.

Amazon says there are over 45,000 titles in its collection of audio companions for Kindle books. The price for classic works is $0.99, while new titles like the Hunger Games series will cost you $3.99. Of course, that’s in addition to the cost of the ebook. You can check which titles in your collection have audio companions with Amazon’s Matchmaker service.

The update for Kindle for iOS (as well as the app’s iOS equivalent) is now heading towards all users. Check the Kindle for Android app in the Play Store here.

from Android Authority http://ift.tt/SvyOZO

Honeywell Lyric thermostat announced, gives Nest a run for the money

While Nest has become one of the most popular options for smart thermostats in recent times, they are far from the only option out there. One of these older players is Honeywell, which has just announced a new connected thermostat that they are hoping will allow them to leapfrog past the competition.

Formally dubbed as the Lyric, the new thermostat has a rounded body and large display, and certainly hints at a design that has been inspired by Nest. As you’d expect, you can not only twist the circular body to change the temperature, there’s also an app for Android (and iOS) that allows you to make changes.

Lyric does a lot more than just let you set temperatures manually, of course. In addition to alerting you when you need to change a filter or have your furnace checked out by a professional, there’s also unique GPS-based functionality.

In short, if you and your phone leave your home, Lyric senses the departure and automatically adjusts the temp in order to save you money. As you start moving in a direction back towards your home, the Lyric will begin adjusting back to your ‘normal’ temperature setting. Lyric has yet to explain how this might work with multi-smartphone households but hopefully the system is smart enough to handle these types of situations.

If you’re interested in picking up the Lyric, you can do so now through a licensed professional contractor. The DIY crowd will have to wait until the beginning of August, however, where it is expected to go on sale for $279.

from Android Authority http://ift.tt/1oIRi5W

Lytro rumored to launch Android camera, show Android OEMs how refocusing is done

Lytro Illum, now available for pre-order

Lytro, the light-field camera startup, is rumored to release an Android-powered camera in the next months.

Light-field tech (also known as plenoptic photography) replaces the conventional lens-sensor setup with an array of micro-lenses that capture the same scene from multiple angles. This makes possible effects like post-shot refocusing, with the added benefit of better low-light sensitivity and faster image capture.

If that sounds familiar, it’s because several Android manufacturers have attempted to mimic light-field cameras to varying degrees of success. Samsung and Sony use software to replicate the selective focus feature of Lytro cameras, while Google added a Lens Blur feature to the stock Android camera app that requires the user to move the phone vertically in order to capture a sense of depth from the scene. But it’s HTC’s One (M8) that leads the pack in this area, thanks to the depth sensor on its back, which allows for more precise refocusing compared to software-only solutions.

To compete with these imitators, Lytro could embrace Android in the close future, if @evleaks is to be believed.

Lytro's developing an Android-powered light field camera due for release next quarter. – http://t.co/rZAeMPUsRI

— @evleaks (@evleaks) June 9, 2014

Lytro has only released two consumer products so far – an eponymous “point and shoot” camera and the Illum, a larger device targeted at professionals, featuring an 8x optical zoom lens and a large LCD display.

Click on the image below to refocus it or click and drag to change the perspective.

Android is a prime option for companies that want to endow their imaging products with smart features – Samsung, for instance, has released several Android cameras, as well as the smartphone-camera hybrids Galaxy S4 Zoom and Galaxy K Zoom.

Light-field technology could even make the jump to smartphones. Toshiba and Nokia-backed Pelican Imaging are both developing micro-lens array camera modules, opening the possibility to see Lytro-style technology on phones in the next years.

from Android Authority http://ift.tt/1qn1ekU